Category: English

Winning Over the Type B Personality

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

You are fully prepared for your meeting with a potential client. Once there, at the last minute he is not available, and has sent his personal assistant to replace him. Truth be told, you are a bit relieved, because the big boss is a really difficult person. His assistant, on the other hand, proves to be a very agreeable, understanding, and downright sympathetic person. You are sure you scored points as you were able to fully dwell on the advantages of your products and services. In the end, you leave with the promise of a favourable answer in the next two days…

Two days have gone by, then three, then seven; still no word. What happened? And what to do? Diligently, you follow up: you call or stop by to see your contact. She promises to speak with her boss very soon about your presentation – in other words, it has not yet been done! Conscientiously, you offer another date for the follow-up, “you will have an answer in one week, for sure”, the person replies. Another week goes by, you follow-up, but this time your contact cannot be reached. You try again the next day, and the next week, and still no answer. The cat and mouse game has begun, and you risk going through – and this is not uncommon – several months of follow-ups with no result. Stalemate.

A while ago, we published an article on Type A personalities (Mission Possible: Convincing Type A personalities, August 2015. See our blog at consultationettraduction.com). These people tend to be irritable, and impatient; they are very energetic, and hate to waste time. They are the embodiment of action and urgency. With them, emotion, uncertainty, reflection, are words to be avoided as much as possible. To convince them, the proper language will go a long way, the conversation must be results-oriented, and the following words used profusely: conduct, take action, commit, aim, mobilize, reinforce, target, fight, intensify.

What to do then when faced with a person who seems more accommodating, and even hesitant? These people are qualified as Type B personalities.

They are generally calm, patient, lively, and friendly. They tend to be in health care or in more creative fields. They are less – much less – stressed, and less competitive. However, since they are appreciated as a person, they do obtain promotions, and find themselves in positions of leadership and decision making.

Doing business with a Type B can prove challenging for representatives because these people are in no hurry to make a decision, nor to sign an agreement! How, then, does one get around this challenge? Following are five suggestions that may help you become more successful with them:

  1. Words with weight. With Type As, words such as like, feel, fun, accommodate, discuss, talk, debate, are to be avoided at all cost, but they are perfectly OK with Type B personalities. They must be handled gently… not forcefully!
  2. The right person. You must make sure that the person you are speaking with IS the one that will be making the decision in the end, rather than a person delegated by a Type A to “filter” visitors and presentations to avoid any waste of time… wich happens more often than we like to think!
  3. Team work. As Type Bs like to be part of a team, it would be well advised to bring them to include another employee in the discussion, to help with the decision making – the boss, or someone who is an effective influencer with the boss or the decision maker.
  4.  Follow-up. That being said, how can other people be included in the discussion? First of all, if your goal is to FAIL, then by all means do continue your discussions and follow ups with this contact! If not, make sure that you are not alone with this person during the follow-up meeting: it WILL be a waste of time! When confirming the date for the next appointment, ask your contact who will be present. This may encourage him or her to organize a more formal meeting. You can also suggest, gently, to invite the boss – your contact may even greet this idea with open arms, as the responsibility of making a decision will then be passed on to another!
  5. Know when to move on. If all else fails, there is the very likely possibility that your Type B person is simply reluctant to admit that he prefers dealing with another person, or another supplier. You must have the courage to see things as they are and to move on, spending your precious time on more promising prospects. However, if you play your cards well, using the right words and insisting, gently, on team work, you will be giving yourself a better chance of winning the deal.

Continue reading “Winning Over the Type B Personality” →

Office Bullies

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

While reading the paper today, I found myself unable to finish my coffee. There was a revolting story about a six-year old boy, from Quebec City, who was so violently beaten up in the school yard, that the resulting physical and mental trauma will affect him for the rest of his life. His mother sued for a meager sum of $800,000, a very small amount considering all the care her child will require since the event. But the worst of it is that those who committed the act were also only six years old.

And what becomes of those bullies once they reach maturity? Some of them become respectable citizens, no doubt regretting the years of torture they inflicted upon others. However, the bullies and the bullied will always exist, whether in the school yard or at the office. And these big bullies at the office are just as threatening and damaging as the little ones.

Stephanie (the name has been changed) is a case in point. Happily, she had accepted a well-paying job in an up and running company. Unfortunately, she landed in a close-knit team, in which one person with a very strong personality was creating havoc. After only a few hours, Stephanie realized the domination this person had on the team, and a few weeks later she found out how the woman was doing it.

