Small, Good Habits Over Time

I disagree with the concept of taking massive action steps. It’s not huge strides that make the difference. It’s the small, good habits repeated that compound over time and lead to success. Bridging to accessories on service agreements is no different. You must execute the behavior each time and build good habits until they compound over time.

Dr. Caroline Leaf, the bestselling author of Switch On Your Brain, says that it requires 21days to build a memory and then two more cycles of 21 days to build a habit. Habits take a long time to form. We have established good habits and bad hab­its. The key is that doing something wrong a few times won’t hurt you, but the habitual, small, daily mistakes over the years will create damage.

I don’t smoke, but if I smoked a pack per day for a year, the effects wouldn’t be as long-lasting as smoking a pack a day for five years. If I smoked a pack a day for 30 years, there will be consequences. At some point, the bad habit compounds and negative results manifest in time and space.

The Blueprint (A Little Habit)

Study the following script and learn it word-for-word to build a good habit to greet customers and invite them into a conversation.

Here’s how: break the script down into smaller chunks and read each small chunk out loud to yourself seven times. Then put it down and execute the chunk from memory. After that, recite it from your heart. The words might change, but the message won’t.

Here is a little habit: learn and execute the script with customers every time. Over the next year, you’ll have an opportunity to execute it three or four times a day, which adds up to almost 1,000 times. Build this good habit and it will compound over time.

The Greeting

Here’s the script for the greeting, but for context, let’s assume that we know Mrs. Jones well, and that she has been a client for a long time. During the service fulfill­ment, we noticed that the water heater looked to be in good condition but that the system was aging—it’s almost 12 years old.

Mrs. Jones? This is Roger with ABC Heating & Air, how are you doing today?

Chunk #1: Say this seven times out loud and then say it without looking. Let them talk, relax and listen. Don’t rush the customer here, just listen.

We really appreciate your business, and thanks for let­ting us come out.

Chunk #2: Say this seven times out loud and then say it without looking. Be sincere and speak from the heart.

I’m sure you know my process and why I’m here, but may I remind you? I want to ensure everything is safe, reliable, and efficient. I don’t expect to find anything wrong and hope that I don’t, but if I do, what I would like to do is bring it to your attention, and then you can tell me what you would like to do, if anything. How does that sound?

Chunk #3: Say this seven times out loud and then say it without looking. Wait on an agreement.

Are you good on time? I’ll be here for about an hour or so.

Why do I ask about time? How many times has the customer told you that they had to leave in the middle of your fulfillment? It’s good to know this beforehand so you can adjust and set expectations.

A customer once told me during the greeting that they had to leave in 30 minutes, so I got her cell phone number and set the expectation that I would call her to tell her what we found. When we finished the job, we presented a capacitor option page over the phone, and she purchased a nice option for $600. If I hadn’t set the expectation for contact beforehand, I would have most likely lost that$600 sale.

After your greeting, execute the fulfillment. Let’s pretend that everything is working great, with, for instance, 90% of fulfillments. Your job is not done here. Take time to look around for opportunities to serve the customer with integrity.

In this case, the water heater was 12 years old (based on the serial number). Use your Smartphone to Google how to translate the serial number for each manufacturer.

How to Ask for What You Want: Be Assertive!

I define assertiveness as behavior that respects both the other person and oneself. Assertiveness communicates in an honest, open, direct and natural way. An assertive person never hints or beats around the bush, and is always respectful of other people’s feelings, thoughts and beliefs. Presuppositions about relationships that flow out of an assertive mindset include:

• We all have the right to ask for what we want.
• We all have the right to ask for information.
• We all have the right to say “no” without explanation or feeling guilt.
• We all have the right to express our feelings.

The DESC Model

Developed by Sharon and Gordon Bower, the DESC Model is an excellent model of an assertive process to make requests to another person. DESC stands for Describe, Express, Specify (ask for what you want) and Consequences.

• Describe what you see or hear.
• Express how you feel about it.
• Ask assertively for what you want. Do not hint or gesture.
• Express the benefits or consequences of granting your request.

Reading and studying is part of learning. Personal growth and development takes time and repetition, reinforced with coaching and accountability. Changing small habits can lead to great achievements.