This is the last in a series of articles devoted to communications in relation to Customer Service.

If you are in a busy Customer Service environment (phones ringing, people asking questions and as usual, shorthanded) I am sure that a tool that is easy to use and implement would be helpful.

I have been reading a lot about Behavioral or Personality Profiling and studying the different types.

This is the culmination of what has been a career journey and learning experience. We all have different ways of profiling people. (And if you have been in Customer Service any length of time, you have developed your own profiling system) I’ve included some of my own profiles below. (They are for illustration only. If you are crazy enough to use them, you get what you deserve.)

Your examples might include;

Mr. or Mrs. Nice Person: Generally pleasant, lots of time on their hands, easy to work with. They are great Customers, however, if you do not treat them right, they become easily offended and leave without saying anything. And you’ll never know why. (Unless you bump into them in the produce aisle, and then they’ll let you have it)

Mr. Hothead: Whenever he comes in you get a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you realize you get to work with him today. Quick to anger and argue over anything that does not seem right, he really has been a victim of bad service in the past and has made a vow not to be taken advantage by anyone, including you. If you make a mistake with him, he generally ends up in the Mangler’s office or the BIG CHEESE, THE OWNER’S OFFICE! (I said Mangler on purpose; you who are in Customer Service know who that is)

Ms. Yuppiepreppie: Whenever she comes in the Dept. stops functioning. This Customer has the uncanny ability to draw everyone in the Department to her. This Customer normally only takes half of the recommendations as she is usually purse challenged as the latest shoe sale made a big dent in available funds. Whenever this Customer becomes disappointed, you most likely will end up talking to Mr. Knowitall Boyfriend.

Mr. Knowitall Boyfriend: Shows up after being summoned by Ms. Yuppiepreppie. Most times in to make a point, although not sure what the point is. Can be easy to work with if you can cut through the exterior gruff and get him to see reason. He will become an excellent Customer if you can demonstrate the benefits of working together.

Ms. or Mr. Extremelybusy: These Customers can be exceptional Customers if you can demonstrate superior time management skills. Have things ready to go and completed on time, and you will make a loyal Customer. If you disappoint however, there will be major trouble. These folks head straight to the BIG CHEESE, bypassing the Mangler. Although challenging Customers, well worth the effort to make them loyal Customers.

Mrs. Wonderful: These are your favorite Customers, a ray of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day. They are great Customers because you feel a connection with them. You probably know their children’s names and can talk intelligently on what Junior has been doing in school. If only every Customer was like Mrs. Wonderful.

Right.

And we have not even addressed co-workers and other people you come in contact with. Some might include;

Schleprock: This guy has an opinion on everything and they are all bad. Nothing ever goes right for this person and they’ll be happy to tell you all about it. 1st to complain, last to congratulate. Stay away if you can, or learn to limit your exposure.

Ms. Efficiency: Can tell everyone how to do their job better. And why. She waits at her workspace to trap anyone who comes within range and then proceeds to pass on all of her helpful hints. This is really an evolution from being a Ms. Busybody.

Ms. Busybody: The name says it all. If there is dirt, she is first with the dustvac, sucking in all the details to regale all of her co-workers later. No one person knows more about the history of the company and everyone in it than her.

Mr. Quietdesk: He prefers desk work and is quite good it it. Not the person you find at the water cooler or coffee pot, except by accident. In a large company, only those that need to work with him or sit near him know his name. Generally liked by all especially the Mangler because he never rocks the boat.

As you can see, we all have labels we attach to Customers and Co-workers based on our past experiences, their past performances and our interaction with them.

I have given you some extreme examples (I hope) so you can see that labeling someone does not lead to better communication. It really comes down to understanding them.

If we communicate better, understand better and have a little “live and let live” mindset we can become better at what we do. That’s a lot of “better” isn’t it!
So, there is one place we can start. That’s with our style of communication and who we are. If we have a better understanding of who we are, we can then understand why we don’t connect with a Customer or co-worker.

I like to keep things simple. I started looking around for an easy way to see myself and keep that in mind as I worked with others.

I found that system in Dr. Tony Alessandra’s Platinum Rule. I am fortunate enough to be able to work these concepts into seminars I am leading, as I have found not only extreme interest from the participants, the concepts apply to everyday situations with everyone you come in contact with.

Basically you are working with 4 personality behavoirs. And once you understand where you fit in, you can adjust your communications to fit the style of the person you are speaking to.

This is not a new concept. The study of behaviors and types has been around a very long time. I am sure many of you have had exposure or been tested with Meyers-Briggs or Keirsey type profile tests. Me too.
It wasn’t until I was exposed to Dr. Alessandra’s system however, that I began to see this as a tool to use everyday.

Basically, the 4 types break down into styles you can determine from verbal and non-verbal cues that people are giving off every time you come in contact with them. And once you understand what the cues mean, you can adjust your style to theirs and communicate on a level that they feel connected to you.

The cues are easy to learn and apply. In fact, most people can start right away with people they know, love and care about. Yep. Practice on your family first.

You might be surprised at how well you suddenly see someone once you know what to look for.

Leonard Buchholz is a Certified Trainer, Speaker and Author. If you are looking for a seminar leader that is “High Touch and Low Tech,” look no further. Leonard is known for energetic seminars that involve the participants. Seminar subjects include Customer Service, Difficult People and Difficult Situations, Management and Communications.
Reach him at leonard@bizprotraining.com or call 760-529-5635.