All Utility Employees
Are Potential
Sales Representatives for Their Company
By David Saxby
What would you say if I asked for your job
title? You might be a customer service representative, meter reader or
engineering or field staff. You might be in billing or marketing. You might
even be your utility’s general manager.
Now, if I asked you whether you are in sales, chances are you probably would
say you are not. Actually, you are!
The truth is, every utility employee who comes into contact with customers
is in sales regardless of their title and must be sensitive to what
customers want. It doesn’t matter what a utility employee’s job is. If they
interact with customers in any fashion, they are an extension of the sales
department. They are selling their professional credibility, the company’s
products and services and the company’s image.
With that in mind, utility employees need to know that there are five things
customers truly want. They are as follows:
To have the employee listen more than they talk. Put yourself in your
customers’ shoes – would you rather talk to someone who goes on and on or to
someone who asks you questions and is interested in what you have to say?
Customers are not impressed with an employee’s jabbering. They’re in contact
with your utility because they have a need or a problem and believe your
company can offer a solution. Asking customers intelligent questions and
then actively listening to their responses is the best way to build trust
and get at the heart of what the customer really needs.
To have things explained in a way the customer can understand. Listen
to the customer and speak at their level of expertise. In today’s high-tech
world, many products on the market are quite complex, including those
provided by utilities that offer more than just power service. Customers
don’t want to be insulted by listening to jargon and acronyms that are
meaningless to most people. They also don’t want to deal with a
condescending employee who sounds exasperated because the customer is not
catching on.
To deal with knowledgeable employees. Does every employee at your
utility have a basic understanding of the services available to your
customers? Do they know you offer surge protection, budget billing and
energy audits? If you offer Internet or television service, are they aware
of that? Most customers assume that a utility’s employees are fully aware of
the services provided by the company.
To deal with nice people. Treat customers to a breath of fresh air
and greet them with a friendly voice and a smile on your face, even if you
are on the telephone. Remember that your customers are most likely bumping
into negativity everywhere they go – traffic jams, long lines in stores,
frustration at work, stress at home and more. When they come into contact
with your utility, they want to talk to a nice person every time they call.
They want to believe you are someone who genuinely cares about their
concerns. They want you to sound warm and friendly.
To have their time valued, not wasted. Customers juggle their
schedules to make time to reach out to your utility, and they feel devalued
and unappreciated if they believe their time is being wasted. Classic time
wasters include placing customers on hold, transferring their calls to other
departments and not getting their requests right the first time. It’s also a
waste of time when customers deal with employees who are not knowledgeable
and who are not empowered to make decisions. Empower your employees with the
ability to solve a customer’s problem on the first call.
To be offered solutions. Customers want to believe your utility has
the resources and willingness to deliver what they need. This will often
mean that you need to go the extra mile to explore a variety of solutions
for them. Own the customer’s problem. Don’t cut customers short with
responses such as “I don’t know” or “we don’t do that in this department.”
Commit to creating a solution for the customer.
Regardless of your job duties or job title, you impact your utility’s sales
every time you come into contact with a customer. Your goal should be to
make sure your customer concludes his or her interaction with you with a
strong positive feeling about you and the company. You can help your
customers feel comfortable with their decision to patronize your utility by
reinforcing their decision. Show enthusiasm for your products and services
and sincerely thank customers for their business. Above all, communicate to
your customers that everyone at the utility is part of one big team whose
goal is to make them happy.
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David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
