Author: Sienna Anderson

4 Steps to ensure your Customer Service Agents are Really Listening to Your Customers

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

Are your Customer Service Agents really listening?

Are your Customer Service Agents really listening to your customers, or are they just going through the motions?

How important is it to your business that they really understand your customers concerns, questions or opinions?

If it is important to you then as a Manager a crucial skill you must ensure every Customer Service Agent is trained in is Listening Techniques.

Sure they listen.  You will probably hear them saying things like “yes, Uh-hmmm, ok” which is a start, but only one of the 4 key steps they need to use to really understand your customers.

Professional Customer Service Training focuses on a simple, easy to understand model called the L.A.E.R. Process, and has proven to repeatedly retain customers and convert enquiries into sales

The L.A.E.R. process stands for:

L – Listen  – includes things like verbal acknowledgement, nodding (yes, even when on the phone) and other active listening techniques

A – Acknowledge – paraphrasing and repeating verbatim what the caller said

E – Explore – asking probing questions to gain a deeper understanding of the customers point of view

R – Respond – giving recommendations, solutions and next step actions

Have a listen to your Customer Service agents,  you will probably hear they are quite skilled at Responding. In fact they may even throw in an odd question here and there. 

But how well do they truly Acknowledge and Explore?

Acknowledging Tells the Customer “I hear you”.

The simple act of paraphrasing or repeating back what they have heard is the most often missed listening skill, yet Acknowledging is the most powerful way of saying to a customer “I hear you”.

It looks simple in theory, but using the L.A.E.R. model on a daily basis requires learning and coaching through day-to-day tasks, challenges and practice.

So include it in your team meetings and on the desk coaching and watch your customer satisfaction levels increase.

10 Tips to Make Your Trade Events a Success Part 2

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
10 Tips to Make Your Trade Events a Success Part 2, by Robert Savellis of the KONA Group In last week’s blog we discussed why and how successful Trade Events and Australian sales training workshops need consistent focus and expertise (If you haven’t read part 1 please go to the blog below) https://kona.com.au/10-Tips-to-Make-Your-Trade-Events-a-Success-Part-1 In KONA’s Sales Management training programs we often hear Managers lament that past trade events haven’t been successful and/or generated a poor ROI Therefore part 2 of How to Make Your Trade Events a Success includes the following key recommendations:
  1. Training staff on new products – there is nothing worse than staff being shown the product on the morning of the show and testing their knowledge on live customers. So ensure you train all attendees on new products prior to the show, as well as refreshers on more well established products or services
In addition, if you have ‘none sales people’ manning the stand ensure you give them sales training on how to approach and engage with customers as well as product training
  1. Speaking spot – make the most of the show and try to get a speakers spot
Many trade events have international speakers who draw a strong audience however they often are looking for ‘backup speakers’ or fill in speakers if someone doesn’t show up or pulls out. Promote the event to your customer base.
  1. Staff Roster – ensure that there is a roster prepared and agreed to by all managers outlining shift starting and finishing times and meal times. Make sure that you take into account that you need to split the shifts to enable staff to return calls, return e-mails and meet with customers.
  2. Pre and post briefing – Most companies spend a lot of money on attending an event where the ultimate goal was to generate leads and/or sales. So what next?
It is crucial to develop a lead distribution and management process. Otherwise all of those business cards your team gathered at the event will end up lost or wasted. (If you are in doubt of this divide the total costs of the event by the number of leads and sales you generate)
  1. Post-mortem analysis – investigate and learn from the event, document what has worked, what needs changing, what was the ROI, and what are you going to do going forward.
Robert Savellis is a Sales and Marketing Performance Specialist as the KONA Group If Robert can help you and your organisation to develop more opportunities, increase sales and grow profits please telephone 1300 611 288, or email info@KONA.com.au Alternatively go to: https://kona.com.au/Hearts-and-Minds-Sales-Training

