Are you ‘triaging’ or setting your organisation up as the ‘provider of choice?’
Part of our process to understand how we can help our clients is to listen to calls. This way we know where we can add value. This might be through structure development pathways – education and training (time off site to go deep dive into acquiring skills), in blogs (Ta Da), eBooks and masterclasses etc. This means we gather intel every day and see patterns.
One of the patterns that’s emerged is the ‘touch point’ that carries the most impact – what influences the client the most, but in the clients journey often understood the least, is the interaction taking place at the very first human touch point.
We will call this first contact, The Director of First Impressions. I would argue that this is the most crucial of all touch points which is ironic as it is not being valued or leveraged as much as it could be. A review of that conversation can increase an organisations conversion success from 2 out of 10 callers easily to 9 in 10. (We see this jump all the time, and nothing has changed for the business in terms of services)  It’s all down to the way that first touch point is conducted. With that significant jump in outcomes, it warrants us delving into what is happening.
Clients Journey
The client’s journey might have been a referral, or they have seen what you do on your website, they acknowledge there is a need, found your organisation, recognised it can solve that need. So far so good.
Then they read the website so with our ‘marketing’ hat on we would say they have moved down the marketing funnel as they engage with your website content – from ‘awareness’ to ‘interest’ to ‘desire’ and then lastly ‘take action’ which is reaching out to you.  Your SEO has worked. So far, it’s a green traffic light day, smooth and easy… things are going to plan.
They then call
In your ‘client journey’ you might note this as one of many touch points, another tick in a box, getting info and moving Frank along.
With 30 years of training high performers, seeing the data on conversions, I can share I see it as the moment the client decides if they were right to call you. That interaction is securing them as a client (yes, this very first touch point) or putting them off.
What isn’t working well
Let’s unravel what is often happening. That role is often viewed as junior. The most inexperienced person takes up what could be arguably the most impactful contact point. Let’s go into the headspace of the organisation and the person.
What’s my job: That first touch point, The Director of First Impressions, is often seen (internally at the organisation) as ‘triage’, get basic info, note it and move the person along the client journey for your organisation.
So, the mindset is about getting through the calls. Thinking is I’m not ‘sales’. My job is to fill in the CRM and pass over. I’m not immediately impacted by whether Frank comes on board with us or not. So, I’m not invested in the outcome and feel that that is another person’s role – to ‘sell’ frank our offerings. It’s not down to me.
Time (duration) on that call – some organisations have a big clock, not more than ‘4’ minutes per call and that person gets under pressure and starts rattling off questions to get to the answers.
This means ‘being present’ and seeing the bigger picture is missed. The Director of First Impressions isn’t tying together the story. It’s interview mode. The call doesn’t flow, what I mean by that is Frank empties out his requirements and in doing so he gives a lot of information, but The Director of First Impressions continues with questions in order, even though he has answered it in his download. This means it’s not a natural conversation. Sometimes we refer to this as ‘tick and flick’.
If the Director of First Impressions are given things to say about the organisation they are doing what we coin ‘Information Transfer’.  Giving Frank all the information and then saying ‘Come back when you are ready’. Usually this is overwhelm but with no training on now to read the situation they are likely not to pick that up.
If we had to summarise this set up, I would say its lacking in authenticity, not commercially savvy, box ticking and oblivious to the impact that role takes.
What ‘good’ looks like
When the organisation recognises that first contact, the Director of First Impressions really is the biggest impact (at that point) to that potential client they start to think carefully about who they are employing to fit that important role, from the job ad, interview, job description, onboarding and ongoing development the focus is on upskilling this individual to embrace their role. To know the job is to wow a client, to have exceptional customer service and to ensure the caller has the best experience.
What’s my job: The Director of First Impressions see there their role is to help people sign up with your organisation.
(When this happens it’s always a high conversion for that organisation).
Seeing themselves as the Director of first impressions, the team member recognises their place in the journey and what a massive influence they have. Their ‘intent’ is genuinely to help. And they are commercially savvy. Knowing that if your organisation is the right fit for Frank then we need to make sure it’s easy for him to sign up.
The role is to install confidence, certainty and be trusted.
Those individuals see their role is to create a meaningful connection, form a relationship, help the caller navigate the services and ultimately choose your organisation to be the provider of choice. The Director of First Impressions ensures the potential client leaves the call excited by the value that your organisation brings, knowing next steps and ultimately has confidence in signing up with you. They leave that call with a decision to go ahead with your organisation. Even though, in principle they have not yet spoken to anyone with a job title of ‘sales’.
The Director of First Impressions: Tips
1. Product knowledge
Even though this person won’t be educating a client on the services, it’s imperative they are ‘sold’ on them. Any hesitancy will come through in their voice. There is no such thing as private thoughts, if you have a First Contant think ‘we are not that good’ then it follows that they are projecting that, albeit subtly in the call. It’s a blind spot and only when you have data can you see the difference.
2. Great welcoming opener
Directors of First impressions understand great customer service and will ensure that Frank feels welcomed. Being happy in the job.
Changing state is key. Something happens, reframe that ‘thing’ so that you view the ‘issue’ from a different perspective. When things happen ‘to us’ the choice is either we hunt for the lesson or we dwell on the negative (victor or victim).
3. Transferring rapport
Positive transfer of rapport and trust. If the caller is now Trusting The Director of first impressions, we need to make sure that ‘transfer’ of trust is smooth and easy, ensuring Frank now sees the organisation as the right provider. (So, now it’s less about the first contact person but that your organisation is the right choice). ‘Frank, in the next 24 hours one of our Case managers will be in contact, it will be either Juliet or Aaron, both are highly skilled in this role, have a high care factor and will be on hand to assist you through the next steps. They are passionate about what they do and have been with ‘X’ organisation for 10 years. You are in excellent hands.
4. Manage Expectations
I see managing someone expectations as one of the most important communication skills. You say someone will call in 2 hours and it’s 8 hours. For many that misalignment will lose you a customer.
Recognising that people hear what they want to hear and that they are probably at ‘cup floweth over’ mode (not sure where the oldie worldie English just came from….) it means the ‘tying up what’s going to happen next’ is ensuring that both parties are on the same page.
Let’s back up a bit– that also means that during the questioning and listening part, the Director of First Impressions needs to be ultra vigilant in knowing what Frank is saying, reading between the lines and anticipating what he thinks is going to happen verses what is going to happen.
A great example is a call I listened to where their support package was $10k and they said, ‘Great we are getting a dishwasher’ and the ‘consultant explained what they CAN get.
But if that team member were truly present, they would have realised that caller still thinks there’s a chance they can get that dishwasher. Just because you have said something doesn’t mean the caller has heard or understood. The full responsibility of expectations lands with the Director of First Impressions (or anyone from the organisation).
Frustrated clients do not come on board. And its easy to manage, be good at being present and smoking out what the caller is expecting then ensuring you are crystal clear with your communication.
Read: Support at Home Success >>>
Read: Best Sales Training Company (According to Google)Â >>>
Read: How Body Language Determines Your Success >>>
Read: Cold Calling Turned Warm >>>
Read: Handling Objections >>>
Join us:
