Workplace change is common but not all managers do a good job of communicating change and helping employees cope with it.  Fortunately, there are several things utilities can do to build trust between management and the rank and file during times of change while also reducing stress.

For many employers, memos and e-mails are the most common method to communicate workplace changes.  Many employees are already on information overload and have way too many messages coming at them.  They only skim through inter-office memos and e-mails and often miss important details regarding the changes.  This can cause stress and frustration and start a destructive chain of gossip.  Besides, memos and e-mails are impersonal and can be subject to misinterpretation.

So what can both management and individuals do to embrace change?

1. Talk about the changes. Meet with individuals face to face and don’t be afraid to look them in the eye.  People who are going to be affected by the change need a chance to be heard in a safe environment where they can talk about their fears and ask questions.
2. Be honest. Job security is the number one concern of employees when they learn that workplace changes are occurring.  If their jobs are secure, let them know right away.  If not, meet with them privately to share what you know about how the changes may affect them.
3. Focus on the benefits of the change. People want to know what’s in it for them.  They are far more interested in how the change is going to affect their future than in how much money the company will save.  So be specific.  Let them know how the changes will benefit them.
4. Demonstrate support. Managers must show their support for the change.  Their employees must know that the boss is on board.  Remember, actions speak far louder than words.

Even when management strives to incorporate workplace change as smoothly as possible, negative attitudes can develop.  Here are some suggestions on how to turn negative attitudes around.

• Model positive behavior. Remember that attitudes start at the top of the organization.  Managers who want their employees to have positive attitudes must demonstrate what that looks like every day through role modeling.
• Focus on solutions. Don’t fixate on problems and issues; focus on solutions and people.  Identify the positives each day and talk about them.  Recognize even the smallest actions that bring positive results.
• Hold team meetings. Invite everyone on the staff to share their creative ideas on how to make the work environment more enjoyable.  Make sure these meetings are facilitated well to keep them from becoming gripe sessions.
• Avoid impromptu complaint sessions. When faced with negative conversations, try changing the subject or switch the focus to a discussion of what can be done about the problem.
• Acknowledge negativity. Ignoring negativity will not make it go away.  Pay attention to the frustrations and negative feelings and then ask employees for their suggestions regarding what to do about the problems.

There are also things employees can do on their own to reduce stress during times of workplace change.

• Ignore rumors. Steer clear of the rumor mill.  It will only confuse the facts and increase one’s level of frustration and worry.

• Create a stress-free zone. Employees should set aside two 10-minute blocks of quiet time during the work day to give themselves a mental health break.  Arrive 10 minutes early so you have time to organize your thoughts and activities for the day.  Give yourself another brief planning break after you return from lunch.

• Organize work area. A mess creates stress.  Don’t shuffle the same papers from pile to pile.  If necessary, stay late one night and go through every item on your desk.  Don’t go home until everything has been tossed, filed, delegated or labeled.  Then make a commitment to yourself to leave your desk completely clean at the end of each day.

Every day, your phone is ringing.  Your customers are calling with a need and an interest in purchasing one of your products or services.

Every time your phone rings, you have a sales opportunity.  As a small carrier, it’s important that you realize the impression your CSRs leave with your customers is instrumental in the sales cycle.

CSRs need to know that feelings conveyed and developed during customer-contact situations are important.  People buy when they feel comfortable, when they feel they can trust you, when the process feels natural and reassuring, and when they come to the conclusion that buying will make them feel good.  All of this happens with the relationship your staff has with your customers. 

Statistics support this concept.  Recent consumer surveys show that, in most cases, 20 percent of the decision to make a purchase is logical and 80 percent is emotional.

You will gain a huge competitive advantage if your CSRs have the ability to develop rapport and create a relationship in which your customers feel comfortable and understood. 

Here are some basic components of that process.

Building Rapport.  You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression with a customer.  How many companies have you personally called in the last 72 hours?  How many times were you greeted by a warm and friendly person who was not only enthusiastic, but also demonstrated a desire to make sure that your questions were answered and your needs were met? 

Research of telephone conversations concludes that 82 percent of our communication is a result of our voice quality while only 18 percent is from words we are speaking.

During face-to-face interactions, we have a definite advantage in that we can also use our body language to support our communication.  We lose that advantage when communicating over the telephone.  Our voice, tonality and pitch are the biggest part of this communication. 