10 Tips to Make Your Trade Events a Success Part 1

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
10 Tips to Make Your Trade Events a Success Part 1, by Robert Savellis of the KONA Group Successful trade events need focus and expertise Very often clients are reluctant to invest in trade events as they have “been there, done that and the return on investment was not worth it.” In all cases the post-mortem revealed that lack of proper planning was at the top of the list as to reasons why the event was not a success. Follow the below list and the results will follow.
  1. Event organiser – have a discussion with the event organiser and identify if this is the event for you, do not rely on a glossy brochure.
  2. Booth positioning – Just like a retail store the key principle at an event is position, position and position
The position and size of your stand plays an important role in the success of the event so always consider the impact on ROI between the positions of a slightly more expensive stand, compared to a cheaper but out of the way stand.
  1. Stand design – your stand needs to reflect your brand identity. Your design should be completed early to ensure all goes well and be sure to understand the limitations
Many events have restrictions in regards to height of banners and rigging, serving customers beverages etc. All venues have different restrictions so make sure you review the terms and conditions.
  1. Feature Products – decide what products you will be showing, a good start will be with your product roadmap.
Always have a plan ‘B’ as delays may occur if your product is being shipped from overseas or is still undergoing testing production phase.
  1. Demonstrations – when running demonstrations on products note what utilities and restrictions are in place that may affect or close down your demonstration.
  • Sound restrictions,
  • Electricity (what phase is required),
  • Water, drainage availability
  • WIFI (most shows are saturated with WIFI signals which may affect your demonstrations).
For Tips 6 – 10 please check out next week’s blog Robert Savellis as a Sales and Marketing Performance Specialist as the KONA Group If Robert can help you and your organisation to develop more opportunities and increase your ROI and sales from your upcoming events please telephone him on 1300 611 288, or email info@KONA.com.au

March 2015: KONA Group helps raise $452,000 for disabled young Australians

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
On March the 8th, after 9 days in the saddle, we finally rode across the finish line in Sydney to be greeted by family, friends, the young disabled people and staff from Fighting Chance, Members of Parliament and sponsors It had been a marvelous week where we had averaged over 120 kms a day and battled with very sore backsides, headwinds, high and low temperatures, huge trucks and grey nomads puling caravans, potholes, flat tyres and a multitude of other daily challenges However this was all worthwhile as last week the final numbers came in and with the assistance of a vast array of contacts, colleagues and friends we’ve raised an incredible $452,905 through the Tour. 2015 Tour photo This is an amazing amount of money that will enable Fighting Chance to create a huge number of opportunities for young adults with a disability and take the number of people FC care for from 40 to 120! In 2014, we raised $345,000 so in only 2 short year we have raised over a $750,000 and we can’t thank you enough for all of your support, donations and goodwill, as you have certainly helped us to make a difference Best regards, Glenn Check out Fighting Chance COO Jordan O’Reilly discussing how your donations will make a difference at

10 Tips to Overcome the Sales and Marketing Strategy Alignment Dilemma – Part 2

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson

10 Tips to Overcome the Sales and Marketing Strategy Alignment Dilemma – Part 2.

The importance of Sales and Marketing alignment – part 2

In last week’s blog we discussed how Channel Marketing Managers, driving a Channel Marketing Strategy, need to be specialists in many areas.

They not only need to produce marketing collateral to motivate and educate their distributors, while supporting their resellers who are potentially in different segments of the market, they also need to consider the cyclical purchasing habits and requirements of the end user.

As a Sales and Marketing coach and sales training specialist I consistently drive the principle that Sales and Marketing alignment is crucial to ensure an organisation’s marketing budget generates an ROI and doesn’t disappear into a marketing ‘black hole’

In the modern digital age, most marketers have lost sight of simple methods that are essential to success

So following last week’s 1 – 5, here are Marketing Tips numbers 6 – 10

6. Obtain feedback from your sales team before producing marketing material.

Ultimately they are the people who will have to take it out and discuss with customers (either in hard copy or on-line) and their input will make the marketing material more relevant. Plus, if sales feel past of the development process they will use it

7. As part of the planning process, schedule regular joint briefing sessions as part of your sales meetings so Sales and Marketing can articulate what is required from each person.