Rumors, hear-say, and bad-mouthing about Stephanie, both on a personal and a professional level, were quick to start, even though she could not possibly have had the time to do half of what she was accused of. It came from everywhere: from innuendo during meetings, to blatant teasing criticising her work in front of the colleagues, including gossip brought to her own boss. It even went to the point where reports were handed to her late, preventing her from accomplishing her own work on time.

Stephanie tried to reason with this person, in order to understand the situation and, mostly, try to fix things with her. Big mistake. Another team mate explained that, she too, had been placed in the dog house, and that this was something that happened to all the newbies on the team. And that was how Stephanie’s tormentor reigned: once out of her grasp, all the team mates were so scared to fall back into it that they ended up participating in this mean little game. Surprisingly, once a person was “accepted” in the circle of the initiated, the shrew became all attention and care, so why change the situation? There was always a new victim to play with.

Bullies exist in the work place, and can do a lot of damage. Bear in mind though, that there is a difference between intimidation, and normal occasional conflict. Intimidation in the work place is defined as a repeat behaviour, which is persistent and ongoing, as opposed to one single negative act, and is generally linked to an imbalance in power between the victim and the perpetrator, making the victim feel inferior1.

It should be noted that intimidation in the work place occurs four times more often than sexual harassment2. There is not much Canadian data on the subject, but an American survey tends to show that 37% of workers were victims of intimidation at work, and that 45% of the victims reported reaching stress levels that affected their health3.

Profiles were done on bullies: very often, they show low self-esteem, low communication skills, unresolved problems linked to work, and the belief that they have the right to control others by means of an abusive behaviour. Intimidation is their way to cover their own weaknesses and insecurities2.

How do you react when confronted, as was Stephanie, to such a situation? You must first keep calm and note each incident (date and time), thereby collecting evidence. Then, try to have witnesses when the incidents occur and, once again, note their name, the date and the time. If you are a union member, try to get help from your union. You can always try also to talk with the perpetrator to fix the situation, very carefully.

If all else fails, then go to your boss. But do be careful: maybe the company you work for is slow in reacting, or your boss cannot get the support from his or her own boss, or worse, he or she won’t rock the boat! If you want to keep your job, inform your boss that the situation has become intolerable and that you will lodge a complaint with Human Resources.

If you feel that your employer will frown upon such a negative progression of the issue – and that can happen, unfortunately – then ask yourself this question: is it worth it to work for a company that doesn’t care about the wellbeing of their employees?

There are also external resources in each province, such as the Commission des Normes du travail, in Québec, where you can find answers to some of your concerns, if you cannot get them from your employer.

So what did happen to Stephanie in the end? After considering all the options, and taking into consideration the difficult work environment, she quit her job. She did, however, carefully state her reasons during the exit interview, hoping that her comments may help her successor.

  1. Salin, D 2003, “Ways of explaining workplace bullying : A review of enabling, motivating and precipitating structures and processes in the work environment”, Human Relations, vol. 56, no. 10, pp 1213-1232.
  2. Rowell, P 2005, “Being a target at work: Or William Tell and how the apple felt”, JONA, vol. 35, no. 0, pp. 377-379.
  3. U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey: September, 2007

If you have any comments, you can share them here, or on our blog at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

The authors can be reached at: consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

Anick Lamothe and Marie-Josee Verhaaf

BODY LANGUAGE – HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY KNOW?

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

In our daily encounters with the public, our customers and our colleagues, having basic knowledge regarding the significance of body language can help us understand various emotions and adjust our approach accordingly.

Picture this: you arrive at the conference room to present your new program. You notice that all the participants have arms and legs crossed. You then ask yourself: Are they already weary of what I have to say before I event start? In fact, they are merely guarding themselves against the unknown – the new program – and as your presentation evolves, and as people are starting to warm up to your message, arms and legs are uncrossing, upper bodies are leaning towards you, heads are tilting slightly. It does not take a degree in body language to understand that the mood is friendlier and that the program has a good chance to be accepted. The important thing to remember is to acquire the skill to “read” your audience. Sometimes, we are so concentrated on what we want to say, that we forget to observe this, and we are left wondering why our message was lost.

It is true that crossed arms and legs may just mean that we are considering an issue, but beware if these legs are extending forward, feet crossed, and arms crossed: look carefully and you may notice that these people are in the twilight zone! You must win them back. Are you rambling on? Are you interacting with one participant who is taking up your time and attention? If this is the case, you will lose the attention of your audience, and will have to put in more effort to reverse the situation.

