Report on customer behaviour.The Platinum rule.4 types.Characteristics.

INTRODUCTION:

One of the main tactics to a success of a business is - understanding of customer behaviour. It helps companies: (i) to satisfy customers, (ii) adopt the marketing idea and, (iii) gain legitimacy in society (Sheth, Mittal, 2004).

Modern researchers reveal more than a dozen various models of our behavioural differences. But many share one common thread: the grouping of behaviour into four main categories. The Platinum Rule of Dr. Tony Alessandra focuses on patterns of external and observable behaviours using scales of directness and openness that each style exhibits. Because we can see and hear these external behaviours, it becomes much easier to “read and understand” people. This model is practical, simple, and easy to use and remember.

TYPES OF CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR

Because it is known that the benefits the company achieves are due to a successful delivery of customer service it is very important that the sales person recognises the types of customer he deals with and identifies the method to cope with one or another type. 

Overall there are recognised four main types of customers' behaviour, these are as follows:

Relater tends to be indirect and open;

Director usually is direct and guarded;

Socialiser tends to be direct and open;

Thinker is indirect and guarded

CHARACTERISTICS OF BEHAVIOUR TYPES

Relaters:

The relaters put the priority on the relationship. Their pace is slow and relaxed. Their appearance is casual and they tend to conform and dress like those around them. The workplace of this type of customers is personal, relaxed and friendly. The relaters usually get their security from friendship and cooperation. They rely on other people. One of the things they fear is sudden, abrupt change. Relaters also measure their personal worth by their compatibility with others and the depth of their relationships. They're internally motivated by involvement, in other words such type of people have a need to be needed by others.

Strengths

·         listening,

·         teamwork,

·         follow along.

Weaknesses

·         are little overly sensitive,

·         sometimes slow to start,

·         tend not to set very big goals,

·         irritated by insensitivity and impatience,

·         when under stress become submissive or indecisive.

Upon making decisions relaters usually tend to do so with others and what they're seeking from people is a sense of acceptance and a sense that people and relaters will be working together.

Thinkers:

The thinkers are slow and systematic with their priority on the task. Their focus is on the process and their appearance is a little more formal or a little more reserved. The source of security for thinkers is preparation and thoroughness. Their workplace is often structured and functional. In reality thinkers fear criticism of their work as well as get embarrassed. They measure their personal worth by precision and accuracy. And their internal motivation is the process. Commonly the thinkers love following a detailed process and believe in personal competence.

Strengths:

·         planning,

·         organization.

Weaknesses

·         tend to be perfectionism,

·         are hypercritical,

·         slow decision makers,

·         Under stress tend to withdraw or become very headstrong about the facts and figures that they're working on.

Thinkers make thorough decisions (well thought out). And they're seeking from people accuracy and information, something they can rely on. Usually thinkers want to know that they can not only rely on someone, but also rely on people's research, data, claims, warranty that come with whatever people are offering them.

Directors:

This type of customers is fast and decisive. The directors focus on the task and want to get results. They're businesslike and powerful. Their workplace is busy, efficient and structured. They tend to exert control and leadership in order to gain security. Directors often feel most secure when they're in charge. What they fear is being taken advantage of or wasting time. They measure their personal worth by the results they get, the track record they've built and the progress they're making. Their internal motivation is winning, being in charge.

Strengths:

·         delegating,

·         leadership,

·         inspiring others.

Weaknesses:

·         impatient,

·         insensitive,

·         disliking details,

·         irritated by inefficiency and indecision.

·         Under stress, highly critical and become dictatorial.

Their decisions are decisive and quick and most often they seek the bottom-line results. The directors want to see some productivity and that there is an outcome.

Socialisers:

The socialisers are fast, spontaneous and put the focus on the interaction and the relationship with other people. Their appearance is reckless and more stylish. The workplace for socialisers is personal, a little cluttered, sometimes stimulating. As for their source of security, it is flexibility, playfulness and gaining the approval of other people. What they fear is loss of prestige or boredom. Such customers measure their personal worth by recognition they've achieved, the number of friends, status, the kind of attention they're drawing to themselves. Their internal motivator is being part of the team. In other wards they want to be involved.

Strengths:

·         persuasive,

·         enthusiastic,

·         entertaining.

Weaknesses:

·         not very punctual,

·         ignore details and sometimes appear restless,

·         irritated by routines and perfectionism,

·         sarcastic under stress,

·         sometimes superficial.

Socialisers make their decisions quickly and spontaneously. What they seek is quick outcomes. They want recognition, to have fun. In addition to see the things happening, socialisers also want to be involved in what's happening.

TACTICS IN DEALING WITH FOUR TYPES OF CUSTOMERS

the relaters need to know how a suggested offer will affect their personal situation. The best way is to deal gently and avoid conflict. In order to facilitate their decision-making it is better to give them personal service, assurances, guarantees. Communicating with others, relaters want their companions to be pleasant and supportive of their feelings and concerns. One of the priorities in dealing with socialiser will be to create a personal environment for the dialogue; go at a slow and relaxed pace; be casual and cooperative with them; Use a time to develop the relationship. The written communication should be warmly and friendly.

The thinkers need to know how they can justify what a person is talking about logically. They want to be able to explain it and know how it works. To deal with them a person must be accurate and avoid a slightest possibility of making the thinkers to get embarrassed. The best way to help them to make a decision is to explain all information and data. As a habit, thinkers want the people the y communicate to, to be precise and to support their process. On dealing with this type it is best to create a serious, thoughtful environment; maintain a slow and systematic pace and put the priority on the task and following the process; be structured and play by the rules; use a time to ensure accuracy. Upon written communication a person should be detailed and precise. And on the telephone, communication should be a business-like, precise and efficient.