Voice inflection is a vital part of the CSR’s communication on the phone.  Do your CSRs come across with a robotic greeting that tells you they’ve said it a thousand times before or do they leave the impression they’re ready to do anything they can to assist your customers?

Understanding Customer Need.  If a customer calls inquiring about a product or service, they’re revealing an indication that they may buy.  Before they can make that buying decision, though, they probably have some questions. 

People shop for a product based on price but they buy based on the benefit they believe they will receive from ownership of that product.  When a customer buys a cell phone, or any other product or service you offer, they’re buying because the perceived benefit will fill an emotional need.

CSRs should strive to create a dialogue with your customers to determine their motivation for buying that product.  They can then explain the benefits based on the customer’s need.

Most wireless CSRs quote the price and expect the customer to make a decision based solely on that information.  Price may not be your competitive advantage.

So how do they create a dialogue to determine a customer’s need?  The key is to have rapport with the customer and ask a variety of open-ended questions to create a conversation.

Some examples of open-ended questions are:
-    What is prompting you to consider service now?
-    What is prompting you to change providers?
-    What did you like about your previous provider?
-    What did you not like about your previous provider?
-    Tell me a little about how you and your family will be using your phones.

Open-ended questions help your CSRs understand the buyer’s knowledge level about the product as well as their emotional need for the product.  Many customers don’t understand DSL or how it works.  CSRs need to spend more time helping those customers understand the benefits of DSL so they will be comfortable with making a purchase.

Asking for the Business.  Unfortunately, most CSRs either don’t know how to ask for the order or they don’t like asking for it.  Most customers expect to be asked to buy and don’t object if the request is not made in a pushy or condescending manner.  Remember, you cannot force your customers to buy.  They do so on their own.  The CSR’s role is to help them make a decision.

Asking the customer to buy should be a stress-free conclusion to the sales presentation.  If they have qualified the customer’s needs, presented the features, advantages and benefits of your products and created value in the mind of the customer, CSRs should be able to comfortably ask for the business.  Often the customer will actually close the sale themselves if they have heard a professional presentation.

Knowing your Competition.  Your competitors are investing their marketing dollars to attract your customers to their products. Your customers may be comparing you against your competition based on price.  In many cases, you may not be the lowest-priced provider. 

Do your CSRs know competitor rates and plans?  Do they know what makes your products and services different and better?  Are they comfortable explaining the benefits of choosing your company over the competition?

Your phone is ringing every day with customers interested in buying products and services.  Are they buying from you or your competition?

There are a lot of challenges to running a successful company. That’s why it’s more important than ever that utilities have a clear road map of where they’re headed and how they intend to get there.

 Without that road map, the fast track to success can turn into a slow, bumpy ride.  Here are seven thoughts to keep in mind when drawing the road map to success.

 No. 1.  Develop a system to measure customer satisfaction.  Is every customer that walks in your door or calls you on the phone being treated like they are important to your utility?  You won’t know unless you ask.

  Assign someone the responsibility to randomly call customers who have recently interacted with your company to find out what their experience was like.  Ask your customers to rate their level of satisfaction with how they were treated when they called your utility, including hold time, response time and how they were generally handled as a customer.  Ask your customers what they like and dislike about doing business with you.

 No. 2.  Create the standards.    Does every customer that calls your utility or walks through your door receive the same excellent customer service experience?  To create a consistent level of customer service, create customer service standards for how a customer is treated on the phone and in person.  Make sure that every employee knows what those standards are and how to demonstrate those standards when serving your customers.

 No. 3.  What are the company’s goals?  Do your employees know your customer service and sales goals for the next month and the next year?  If the people on your team do not have a clear picture of the company’s objectives, goals and anticipated outcomes, how can you expect to have everyone united in a common goal?  Involve employees in establishing these goals.  People have more ownership in the accomplishment of goals they have helped create.

 No. 4.  Does everyone in the company know the company’s mission? People want to feel they are part of something and that their contribution has a positive impact on the future of the company.  Give them the opportunity to create a mission statement they will support.  Ask them to develop their own personal mission statement to support the overall company mission.  We all feel more committed when we take ownership in creating our future.

 No. 5.  Benchmark the company.  Measure those key components that are vital to longevity and growth.  Compare yourself to others in your industry.  How do your standards measure up against your competition?  What improvement can you make to customer service complaints, abandonment rate, hold time and call transfers?  Let the whole company know how you compare to the industry.