Moreover, ask yourself, what does your own body language communicate1? Standing up while you are talking, putting your hands on your hips, pulling slightly the bottom of your jacket or your sleeves to adjust them, are all signs that show assurance and self-control, and help communicate your message.

The study of body language exists, and there is a lot of literature on the subject2. This subject makes for quite interesting reading and is recommended, but to a point! Some put forth notions that lack consistency, and may be too descriptive: body language is not a recipe composed of a number of specific gestures; it is a combination of postures and reactions. However, some basic knowledge goes a long way in trying to understand and convince our audience.

  1. BOYER, Anabelle, « Ces gestes qui influencent votre crédibilité au travail », 24h, 30 septembre 2015, p. 28
  2. TURCHET, Philippe, 2000, « La Synergologie », Les Éditions de l’Homme, 312 p.

______________________________

If you have any comments, you can share them here, or on our blog at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

The authors can be reached at: consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

Anick Lamothe and Marie-Josee Verhaaf

Volunteer Work: another way to achieve success

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

After several years of juggling family life and a rising career, I stopped one day to think this through. At the time, I was very grateful towards what life had given me, so I decided to give something back. Needless to say, friends and family tried to caution me: How will you do it, while taking care of spouse and children, and handling university courses and business trips?

Some people decide to get involved to improve their status on their resume, and that’s perfectly fine. However, after several years of volunteer work, I can attest that the advantages outweigh by far the small amount of weekly hours devoted to the volunteer work. That is why I continue, to this day, to serve breakfast to schoolchildren in a lower-income neighbourhood.

On the plus side, I could only emphasize the immense benefits that volunteer work can have at a professional level, as you will see in the list below. You will also find ideas on how to work this time into your schedule, most probably as busy as mine is. For me, children’s smiles (sometimes toothless!) and happy laughter heard every week, is a form of compensation in itself. I came to understand, through volunteer work, that there are more severe situations than “making your numbers” (as it was in my previous career).

  1. Lowers stress levels. Hard to believe? Coming to grips with the realisation that some children’s hunger increases at the end of the month, because the government cheque is received at the beginning of the month, puts a lot of things back into perspective. Pressing matters at work become less pervasive. A certain Zen feeling starts increasing as involvement continues. And lower stress levels bring higher productivity.
  2. Increases efficiency in time management. In order to be able to add another activity to your schedule, you must start to get better organized (our previous article on time management “To Be Organized… Or Else” can help you achieve this). Again, better time management will bring an increased efficiency at work, even though you have more to do.
  3. Helps with networking. You will meet other professionals who, like you, decided to get involved. This will give you the time and the opportunity to bond with people who work in other fields. Maybe you will even find new business opportunities or exchange services. In any case, you will make new friends.
  4. Gives a morale boost because something important is being done. The equation is simple: increased morale = happier employee = higher productivity.
  5. Gives team work experience. Volunteer work encourages team work… and does more. As people in the team come from different walks of life, problem solving can become more varied and creative. You will have the opportunity to learn from your team mates, to think out of the box. For managers: if you are spending money on team-building activities right now, maybe it’s time to consider volunteer work to encourage team work.

How do you do it? First, find a cause that is dear to your heart, because that’s the only way you will stick with it in the long run. You should also find an organization that can adapt to your way of life.

Here is an example: if you have little time and you are an early riser, chose an organisation that allows you to give your time outside normal business hours (early in the morning), or that can tolerate occasional away times (business trips).

Finally, chose an activity that you will like doing. Volunteer work is not an act of self-punishment and can, on the contrary, be very rewarding if you like what you are doing.

It makes me smile to watch the reaction of people when I say that my volunteer work is almost a selfish activity. I assure you, you will feel the same way after a few years of involvement. Because it feels good to do good! (A.L.)

Note: Many studies have been published on the positive impact that volunteer work has on employees, such as Deloitte’s Volunteer Impact Survey(2010), Global Trends in Volunteering (2012), Corporate Citizenship (2011), Making the Business Case for Corporate Volunteering (2011), Graff, Linda, (2004) Making the Case for Employee Volunteering, Volunteer Canada

____________________________________________

If you have any comments, you can share them here, or on our blog at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

The authors can be reached at: consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

Anick Lamothe and Marie-Josee Verhaaf

TO BE ORGANIZED… OR ELSE!

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

Many of us have followed one or more training sessions in time management. We all got some elements out of those courses which we have integrated in our daily activities. However, do we revisit those notions once in a while to improve our technique? Chances are that many of us do not have the time to do so. There are too many tasks that must be accomplished – whether professional or personal – and they all seem to bear the same degree of urgency. Consequently, in spite of our good intentions, life happens. Then, one day, we realize that once again, we are overwhelmed with the quantity of things to do, and don’t know where to begin. That is when we must sit down and get organized, otherwise others will “organize us”: our boss, our spouse, and even our children!

