Leading Age 2013 Janis Ehlers, President TheEhlersGroup.com - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Leading Age 2013

Janis Ehlers, President

TheEhlersGroup.com

Kristin Kutac Ward, President

RetiringByDesign.com

We Are Customers EVERYDAY

How do I best expose marketing weaknesses?

• Mystery Shopping
• Use Exit Interviews within 30 days of move-outs
• First Impressions Audit
• Focus Groups
• SWOT Analysis to expose marketing strengths and

weaknesses

• Positioning Statement

First Impressions Affect Sales Outcomes

Telephone Mystery Shopping Charts

Telephone Mystery Shopping Charts

Telephone Mystery Shopping Strategy

Monitor customer experience during:

• Normal business hours
• Off-hours and holidays
• Weekends

Telephone Mystery Shopping Strategy

• Use a third party with experience
• Inform sales team when hired they will be shopped
• Sign consent to be tape recorded
• Share audio tape with team
• Utilize as training tool, not punishment

Telephone Mystery Shopping Techniques

• Determine the pathway incoming

telephone calls follow

• Who are people handling incoming calls
• Create the system to monitor calls
• Establish a grading criteria to gauge

skills

• Determine how to disseminate

evaluations

• Provide training
• Create a follow-up plan

Telephone Mystery Shopping Evaluation

Point system for:

• Greeting
• Politeness
• Skills to transfer call
• Obtaining call back information
• Length of time to connect with a live person
• Ability to establish rapport
• Ability in creating the image of the community

Telephone Mystery Shopping Benefits

• Exposes weak links
• Strengthens opportunities

to make a great first impression

• Empowers those handling

telephones

• Strengthens opportunities

to help those who are calling

Telephone Mystery Shopping Case Study

Situation: Front desk receptionist handled all incoming calls at a luxury CCRC Problem: All marketing calls were received by voice mail Solution: Audience participation

Telephone Mystery Shopping Case Study

Situation: Off-hours calls were answered by anyone available Problem: Unprofessional handling of incoming calls Solution: Audience participation

Internet Mystery Shopping Charts

Internet Mystery Shopping Charts

Mystery Shopping Event Strategy

• Experience a community

event from a customer’s vantage point

Mystery Shopping Event Techniques

• Use a keen observer to attend

and critique event

• Determine areas to be

assessed

– Arrival – Registration – Greeting – Food and beverage – Hospitality – Touring offers and skills – Ability to connect with customers – What was overall impressions from event?

Mystery Shopping Event Benefits

• Effective feedback if community maximized the cost and

effort of an event

• Provides a debriefing tool
• Learn if there are any weak links to tighten

Mystery Shopping Event Case Study

Situation: Executive director was confident marketing department had

• rganized all aspects of a

networking event. Problem: Food quantity and service was slow; uninformed front desk receptionist; marketing tours were inappropriately timed and there was no method to register guests. Solution: Debriefing exposed weaknesses and areas of improvement.

Exit Interviews Strategy

• Learn reasons for a departure
• Areas of improvement
• Levels of customer satisfaction
• Include family members if app.
• Include lost leads who chose

competition

Exit Interview Techniques

• Determine 4-5 open-ended

questions

• Develop script for

interviewers

• Determine who reviews

information and how it will be used

• Use an empathetic, unbiased

listener

• Create system to disseminate

information to empower change

Exit Interview Techniques

Exit Interview Form

Exit Interview Benefits

• Establishes goodwill
• Offers constructive criticism
• Offers positive feedback
• Gauges trends related to vacancies

Exit Interview Case Study

Situation: An assisted living community’s census was consistently falling Problem: Staff feedback was inconclusive Solution: Audience participation

Database Exit Interviews Strategy

Gauge customer first impressions & feedback from a non- sales person

Database Exit Interview Techniques

• Use an unbiased, empathic

person to telephone

• Ask 4-5 open-ended questions
• Use a list 12-24 months old
• Honor requests to remove

someone from list

• Respond quickly to requests

for information

• Determine who will receive

information/action plan

Database Exit Interview Case Study

Situation: Desired was an

• pportunity to connect with previous

customers. Problem: Could leads be generated from existing database with inundating sales team? Solution: Outsourcing the telephone follow-up calls produced tangible feedback and resurrected prospects that now “were ready”. Database was purged enabling sales team to focus on current traffic and inquires.

First Impression Audits Strategy

See a community as a customer and step into their shoes to critique the customer experience

First Impression Audits Technique

• Create a checklist delineating

the areas to shop

• Select people who are not

financially influenced by

• utcomes
• Determine the evaluation

method/ points vs. yes-no

• Include a section for comments
• Require a shopper to

experience a meal at the community

• Determine how evaluation will

be used

First Impression Audits Technique

Check the following areas:

• Signage
• Parking Lot
• Landscaping
• Building Exterior
• Entryway/Lobby
• Public Restrooms
• Hallways
• Models
• Internal and External Common Areas
• Staff

First Impression Audits Technique

Look with fresh eyes and an open mind

• Cleanliness
• Lighting
• All items in good repair
• Odors

First Impression Audits Technique

Top 10 First Impressions Violations:

1. Websites or collateral that do not reflect the image and lifestyle of the community 2. Phone calls where a real person does not answer 3. Lack of people or activity 4. Reception area without warmth or hospitality 5. Staff using personal cell phones in public areas 6. Not acknowledging fellow staff when they pass in the hall during the community tour (try introducing them to the prospect when app.) 7. Untimely response and follow up for both internet leads and call-ins 8. Bad smells 9. No visitor parking convenient to the entrance for marketing guests

• 10. A scripted call

First Impression Audits Evaluation

First Impressions Assessment Tool (see handout)

Focus Groups Strategy

• Recommend quarterly or annual focus groups with new

move-ins

• Openly discuss first impressions and reasons for

choosing your community

• Include brainstorming and group discussions or a

written survey depending on the personalities of the residents

• Take action on the items learned
• Correct problems identified

SWOT Analysis Strategy

• Foundation of both the sales and marketing initiatives
• The strengths and weaknesses are internal and

inherent in the community while the opportunities and threats are external and take into consideration factors

• utside the walls of the community
• Goals should include ways to turn opportunities into

strengths from quarter to quarter.

SWOT Analysis Strategy

Sales Utilization

• Thoroughly understanding the strengths of your

community and how those strengths compare to the competitors will help you overcome and defuse

• bjections
• Being honest about the strengths and weaknesses of

your community can prepare you for objections

• Conduct team role play in weekly sales meetings to

practice ways to address weaknesses that come up in the sales process

• All opportunities should be addressed in the SMART

goals to ensure you are taking advantage of those

• pportunities and turning them into strengths

SWOT Analysis Strategy

Marketing Utilization

• Ensure the strengths are emphasized and

highlighted in all communication materials

• Ensure the look and feel of the marketing

promote your brand

• Your strengths are the foundation of your positioning

statement, which is the foundation of your marketing plan and messaging

SWOT Analysis Strategy

Marketing Utilization

• The website is often the true first impression of the

community

• Ensure that your website reflects accurately the look,

feel, activity and lifestyle the prospect will find upon their visit

• Does the website compel the prospect to visit?

Positioning Statement Strategy

• Creates a distinct perception
• f a product in the customer’s

mind, usually as it relates to competition

• Positioning is about

managing the customer’s perception of how your product falls in line with the customer’s expectations

• The statement must be

honest and resonate truth with the customer experience

Positioning Statement Examples

Examples of community positioning:

• Home-like setting for those of moderate resources
• The Alzheimer’s care specialist
• Small and intimate community with highly individualized

service

Leading Age 2013 Questions?