Emily's Lesson

While her parents, one of which is my son, have done a wonderful job in raising my granddaughter, her grandfather, which is me, likes to take opportunities to "coach" her a little bit about life (since I have lived almost twice as long as either of her parents). Emily is an 8 year old third grader and to date my only grandchild. A while back I sent her an email (yes she has a laptop) and asked her three questions.

1. What should you do when school seems boring?
2. What subject or topic really excites you?
3. Do you think how you do in school will make a difference in your life?

You answer these and Pops will send you what he thinks after.

Emily is not one to answer emails too quickly as the reply to this came yesterday, close to one month after I originally sent it to her. I assume by looking at her answers that she gave this a great deal of thought

First I just pretend I like it. Next I like talking about me!!!! And Last I think it will improve my math skills;) bye!!!!!!

My reply was simple:

You have a wonderful attitude about life and an honest self-confidence as well!!! I love you!!

Now you can take what you want from this but this very morning, shortly after I read Emily's email and replied, I read the following in Sales Guru Jeffrey Gitomer's ezine:

I would hope that my grandchildren become salespeople. I would want them to carry on the tradition when Eve sold Adam the apple (all my grandchildren are women). I am beginning their training right now by reinforcing their YES! Attitude and making certain they believe in themselves. These two elements are the most important and the most overlooked aspects of a salesperson's success.

How do you respond to not being the winner?

I have been working on a project for a couple of months now and we made a decision yesterday as to the route we will take as far as the software necessary to implement. I then informed all the vendors who were vying for the business. Here are two responses I got. They represent a study in contrasts as to how one reacts to not being the winner.

"In my experience, this is a bad decision that will cost you mayor (sic) dollars and you will have an impossible time exacting (sic) your data if wanted to leave ____."

"Thanks for letting us know Dan! Let me know if you need any assistance from us pulling data out of _____ for Chris’ team".

One basically said we are idiots and the other set the stage for a lasting relationship with our company should we need help from them in the future

Choosing how one reacts to being the loser, can make the difference in being remembered for future consideration or elimination from the address book.

I Don't Have Time For the Little Guy Syndrome

Back in the day when I was selling medical products I learned many lessons from many managers and mentors but the best lessons were from mistakes I saw others make or I made myself.
A large hospital where I had little business and my main competitor had a lot had the decision maker to whom they referred to as The Chief in the office . Out front in the salesman's waiting area was his assistant who received us and announced us. My competitor often came in the without as much as a greeting or acknowledgement and said " I am here to see the Chief". I actually enjoyed talking to the assistant while I was waiting so we got to be buddies. One day my competitor came in and said to a new guy behind the desk " I am here to see the Chief" Well guess who the new chief was? LOL Needless to say my star shineth brighter from then on out simply because I had been genuinely interested in the new Chief's story when he was the "lowly" assistant.
I had another small account that I started neglecting because I had most of the business and I thought I was in a locked in situation. A new guy showed up on the sales scene for a competitor who heretofore was listless. This new guy went after this one first and when I realized that I was losing business and it was too late, I lost the account. Believe me. I never made that mistake again.

Yesterday I attended a webinar that was put on by Jeffrey Gitomer and Andy Nixon on having a YES ATTITUDE or what i also call being part of the solution rather part of the problem. It is so prevalent in political circles to criticize but offer no solutions to the very thing you are critical of. Let's avoid falling into that trap in our relationships. If you don't have something positive to offer that will move the issue forward or even stop it if it is a bad idea to begin with then it would be wise to be a professional listener. Listening professionally is something to which we all should aspire. It means not spending valuable listening time thinking about how smart you can show yourself to be by rehearsing your part in the conversation when you haven't even grasped what you are supposed to be hearing. Get up in the morning or whenever you get up and determine that you are going to have a good day and rehearse in your mind on your way to work how you are going to do that. You want to be a great friend or a great salesman or a great anything be a great listener and then a great contributor to the conversation by keeping your remarks positive. It is not easy but you are what you watch on TV and garbage in usually creates garbage out. Keep you inputs positive and your outputs will improve in a positive way

Chosen Words

I was trying to think about what I should write today about carefully choosing ones words when I remembered this very inspiring video I had saved that says it all with ironically NO SPOKEN WORDS AT ALL! A successful sales event can turn on how you express yourself and of course how that expression is perceived by to whom you are speaking or corresponding. I do much better with the written word than the spoken word because it gives me time to choose my words more carefully ( and I don't say "you know so much"-you know?-LOL). Some of you are more talented than I in the spoken realm. Whichever is your cup of tea, carefully chosen words to convey ones point is the most compelling way possible is a skill you must develop to be successful in building any relationship either for fun or for profit. Watch this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Hzgzim5m7oU&vq=medium

Cicero was one of the greatest thinkers of the Roman Empire. He was a skilled orator, lawyer, politician, linguist, and writer. Still today he is quoted for his clear prose and practical wisdom. For instance, of having friends he wrote: “Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.” He understood the double benefits of friendship along life’s journey.

It always amazes me why we all don't try to be friends when conducting our business. It is a winning formula for not only a more pleasant business experience but a life enhancing technique as well. People do not like to be SOLD anything but they LOVE buying things. Friends are no different (actually probably more so). Friends do like doing business with their friends as they feel more comfortable and trusting of people they know.

How much effort have you put out befriending your customers? Take a shot at making a customer a friend today. You are not always going to succeed every time but when you do you will be happy for the result. Put yourself out there, open up and share, listen and learn, sympathize and empathize.

When I was a kid, my Dad taught me something, after being very frustrated in a restaurant following a fine meal, as to the time it took to get the check. In a very nice way, he explained to the waitress and her manager the importance of completing the “sale” properly (everything was about a “sale” to my Dad). They seemed GENUINELY appreciative.

After they left our table, he told me something I have never forgotten. Telling people in the service business how they are doing or not doing is the best thing you can do for them and yourself because that is the only way they know if they need to improve. I might add that he also said that the worst thing you can do for them is to say nothing.

The name of the game in this day and age seems to be more for less. It is true in the workplace as well as the marketplace.

I was thinking about what my Dad told me years ago and realized that his lesson for me really applies to the relationship between your server and you in the transportation world.
Whether you are a customer or a carrier, take the time to not only show appreciation for the services provided you (yeah, yeah, I know you are paying for them) but just as important, let them know what does not satisfy you.

That is where the Customer Relations Department at Trinity Logistics comes in. Not only do we reach out regularly to you to access your ever changing needs relative to our ever growing service offerings but we are also here as a Customer Advocate as well. We ALWAYS have a willing ear listening to you whether it is a concern or a compliment. Rest assured every conversation we have is acted upon promptly to insure your concerns are met or your praises are passed on to those who not only serve you but their management as well.

There is an old adage that one catches more flies with honey than with vinegar.

You want more for less?

Try our suggestion as you might find you see better results than you ever expected in your levels of service. It is hard to correct what you don’t know you are doing wrong.

CALL US OR EMAIL US WITH YOUR COMPLIMENTS OR CONCERNS OR BOTH!

866-807-5800 or customerrelations@trinitylogistics.com