customer-service

Loyalty Loyalty-Winning Sales Experience

When I lead sales training sessions, I often begin with a simple question:
“What’s the best and worst sales experience you’ve ever had?”

The bad ones are easy—most of us have a horror story or two. But the great ones? Those are harder to articulate. They’re usually grounded not in a one-off wow moment, but in a consistent, relationship-driven experience.

Today, I want to share one of those rare “great” ones.

Years ago, I purchased a water treatment system from Secondwind Water Systems. I chose them because they were a customer of mine and had excellent reviews. During the quoting and installation process, they were everything you hope for—consultative, educational, and professional.

Since then, their ongoing service has remained top-notch—prompt, proactive, friendly, and helpful. About a year and a half ago, I started noticing a sulfur odor in my water. I called in, and my sales rep personally guided me through how to shock the well and troubleshoot the issue. He also said, “If this doesn’t solve it, I’ll help you upgrade the system.” He followed up a few times after that to check in—no pressure, just care.

Fast forward to today: I decided it was time for the upgrade.

I sent an email. Within 20 minutes, the same rep was on the phone. He remembered me. Within an hour, he was at my house. He explained what was happening, walked me through the solution, provided a quote, explained next steps, and even scheduled a follow-up to ensure satisfaction.

That’s what earns repeat business. I’m not going to shop around.
That’s what earns trust.
That’s what earns referrals shouted from rooftops.

This is the kind of experience we should all strive to deliver—and it’s a reminder that great sales aren’t flashy. They’re grounded in reliability, responsiveness, and relationships.

The Love Bank: A Foundation for Sales Success

Every sales training seminar I lead begins with a powerful concept: the “Love Bank.” Borrowed from Dr. Willard F. Harley, a marriage therapist, this idea applies not just to personal relationships but to business and sales as well.

Each of us has a Love Bank, and in it is an account for every person we interact with. Positive interactions serve as deposits, while negative experiences result in withdrawals. A strong, positive balance builds trust and loyalty, allowing for flexibility when challenges arise. However, a depleted balance can lead to irreparable damage.

Businesses are composed of humans who are built on emotions, instincts, and memories. Customers don’t just remember what you sell—they remember how you make them feel. After I introduce the Love Bank, I dive into 2 exercises.

Exercise 1: The Worst Sales Experience

I ask participants to recall the worst sales experience they’ve ever had. Hands shoot up, and overwhelmingly, car-buying experiences dominate the conversation. I then ask, “How did it make you feel?” Responses include “pressured,” “uncomfortable,” “disgusted.” The emotions remain vivid, even years or decades later. When I ask, “Who still feels this way?” hands stay raised. Often, people will come up to me at a break or e-mail me weeks later to tell me their stories. Some of them are decades old. The feelings from negative experiences linger long-term.

Exercise 2: The Best Sales Experience

Next, I ask about the best sales experience. Silence. Few hands go up. I shift the question: “Who do you have the best sales relationships with? Who earns your loyalty and referrals?” Suddenly, people mention favorite restaurants, hairdressers, dentists, and realtors. When asked why, they say, “Consistency, personal connection, reliability.” They may add that they feel “known,” “comfortable,” and “valued.”

The takeaway is clear: the best sales professionals build relationships through deliberate, consistent deposits into the Love Bank. While individual transactions may fade, the emotions tied to them endure. Strong relationships allow room for challenges to be overcome, whereas weak or negative balances lead to lost customers.

The Bigger Picture: Sales is Everyone’s Responsibility

Sales experience isn’t just about customer-facing roles. Every touchpoint—product quality, packaging, service—contributes to a customer’s experience and perception of a business. A careless mistake or dismissive attitude can drain a Love Bank account in an instant.

A Final Thought

Think about businesses you once loved but stopped supporting. How many people did it take to change your loyalty? How many chances did you give before you walked away? How much effort would it have taken to keep you as a customer?

The Love Bank reminds us that one person, one experience, can shift the balance in either direction. Make every interaction count.

5 Free Ways to Immediately Improve a Customer’s Phone Experience

Building a new account often requires over 40 interactions, but a single negative experience can turn a customer away for good. Customer experience is all about building relationships and investing in the people we serve.

