It was the “Perfect Plan.” We gave them the complete details. And they shoved it back in our face!
Here’s what happened…
I had been consulting with a retail company for some time. We had trained the sales associates, created a growth strategy for the company, and implemented several results-producing, sales-building systems.
This time, we delivered to the sales team a guaranteed commission-builder… on a silver platter.
The program we designed was called, “Hint Cards.”
Simply put, when a client was in the store, the sales associate was to offer the customer an opportunity to choose several items they absolutely loved.
Then, the associate would gather the names of one or more people who might be soon buying gifts for the customer; spouse, children, etc. We happened to be introducing this program on the eve of the Christmas buying season - an ideal time to try it.
The associate was instructed to then contact the people listed to let them know about the gift ideas on the “Hint Card.” They would offer to make gift buying easy and worry-free for the buyer.
It was a win for the customer because they would get exactly what they wanted. It was a win for the “buyer” because they wouldn’t have to wonder whether or not they were buying something the other person wanted - they would know for a fact.
And, the sales associate would win because they could almost guarantee a sale. All they had to do was follow through on the system.
We gave them complete instructions on how to implement the system. We trained them on the approach - how to introduce it to shoppers. We gave them step-by-step instructions on how to complete the cards and how to follow through.
Oh, I almost forgot, we offered to buy “Dinner for Two” for the associate who turned in the most “Hint Cards” the first week - as long as they got at least 10… an average of just 2 a day.
Only one problem… When we “turned them loose” with this new system, the sales associates all did the unexpected… they did nothing. The most anyone got was two completed Hint Cards - in the entire first week.
When questioned about their lack of follow through, they came up with every excuse in the book - in fact they found some excuses not even in the book. Their number one excuse was that people didn’t want to take time to “fill out the cards.”
They had missed the point.
Of course nobody “wants” to fill out anything. But, they do want to get gifts - the exact gifts they have selected.
And the “buyers” they were supposed to contact would love to know exactly which gift(s) they can buy their spouse, mother, friend, etc.
I went so far as to prove that the system worked. I actually spent time in the store talking to clients about the program, and had no trouble getting customers to tell me what items they most wanted, and who I should contact to buy the items for them.
The owner/manager of the store did the same thing with similar results. In fact, customers seemed excited about it when he approached them with this idea.
The difference between the success experienced by the owner/manager and I - and the responses (or lack of responses) experienced by the employees was in how we approached it.
It was all about the difference between our attitudes and their’s.
They made up their mind about the program from the very beginning. They decided first that it sounded too much like work. These “clerks” had never been asked to doing anything proactive in terms of selling, and this was completely new to them.
They second decided that since they didn’t “like” the idea, customers wouldn’t like it either. They could not have been more wrong. But, because of their thoughts and feelings, clients reacted negatively in the few occasions they actually approached anyone with the idea.
Remember, whatever you want other people to think and feel, you must be thinking and feeling first. Since they didn’t feel positively about this program, it influences customers negatively as well.
What to do when employees refuse to follow guidelines and procedures
An employee who refuses to follow guidelines, systems and procedures is a blatant business buster. There are only two logical courses of action.
1) Inform them that you will not tolerate their lack of participation in “required” programs, and that they will be expected to contribute in the future or find other employment, or
2) Fire them on the spot.
If you have already seen a trend of a particular employee not following instructions and guidelines, it’s likely that they will not change in the future. Furthermore, when you bring additional people into the company the existing “business buster(s)” will infect their thinking with the same lack of concern.
You’re better off removing the source of problems now.
I have seen a few instances where a manager or owner was able to turn around the cooperation and commitment of employees. Usually this happens by clearly defining what’s expected, and providing rewards and consequences related to the expectations.
But, in most cases, people don’t change!
If you look closely, you’ll often find that the lack of participation is the result of one or two negative people - and those negative influences are causing other good and decent people to perform improperly.
Remove the negative influences. Do it quickly!
Remember, one negative person can pull down five positive people, but five positive people cannot pull up one negative person. Remove the problem, and you’ll see productivity, morale and cooperation soar.
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Hi,
thank you for this post, I realy enjoy it.
the more I read the more common point I found.
this is case every where you go, however is the country , the culture, it seem to be a universal problem.
and you can’t deal with this negative attitude, as you say there is just 2 solution.
I enjoy reading it, it was fluent, you described it easely, that anyone can see his case in what he read.
Now what to do, if the manager isn’t able to Fire them on the spot.
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