No. 6.  Keep your talent.  How much have you invested in the last 12 months toward enhancing the skills of your staff?  Communicating, working with difficult customers and understanding customer’s needs are learned skills that require training.   Most people want the opportunity to learn new skills.  They want to grow and learn in their job environment.  Offer them the tools to become better at what they do.

 No. 7.  Hire the right people.  Finding the right people who can deal with the varied and sometimes difficult customers that walk through your doors can be a challenging situation.  Use a personality profile instrument before you hire to determine if the person you are going to make a substantial training investment in has the skills and attitude you are looking for.  A personality profile can be a great tool to help determine if the candidate you are considering is the right person for the job, before you hire them.

 Every business needs a road map to success and utilities are no different.  With a clearly defined road map, it’s easier to see where you’re going and how good a job you’re doing at reaching your destination.

By RCA Special Guest
David Saxby, Measure-X

A potential customer walks into your office.  Her name is Jane and she has decided to move her kids out of the city to a more rural environment and to be closer to her family.  She has a home-based business selling products over the Internet and needs to be connected to her business at all times.  Her oldest son graduates from high school next year and plans to attend a college about four hours away.  She has communication needs and she has come to you.

There were numerous things that should have happened to enhance Jane’s experience at your office so that you were the obvious provider of choice.  Everything likely went well if your company had given its employees customer service and sales training.  When it comes to turning the Jane’s of the world into customers, training is critical.  Here are some things you should think about as you plan for an effective training program.

What are the objectives? Ask your employees about the skills development they need and then ask supervisors for the same input as it pertains to their employees.  Also ask supervisors about skills they need to help their staff improve.  Don’t forget to ask management what skills they think your company needs and that they themselves need.  Ask customers where your employees need to improve in the area of sales and service.

Is learning fun at your company? Most employees have been through training barely able to keep their eyes open because the presenter did nothing but talk and advance through the PowerPoint slide.  People learn and retain information better when they’re actively involved in the learning process.  The trainer should incorporate interactive exercises into the training to help the participants internalize the information. The exercises should reinforce the skills the participants are expected to learn.

What does the trainer know about your company? Many of the employees who work for your company have several years of experience. Your company’s products and customers are different from other providers.  If a trainer brought in from the outside is to effectively help your employees improve, he or she must understand your company and the challenges it faces.  Does the trainer talk with you in advance to understand your objectives?  Does he interview staff to learn the challenges they face doing their jobs?

What happens after training? Many of your employees have been doing their jobs for a number of years with the skills they have.  One day of skill development may not have significant impact on years of doing it another way.  Does the trainer offer to do refresher sessions to help reinforce the new skills?  How will your company reinforce the skills taught in training?  How will the company coach employees as they use those new skills?

Repetition works. Training your employees once every year or two on customer service and sales skills will not give them complete confidence and knowledge to be effective.  Establish monthly meetings to review skills.  Selling may or may not be a new role for your customer service representatives, but regardless of one’s skill level, there is always room for improvement.

Practice, practice, practice… A critical part of becoming comfortable with new skills is putting them to practice.  Role playing is an important tool in taking the new skill or behavior into a real-world environment.  Practicing skills in a safe environment with coworkers will improve your staff’s confidence and effectiveness when dealing with customers.

Evaluate your training program. Evaluating your training program is no different than evaluating your other processes.  Donald Kirkpatrick is a leader in assessing training programs and he has identified four areas to evaluate.

• Evaluate employee reaction.  Have each employee complete a simple survey at the end of training.  Ask them to rate the facilitator, the content, group involvement, audio-visual aids, handouts and location.  Ask if the training will help them perform their jobs better.  Ask them what they liked most and least about the program.
• Evaluate learning.  There are three things that facilitators can teach: knowledge, skills and attitude. To determine what employees learned from the training, ask them to answer the following questions.  What knowledge did you gain from training?  What skills did you learn?  Did you experience a change in attitude when it comes to providing service to our customers?
• Evaluate behavior.  What happens when employees leave the classroom?  To measure the effectiveness of the training on improving a behavior, interview supervisors and management that interact with those employees.  Ask employees if they feel they’re doing anything different in their job as a result of the training.  To measure long-term impact, interview employees and supervisors over a six-month period to see if the new skills have permanently impacted behavior.
• Evaluate results.  This is the most difficult area to measure, so be sure the objectives you started with were clearly defined and measurable.  If you have a goal to increase sales by 5 percent, plan to track sales during the months prior to training so you can see any gains when you measure again for a number of months after training.  If your goal is to improve the customer-service skills of your employees, you must survey customers in advance of training to establish a bench mark for customer service.  Then you must survey customers again after training.