Today, I lost a significant amount of time navigating an organization over the phone. I experienced a common problem many customers face today -a poorly designed phone system that placed me in an endless loop of frustration.  I was initially relieved when I was finally routed to a live person who listened to my problem. However, they immediately placed me on hold. After waiting 25 minutes, the call was transferred to an automated “offer” track. I then had to call back and spent another 20 minutes trying to find the “right” person and re-explain everything.  The resolution took 2 minutes of their time. The representative mentioned that they spend much of their time apologizing for the system, but frankly, that is not acceptable.

A truly customer-centric company would not just cause employees to apologize for the system’s flaws but would actively work to improve them. Additionally, they’d provide training that involves positioning employees to improve the customer’s experience at every touch point.

Here are some basic tips for positive phone protocol that will make a huge difference in improving customer experience and bonding.

  1. Ask for permission to place someone on hold: This small but important step shows respect for the customer’s time. It also helps set expectations right away. It gives the caller a chance to voice any concerns about being put on hold before it happens.
  2. Set clear expectations for wait times. Communication is key. When customers are informed that they’ll be on hold for a certain amount of time (or that they’ll receive a callback), it reduces anxiety and makes the wait feel less arbitrary. Plus, it shows that the company values the customer’s time and is not just ignoring them.
  3. Check in with the customer periodically if the wait is longer than expected. This is a great way to maintain rapport with the caller and show that the company is actively trying to resolve the issue. If the wait time is longer than expected, a quick “We’re still working on it” call can go a long way.
  4. Use warm transfers whenever possible to ensure the customer is properly handed off. It’s incredibly frustrating to be passed from one person to another, especially when you’re explaining your issue all over again. A warm transfer, where the customer is introduced to the new person, can prevent this and make the experience feel more seamless.
  5. Call back if the call gets disconnected. This is a huge one. The fact that companies sometimes don’t call back after a disconnect shows a lack of empathy and accountability. If they’ve verified the number, there’s no reason they shouldn’t make the effort to reconnect, especially after investing time in solving the customer’s problem.

By implementing these simple protocols, companies can significantly improve the customer experience and show that they truly value their customers’ time. Also, they cost nothing.

Proactively Manage your Communication

Timely Response is Key to Building Strong Relationships

When we fail to address a customer’s need promptly, the need doesn’t vanish — but the customer might.

Building strong relationships requires us to act as consultants, truly understanding and responding to the customer’s needs with value and support. This means communication must be proactive. We should ask questions, set clear expectations, and manage progress by providing and requesting updates as necessary.

Often, we hear that bottlenecks in communication are caused by someone else’s unresponsiveness. For instance, a new customer thanked me today for quickly providing lead time information for a product and suggesting a similar stock item. He explained that his usual supplier had copied him on an unsuccessful email to the manufacturer. Frustrated with the delay, he turned to me because he felt valued.

In contrast, one of my employees recently lost an order after spending hours coordinating with the factory and distributors to fulfill a customer’s urgent request. Although we had the product in stock, we focused too much on the original request and failed to fully understand the customer’s broader needs. This could have been avoided with better consultation.

These experiences highlight the importance of timely responses. Customers often need quick resolutions, and finding solutions gives us an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment and strengthen our relationship with them.

To manage communication more effectively and build stronger relationships, here are four simple steps:

1. Understand the Customer’s Needs

Ask specific questions to clarify urgency, decision-making timelines, openness to alternatives, and willingness to pay for expedited services. This reduces ambiguity and allows you to make better use of your time.

2. Set Expectations

Set clear expectations with both customers and colleagues. Ask when they need a response, when you should follow up, and communicate deadlines to those you’re waiting on. This creates a clear timeline and minimizes frustration.

3. Follow Up

If the agreed-upon time has passed without a response, follow up. A gentle reminder can draw attention to your request. Use this as an opportunity to update the customer on your progress, showing them that you’re invested in their needs and keeping them informed.

4. Change Your Approach

Don’t rely on one form of communication. If emails aren’t getting a response, pick up the phone or try another method. If you’re unable to reach someone, try a different contact. Adapt your approach to get results.

Ultimately, customer needs are opportunities to strengthen relationships. Treat them as valuable and seize every chance to demonstrate your commitment.