8. Promote the marketing department as an in-house marketing agency, who play on the same team and take responsibility for the Customers brief, as supplied by the sales people

9. As you would with an external marketing agency, if the brief is not good enough, send the sales people back to the market to gather more intelligence.

Sales people are the ones who are out there every day so should know more about customers requirements that office bound marketing

10. All employees are responsible for and play a part in the sales process of the business.

So whether you are building a brand or building a campaign to generate more leads and sales establish shared sales goals and metrics and reward their overall achievement.

Robert Savellis is a Sales and Marketing Performance Specialist at the KONA Group

If Robert can help you and your organisation to develop more opportunities, increase sales and grow profits please go to:

https://kona.com.au//Hearts-and-Minds-Sales-Training
https://kona.com.au//sales-management-training-and-coaching
https://kona.com.au/call-centre-training-in-australia

or Telephone 1300 611 288, or email info@KONA.com.au

10 Tips to Overcome the Sales and Marketing Alignment Dilemma – Part 1

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
10 Tips to Overcome the Sales and Marketing Alignment Dilemma – Part 1, by Robert Savellis of the KONA Group The importance of Sales and Marketing alignment The role of a Channel Marketing Manager is tough as they need to be experts in many areas. Firstly, they need to able to produce material to motivate and educate their distributors that have different business models. Secondly, they need to be able to produce material to motivate, educate and support their resellers who also address different segments of the market in different ways, and Thirdly they need to understand the varying buying cycles and requirements of the end user. In my current field of Sales Training and Marketing coach and trainer a common theme arises more often than not and is called Sales and Marketing alignment. In order to offer my 10 important steps to align sales and marketing we must look at the symptoms. Symptoms
  • “We have a room full of marketing material and sales have not done their job in distributing the material to their customers.”
  • “Sales staff should stick to their job and stop telling Marketing what to do.”
  • “Distributors supply credit they do not generate sales.”
  • “That’s a sales function.”
  • “Trade events are not successful as sales do not follow up”
With these symptoms in mind, here are the first 5 of 10 Tips
  1. Sales and marketing should be on the same team and efforts of both need to be aligned. So start with both Heads of Sales and Marketing having the same Revenue and Profit Target
  2. Create a role of Sales and Marketing Director to better align both teams (as long as the Candidate has the required expertise. Being a good at Sales doesn’t make you good at Marketing, and vice versa)
  3. Marketers do not rely on a brief from sales to understand the customer. Both sales and marketing teams must understand the sales process starting from distributor to the end-user buying habits.
  4. Do not rely only on industry publications. How often does your Marketing team actually meet with your top ten partners, in their offices, to better understand how they can add value to their business through your marketing efforts? Is it enough?
  5. Marketing must present to the sales team their strategic plans and marketing calendar outlining their key activities, and then agreement needs to be met on what will work and add value, and then most importantly articulate the strategy and support required from sales.
For Tips 6 – 10 please check out next week’s blog Robert Savellis as a Sales and Marketing Performance Specialist as the KONA Group If Robert can help you and your organisation to develop more opportunities, increase sales and grow profits please telephone 1300 611 288, or email info@KONA.com.au Alternatively go to: https://kona.com.au//Hearts-and-Minds-Sales-Training https://kona.com.au//Marketing-Strategy https://kona.com.au//sales-management-training-and-coaching https://kona.com.au/call-centre-training-in-australia