The people at your company who provide service and sell your products are critical to improving customer loyalty and increasing revenue.  How much of an investment have you made in the last 12 months to provide them with the skills and tools they need to persuade your customers they should buy from you instead of your competition?

Office squabbles aren’t much different than those we experience at home. Because we can’t typically choose our co-workers; personality and style differences can create conflict over petty issues. There can be squabbles over some pretty minor issues, such as room temperatures, empty paper trays, coffee pots left on the burner, jammed copy machines, job envy; or these squabbles can escalate and include conflict over internal processes, priorities, he said/she said, customers and more.

But more often than not, an office squabble is the result of a simple problem that can easily be resolved through direct and honest communication. Here are some ideas to help you resolve your office squabbles:

• Identify the problem and communicate directly with the appropriate person. Don’t vent your frustrations behind their back or gossip with other co-workers. Find a time for both of you to calmly discuss the problem in private and explain it as you see it. Be careful not to accuse the person.

• Use “I” language to discuss the problem. For example: “I get cold easily so when you turn the temperature down, I’m really uncomfortable.” Be sure to listen carefully when the other person explains his or her side of the problem.

• Understand that office squabbles frequently occur due to style differences. Try to look at the situation objectively. What is it about that person or their actions that makes you angry? Are they doing it intentionally or are they unaware of how their actions are affecting others?

• Take a good look at yourself. Maybe the problem is you. Are you really interested in resolving the issue or do you enjoy complaining about it?

• Choose a course of action. Realistically, what would you like to see happen? What changes do you want the other person to make? What changes are you willing to make?

• Agree to disagree. If you can’t come up with a good solution try to reach a reasonable compromise and then agree not to judge one another for the difference of opinion. A sense of humor can go a long way toward resolving office squabbles.

Have your interactions with one person succeeded, only to “bomb out” with another the next moment? This has happened to all of us at one time or another and we probably tried to shrug it off thinking “That’s just the way it is.” However, things do not have to be that way. Nearly every contact, with every person in all areas of your life, can be a success – if you know how to make it happen.

But it requires honest communication, which includes being honest with yourself and others. Just how willing are you to do that?

Modern selling strategies are centered on relationship selling. One’s ability to develop and maintain long-term customer relationships is the foundation for your personal and professional success. But this requires a very clear understanding of the dynamics of this process, from your perspective as well as your customers.

For your customer, a buying decision usually means a decision to enter into a long-term relationship with your company. It is similar to a “business marriage.” Before the customer decides to buy, he can take you or leave you as he probably doesn’t need you or your company.

He may likely have options and choices, one of which just may be not buying anything. But when your customer makes a decision to buy from you and gives you money for the product or service you are selling, he becomes dependent on you. And if he has had even one poor buying experience in the past, he may be uncertain or nervous about establishing another kind of dependency relationship.

So what happens if you let the customer down? What if your product does not work as you promised? What if you don’t service it and support it as you promised? What if the product or service is completely inappropriate for his needs? These are all very realistic situations that a customer may have racing through his mind when it comes time to make the critical buying decision.

In many cases, the quality of your relationship with the customer is your strongest competitive advantage. This relationship is what may separate you from all others who may have similar offerings. In fact, one would hope that the quality of your relationship and the trust that your customer has placed in you and your company is so strong that no other competitor can get between you.

The single biggest mistake that causes salespeople to lose customers is taking those customers for granted. You cannot afford to relax your efforts and begin to ignore your customer!
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It takes time and effort to build a trust-based relationship with a customer, and you must never take it for granted. Your goal should be to maintain that relationship with your customer for the life of your business.

Pay attention to your existing customers. Let them know that you appreciate them. Look for ways to thank them and encourage them to come back and do business with you again. Treat your customers so well that they are willing to refer his friends.

Many times it’s the small things that help to strengthen relationships – eye contact, using the customer’s name, listening . . . really listening to what they are saying. We all communicate in different ways . . . be aware of this! Take every opportunity to let your customer know how much you value their business.

Don’t let the “flame go out” in your business marriage . . . each customer should be that “special someone!”

Different needs motivate different people. Some of us are motivated by power, others by the need for achievement. Some want money while others want autonomy. Some would relish with public kudos while others would crawl into a closet!