The directors desire to know what a product or service does, by when and what it costs. In other words they search a bottom line. Conviction is a great tool to deal with this type of customers. While communicating with directors a person should Stand up for himself, stand for what he does as well as his product with the same save the directors time and effort. In order to help them make decisions it is better to give them options with supporting documentation or analysis. Usually they want their interlocutor to get to the point, support the goals they're trying to achieve and create a business-like atmosphere for the dialogue. As a matter of fact the director tend to be competitive and aggressive, hence a person dealing with them must be prepared to respond to it. It would be wise to use time with a director to act efficiently. The writing to the director should be short and to the point. A same strategy should be on the phone.

For the socialiser, what they want to know is how's this going to work for them? How's it going to make them look? How's it going to help them get the results they want to get? How's it going to save them time, and how's it going to make life more fun? The best way to communicate with them is to be creative and in order to facilitate their decision it would be wise to give them testimonials from people they admire and respect and incentives that they will personally enjoy or benefit from. They want a communicator to be supportive of their ideas. It is best to create an enthusiastic atmosphere; be fast and spontaneous. The priority for socialisers is the relationship and the interaction, on dealing with this type of customers a person should put the focus on a dialogue and get them involved. Usually if they're not talking, they're not listening either. While communicating socialisers tend to be spontaneous and playful, which a person they come in a contact should be the same. On writing to them, a tone should be informal and a little dramatic and on the phone - conversational, flexible and playful.

BEHAVIOURAL ADAPTATION

According to the described above behavioural characteristics I may consider myself as thinker. Understanding my own behavioural style and natural tendencies are just the first step to enhancing relationships. The main point is people should be treated according to their behavioural style, not ours.

Knowing weaknesses and strengths of each type as well as considering my own capabilities I would adapt to each of the behavioural style differently. The below is a potential strategy as to dealing with customer behaviours of each type.

Adaptation to the director style

·         not waste their time, because they are sensitive

·         Be organized and get to the point.

·         Give them relevant information and options, with probabilities of success.

·         Give them written details to read at their leisure – all on a single page.

·         appeal to their sense of accomplishment because they are goal-oriented,

·         support their ideas and acknowledge their power and prestige.

·         Let them talk

·         be efficient and competent.

·         Plan to be prepared, organized, fast-paced, and always to the point

·         Learn and study their goals and objectives – what they want to accomplish, how they currently are motivated to do things, and what they would like to change

·         Suggest solutions with clearly defined and agreed upon consequences as well as rewards that relate specifically to their goals

·         Get to the point

·         Provide options and let them make the decision, when possible

·         Listen to their suggestions

Adaptation to socialiser style:

·         Support their ideas, goals, opinions, and dreams.

·         not argue with their visions;

·         get excited about them.

·         flutter around with them if that is required

·         Bring up an entertaining conversation (e.g. jokes)

·         Avoid rushing into tasks

·         write things down and work from a list

·         Show that I am interested in them, let them talk, and allow my animation and enthusiasm to emerge

·         Clearly summarize details and direct these towards mutually agreeable objectives and action steps

·         Provide incentives to encourage quicker decisions

Adaptation to the relater style

·         take things slow,

·         earn their trust, support their feelings, and show sincere interest

·         Never back a Relater Style into a corner

·         Be sincere, pleasant, and friendly

·         Develop trust, friendship, and credibility at a relatively slow pace

·         Ask them to identify their own emotional expectations

·         Avoid rushing them and give them personal, concrete assurances

Adaptation to the thinker style

·         be sensitive

·         support the Thinker Styles in their organized, thoughtful approach to problem solving.

·          Be systematic, logical and exact

·         Give them time to make decisions.

·         Allow them to talk in detail.

·         be thorough, well prepared, detail-oriented, business-like, and patient.

·         prepare, so that I can answer as many of their questions accurately

·         Greet them cordially, but proceed quickly to the task; don’t start with personal or social talk

·         Ask questions that reveal a clear direction and that fit into the overall scheme of things

·         Give them time to think; avoid pushing them into hasty decisions

·         Tell them both the pros and cons

·         Follow through and deliver what you promise.

CONCLUSION:

As Dyche (2002) outlined no customer can be thinker, relater, director and socialiser for 100% (Figure 1). Every individual displays these qualities and features, however at the different degree. Thus the sales person must learn as much as possible about his or her customer in order to identify a perfect and successful approach to do business with the client. One of the main tactics that will bring a sales man to a great performance during a sales process is to ask questions, always be patient as well as be ready to accept verbal abuse, in instance: harsh language, name calling or offensive remarks. Dealing with different types of customers the person should also consider aggressive responses, such as shouting or threatening gestures, as it can happen while communicating with director-type customers.

The sales persons must also learn how to be dominant during a sales process and be able to control it, with a same making his/her customer to buy form them. However the people doing business should also remember that in addition to challenging and difficult customers there are those that are very easy to be dealt with for example such as socialiser-customers. 

In order to respond well to all types of customers, sales person needs to be skilled in such areas as: assessing and recognising their own emotional responses; monitoring their behaviour during an interaction with the customer; be active listeners; always ask question to clarify the customer’s problem and be ready to negotiate.