KONA Brisbane to Sydney charity cycle ride starts tomorrow

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
The start of our 2015 Brisbane to Sydney cycle ride is less than 24 hours away.  Even though the 1,100 km ride is ‘down hill’, the anticipation is very familiar but still just as discomforting as it was in the very first year (maybe from knowing exactly what it is that awaits us – see the table below). But there is also a sense of excitement at what we are about to do and achieve, the good that is going to be done for the 40+ young disabled Australians we are raising funds for Tour preparations have progressed relatively smoothly – a few late distractions with bikes not being ready on time and our Tour Director (Simon) get a badly infected leg after a crash, but nothing that we can’t overcome As I write, the support teams are driving 3 support vehicles (loaded with bikes and provisions) up the coast and we collect the 4th support vehicle in Brisbane. Aside from lugging the gear that we need each day, the support team will provide traffic warning and safety support to the riders. They are as much a part of the Tour Team as any of us cyclists and we are all so grateful for their time and efforts. I did a local radio interview this week plus Fighting Chance Managing Director Jordan O’Reilly and ride leader Tim Powell are doing a series of radio interviews with Jordan being interviewed by Triple J and Alan Jones! Two completely different audiences for sure, but it is great to see that the message resonates equally well across the spectrum. It is really noticeable that the public recognition of Fighting Chance has increased markedly since last years ride, where we raised over $345,000 and there is no doubt that significantly more people are now aware of the organisation and its cause – fantastic! We just crossed over the half way mark with our fund raising with over $200,000 already in the hands of Fighting Chance. This will be used to fund the growth of their programs, with our target of $400,000 being used to triple the number of program participants from the current 40 people to 120. Still $200k to go but with your help we are determined to get there. For those keen to help the cause, please donate by  just following this link https://www.tourdechance.com.au/#/glenndobson I will post regular updates during the ride and you can also keep up to date with progress via the Tour de Chance website which will have daily blog updates. Thank you again for all of your support. Regards Glenn Screen Shot 2015-02-21 at 5.31.04 AM https://www.tourdechance.com.au/#/glenndobson

Meet Rob Mockler – as you are making a difference to his life

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Rob’s Challenge

Rob Mockler was born three months premature and experienced a lack of oxygen for a prolonged period of time. This resulted in him having Severe Cerebral Palsy and he is in a wheelchair as he can’t walk, talk and has lost total hand function.

What He Does at Fighting Chance

Rob helps make and sell products at Market Days and enjoys the daily routine of being in the Fighting Chance office amongst other people in the same situation, rather than being stuck at home. Every dollar raised by the KONA Group and the other cyclists at https://www.tourdechance.com.au/glenndobson will make a huge difference to Rob as we are looking to purchase equipment and much needed resources to help improve the day to day living of Rob and other young Australians at Fighting Chance Impact on His Family, by his mum Mary “At the time of his birth this was devastating news for us as we weren’t even sure if he would survive. However, his spirit was strong and in spite of many problems that appeared as time went on Robert thrived. For a number of years, along with his sister Luisa, who is 20 months older and John Paul who is 4 years younger, we worked with Robert at home and did a strenuous exercise program which I feel helped him become the person he is today. With the help of people from our local church and school, family and friends, we exercised Robert, taught him words and generally tried to stimulate him as much as possible. I think this was important for the whole family as we all worked very hard to give Robert the best chance possible. It gave us all a sense that we were doing something for Robert and the family. However, eventually we had to abandon the program as it was getting difficult for me to keep it up and Robert seemed to plateau physically, and that is where Fighting Chance has really helped him Rob loves going to Fighting Chance as apart from the socialising he is learning new skills and it has given him a purpose in life!” Rob Mockler

Can you help KONA to make a difference please?