As a manager, it’s imperative that you know what motivates each of your employees, and then seek to provide that motivation!

There are seven basic needs and 99% of us are motivated by one of these:

1. Esteem. This group of employees seeks recognition and praise. Provide them with ample feedback and they will be quite happy. Realize though that not everyone likes public praise, so be cognizant of the manner in which each employee may like to receive recognition.

2. Power. This group obtains satisfaction from being able to influence and/or control others. They prefer to lead and persuade and are motivated by positions of power and leadership. This group does well being able to make decisions and direct projects.

3. Autonomy. These employees want freedom and independence. They flourish when able to make their own choices, determine their own schedules, and working independently from others.

4. Equity. This group likes to be treated fairly. Typically they will compare work hours, job duties, wages and privileges. This group is easily discouraged if they perceive inequities.

5. Achievement. These employees are driven by the satisfaction of accomplishing tasks/projects successfully. They are self-motivated if the job is challenging enough and typically will produce consistent results in the proper environment.

6. Safety and security. This group has an intense drive for job security, a steady income, health insurance, and a hazard-free environment. They like predictable work with little risk or uncertainty. Salary and fringe benefits are more important to this group than some others.

7. Affiliation. This group enjoys people and finds the social aspects of the workplace rewarding. Provide them with opportunities to work with others through teamwork projects, group meetings, etc.

Building a healthy team is easier when you recognize what keeps each of your team members motivated. Creating an environment that supports each person’s needs goes a long way to building a productive and effective team.

Satisfied and motivated employees breed success! Motivated employees have a tremendous impact on your customers’ experience as well as the bottom-line.

So take the time and ask each of your employees what motivates them . . . you might be surprised at the feedback!

Most of us have at one time or another had to deal with individuals who are “sour grapes” or have a negative attitude. Some of us have even had to work in an overall negative climate.

With our current economic situation, many triggers exist that were not previously part of our work environment, such as downsizing, workload increases, management changes and the ripple effect of financially challenged customers, any of which can lead to negative energy.

Then there are times when negative attitudes just creep up on a business like a prevailing wind. And sometimes; those prevailing winds never seems to die . . . they just keep blowing!

But whatever the cause, the symptoms of negativity in the workplace usually include:

- Gossip

- Complaining and whining

- Focusing on problems instead of looking for solutions

- Poor customer service

- Lower productivity

so… what can you do to turn negative attitudes into positive attitudes? Here are a few simple ideas:

- Don’t get hooked into complaint sessions and gossip. When faced with
negative conversations, try changing the subject or switch the focus
to a discussion of what can be done about it (solution-oriented).

- Focus on solutions not problems, and issues not people. Identify the
positives each day and talk about them. Recognize even the smallest
actions that bring positive results.

- Hold team meetings and invite everyone on the staff to share their
creative ideas on how to make the work environment more enjoyable.
(Make sure these are facilitated well to keep it from becoming a gripe
session.)

- Model positive behavior. Remember that while attitudes and great service start at the top of the organization, every single person is responsible for their own attitude! Managers who want their employees to have positive attitudes must demonstrate what that looks like through role modeling–every day.

- Acknowledge negativity; ignoring it will not make it go away. Pay attention to the frustrations and negative feelings, and then ask the employee for their suggestions regarding what to do about the problems.

- Check your own attitude! If you find yourself faced with a bad attitude every day, perhaps it’s time to ask yourself why that is.

Your attitude about your life and your situation is entirely within your control. Life and time is precious. So don’t let negativity bring you down . . . be a part of the solution and not the problem.

It’s impossible for utilities to make every customer happy all the time, but I strongly recommend that utility customer service representatives be particularly professional and careful with the small number of customers who call and are angry.

The good news is that about 97 percent of a utility’s customers are reasonable people who just want to be treated with respect and feel appreciated for their business. This certainly gives them the latitude to become upset if a mistake was made, but they will generally forgive the error.
The challenge is the other 3 percent of customers who can ruin a CSR’s day with a single phone call. And isn’t it Murphy’s Law that phone calls from this minority seem to come earlier in the day rather than later, giving CSRs just that much more time to fume and fuss?

It doesn’t have to be that way. Following are six tips on how to handle irate customers so that the outcome is productive for everyone involved – the customer, the CSR and the company.

