What trait do championship poker players and world-class customer service professionals have in common? The ability to reliably read people.

Customer Tells, the innovative new book by bestselling author Dr. Marty Seldman, John Futterknecht, and Ben Sorensen focuses on the key concept of the “tell,” the ability to read mannerisms, to understand what people mean but are not saying, and to respond accordingly. In poker, the “tell” means knowing the cards a competitor holds; in customer service, it means understanding the customer’s subtle ways of communicating how they want to be treated, even if they can’t articulate it.

Seldman, one of the world’s foremost executive coaches and organizational psychologists, uses the principles of Customer Tells in his seminars nationwide. By teaching business professionals of every level how to read tells in customers’ communication styles, body language, dress, questions, reactions, facial expressions, and choices of words, he has increased both their bottom line and employee retention levels.

 

 Ben Sorensen Interview [23:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: body language, brand loyalty, buzz, communication, customer expectations, customer relationships, customer retention, facial expressions, mannerisms, mind reading, reactions, word choices

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 9th, 2008 at 12:44 pm and is filed under Customer Service. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.