Our 1,100 kms cycle ride from Brisbane to Sydney starts in early March and so a HUGE thankyou to all of you who have made a donation to-date If you haven’t had chance yet can you please help Rob by going to https://www.tourdechance.com.au/glenndobson Every dollar raised at https://www.tourdechance.com.au/glenndobson will make a huge difference to Rob, his family and other young Australians with severe disabilities Glenn Dobson is the Managing Director of The KONA Group, Australia’s leading Sales Training and Call Centre Training Organisation

With 2 Weeks to Go Activity Will Drive Results

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
With just 2 weeks to go before we start the 2015 Tour de Chance I am pleased to report that I am cycle fit and ready for the 1,100kms – although I must confess to being somewhat less confident that I have done the concentrated riding required to build up the callouses to comfortably enjoy 9 days in the saddle. Last year’s experience suggests that days 3 to 6 of this Tour are going to hurt the most as our legs, and backsides, get used to spending an average of 125 kms or 5 hours a day pedalling a bicycle!!! In KONA’s Australian Sales Training programs we always stress the key principle that Activity Drives Results and while some of my riding colleagues are well advanced in their riding preparations, there are a few who are still struggling to shrug off the excesses of an extended festive/holiday season – they are heading for a wide world of pain! On a more serious note, thankyou to all of you who have made a donation at https://www.tourdechance.com.au/#/glenndobson I appreciate that the message can get a little stale and that I am asking some of you again (and that you are constantly being hit up for charitable support), but I can assure you that one of the key features of the Tour fundraising is that the money is NOT used to fund the day-to-day administration and operations of Fighting Chance Check out Fighting Chance’s Jordan O’Reilly’s 2 minute video, as he explains it better than I ever could hope to
Our 1,100kms cycle ride is self-funded and the money raised is exclusively used to fund the growth and expansion of support programs from 40 to 180 disabled people in 2015. That is an extra 140 lives you will be helping to make a difference to! So if you could help by making a tax deductible donation please follow this link https://www.tourdechance.com.au/#/glenndobson Thanks again for all of your support and best wishes Best regards, Glenn tour de chance
Glenn Dobson is the MD of The KONA Group, Australia’s leading Sales Training and Sales Management Training Organisation

3 Weeks to Go to Make a Real Difference to Someone’s Life

Posted on | by Sienna Anderson
In under 3 weeks I’ll be joining a group of 22 cyclists to ride 1,100 kms from Brisbane to Sydney to raise money to purchase equipment for young Australians with major disabilities. Training is going well and before or after work I am trying to get a ride in most days, plus with a lot of leg strength work in the gym. We will average about 120kms a day and one big advantage is the ride doesn’t include a 4km swim before and a 42 kms Marathon run after each day’s ride as I do in an Ironman Plus Brisbane to Sydney is down hill!! We set off early on Saturday 28 February from Brisbane, arriving in Sydney on Sunday March 8 and if you would like to join us we have one place left. Please just call Glenn on 0425 200883 or email me on Glenn@KONA.com.au If you can’t join us on the ride could you please support the cause and donate at https://www.tourdechance.com.au/glenndobson Every dollar will go to these young people in the video below Many people have asked why are we putting ourselves through 9 days of sweat, aching bodies and sore backsides I am doing the ride to raise money for Fighting Chance, who provide innovative work programs for youths and young adults with disabilities. Unfortunately far too many young and adult Australians with significant disabilities continue to lack opportunities to engage in purposeful and fulfilling education, skill development and work experience activities. To create these opportunities, Fighting Chance has developed a unique and individualised model of work hubs to get people of all abilities working. These work hubs focus on designing work programs suitable to each person’s individual skills and abilities. All the money raised by the Tour de Chance will used to triple the numbers of people with a disability employed within the Fighting Chance social enterprises from 40 to 120. People like Lia, Jo and Nick in this video My personal target is to raise $10,000 for Fighting Chance and to achieve this I would love your support for this worthiest of causes by sponsoring me for the ride. To sponsor me (which is fully tax deductible), please just follow this link: https://www.tourdechance.com.au/glenndobson. You will receive a tax receipt and the funds will be forwarded directly to Fighting Chance and from that site you can also learn more about the amazing opportunities that Fighting Chance creates. In addition, the KONA Group is donating 10% from every training and coaching program booked in February or March for one of their Call Centre Training, Sales Training, Sales Management Training  and Coaching and customised Customer Service training courses On behalf of the KONA Group, Tour de Chance and the Fighting Chance teams, thank you again for your support.