Tip One: Let the angry customer vent. Give your customer the chance to “get it off his chest.” Don’t interrupt. Just let him say what he needs to say. When he comes up for air that is the appropriate time to say you are there to help. If the customer uses abusive or vulgar language, let him know you would be happy to help but that you’re unable to do so under those conditions. Explain that you are going to end the conversation, but encourage the customer to call back when he has calmed down.

Tip Two: Put emotional distance between you and the customer. Your customer’s anger is not about you. It’s his problem, so choose not to take it personally. Even nice customers can get angry when they feel a company has mistreated them. Do the best you can to let your customer know you care.

Tip Three: It’s not the CSR’s job to teach a lesson. Anyone who deals with customers on a regular basis will tell you that the customer is not always right, that they do make mistakes. They will also tell you that some customers are dishonest. But it doesn’t matter whose mistake caused the problem your customer is calling about. You are not in your job to serve as judge and jury. If the customer actually caused the problem, you will only add fuel to the fire by pointing that out. Keep things simple, review the problem and work toward resolving it.

Tip Four: Treat even angry customers with respect. This doesn’t mean you need to agree with the customer’s opinion. Most people just want to know that someone is willing to listen to their concerns and show they care. You don’t know what has happened to the customer during his day, so give him the benefit of the doubt. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask yourself, “If this was me, what would I want?”

Tip Five: When all else fails, give up. Some customers simply will not give you the opportunity to fix their problem. Some are chronic complainers. If the customer has a track record of abusive language and angry calls, it may be better to say goodbye to the business. However, this message needs to be communicated to the customer by your manager.

Tip Six: Learn to let go. It’s not always easy, but don’t carry the baggage of one angry customer over to your other customers. If a customer has upset you, get up and walk away for a few minutes. Get a drink of water, take some deep breaths and allow yourself to become neutral before you take the next call.

Most customer problems are the result of a lack of communication. Focus on helping your customers, not proving them wrong, even when they are. A kind word, a listening ear and respect will teach them a far greater lesson than pointing out the error of their ways.

Customers are not just a source of ever-growing revenues for utilities that sell more than traditional service; they’re a potential gold mine for referrals that can generate even more business.

Satisfied customers can be a wealth of referrals for utilities that sell such nontraditional services. All you need to do is ask, but it must be handled appropriately.

Following are 10 tips on how to generate referrals.

Tip No. 1. Create a systematic process. Referrals are often random. Create the repeatable system. All customer service representatives, sales representatives and outside technicians should ask for referrals in the right situations. People need the track to run on, so create the system.

Tip No. 2 Acknowledge referrals. When you receive a referral, send a note to your customer letting them know the referral contacted you and that you greatly appreciate it. Why would they send another person to you if they don’t feel you value them?

Tip No. 3. Reward those who give referrals. What’s in it for your customers if they send you referrals; usually nothing tangible. Referrals are valuable. They’re gold! Create an appropriate reward system. This will greatly increase your flow of referrals. It doesn’t need to be anything expensive. This is an area where: ‘it’s the thought that counts’ truly applies.

Tip No. 4. Educate customers on all your services. Do NOT presume that your customers know what you have to offer in the way of additional products and services. If they know what you have to offer, they may be more likely to use your services and also refer a colleague, friend or family member.

Tip No. 5. Educate and sell on your Web site. A customer may refer someone to your Web site for additional information. If your Web site is confusing or doesn’t give adequate information, a potential new customer may become frustrated and choose not to call you. Your Web site is a tool for selling and educating. Make sure it does precisely that.

Tip No. 6. Tell customers what you will do with a referral. When a customer is thinking about giving you a referral, they may worry that the people they send to you will be hounded by your company and given a hard sell. Tell your customer what actions you will take so they are comfortable giving you a referral. If they have negative preconceived perceptions, it is your responsibility to change them.

Tip No. 7. Ask for referrals. The biggest mistake utilities make is that they presume customers will give a referral without being asked to do so. They hope the referrals will come but they never actually ask for them. Design a system and process that will make asking for referrals comfortable for your people.

Tip No. 8. Stay in touch. Your marketing department needs to keep your utility’s name in front of your customers in a variety of ways. Use every available resource as an opportunity to educate and sell.

Tip No. 9. Educate yourself. There are lots of effective referral strategies. Make use of the Internet, bookstores and libraries to educate yourself on others’ successes and failures. You will find wisdom in other companies’ experiences. Seek it out.

Tip No. 10. Commit yourself to generating referrals. It all starts with a commitment to learn which referral strategies work, determine the best ones for you, create a plan and then follow through with unwavering persistence.