Problem is you can no longer find the binder or the notes you got from the course. No need to panic. Following is a short method to get back on track. You must, however, take a few minutes to work on it. The tools you need: a blank sheet of paper and a pen, or a Word document that you will save as “Tasks”.

  1. List all the tasks you have to accomplish during the week. Example: Make an appointment with the customer. Attend the weekly meeting. Study the sales report. Order supplies. Finalise the contract to be signed. Meet with an employee who asked for help. Meet with Finance Director to finalise a request for proposal. Make an appointment with the accountant for personal financial planning. Complete tax return. Reserve restaurant for outing with friends. Write them all. The longer the list of to do is, the more worthwhile the exercise becomes.
  2. Put letters A, B, or C next to each task:
    1. = Utmost importance, whether on a personal or on a professional level.
    2. = Important, but can wait, or may become of utmost importance one day.
    3. = Not that important, can become important one day, or be ignored.
  3. It is now time to make sure that each task has received the proper level of priority. Indeed, we all have a tendency to consider almost everything we have to do as being of utmost importance (an A). The reality is that 40% of our tasks are in the A category, 40% in the B, and 20% in the C.

Here’s what the situation looks like, when all the tasks listed in no. 1 have been properly identified:

Make an appointment with the customer. A

Attend the weekly meeting. B

Study the sales report. A

Order supplies. C

Finalise the contract to be signed. A

Meet with an employee who asked for help. B

Meet with Finance Director to finalise a request for proposal. A

Make an appointment with the accountant for personal financial planning. B

Complete tax return. B

Reserve restaurant for outing with friends. C

We can see that the activities listed as A are crucial to our profession, having an impact on revenues for our company and ourselves. B activities are the ones that can help us accomplish our personal financial goals. For example, our financial planning and our tax returns are important: they help give us direction. The C activities can be or can be delegated if there is simply no time to accomplish them, or even ignored.

If the list is very long, and in order to see it all in one snapshot, each task can be entered in columns identified as A, B, and C. And this exercise should be repeated as often as necessary, until it becomes second nature.

« Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste. »
Benjamin Franklin

If you have any comments, you can share them here, or on our blog at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

The authors can be reached at: consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

Anick Lamothe and Marie-Josee Verhaaf

Changing careers without falling on your…

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

It’s Sunday evening and you already feel nauseous just at the thought of having to go to work the next morning, and dragging yourself all week long. You can’t stand that job, or your colleagues or your boss anymore. It is time for you to make a change. But the insecurity this thought brings about is holding you back. Following are a few tips to help you make the leap.

According to Statistics Canada, 2/3 of Baby Boomers now in their fifties have been in the same job all their working life. The Gen X show a different picture, however: they hold a job for an average of 3.4 years; the Gen Y hold theirs for an average of 2.7 years. If this trend is any indication, Canadians will change jobs 15 times during their working life. Having doubts? These figures are from a survey with 4,000 Canadians, issued in the Thinkopolis IV, Time to work2 report.

Does changing jobs this often, however, bring changes in careers? According to this survey, people may change careers 2 to 3 times during their lifetime. Even yours truly have decided one day to leave everything behind and start all over in a new field (up to 5 times for one of the authors!).

Changing careers can be a tremendously positive experience, if well planned and not done on a whim. It must be well thought out, all the pitfalls anticipated. This requires patience and can be a painful process, while sticking to a job that makes you sick, but the rewards make it worth it as happiness in the new career is the desired outcome.

  1. Put your finances in order. Pay your debts and meet with a financial planner. This way, you can determine if you can afford the change. For example, if you are thinking of starting a business, you may need to go through several months of lean times; a professional planner will help you with the financial details and help you make the change. To be dying of hunger and buried in debt will not make you happy.

2. Determine what is important to you: lifestyle or revenue? This will help you find out what will make you happy and make a better decision regarding your career change. Business trips make you sick? Find a career that will allow to stay in your headquarters – i.e. your home. You may make less money but you will certainly be happier. You love to work in a team? Going solo may be the worst decision in that case, and your best option would be to work in an organization, as opposed to becoming self-employed.

3. Find an occupation that inspires you. Working to put food on the table may be over now, and you may well be in a position to do what you really like – especially if your pocketbook allows it. If this is the case, find out what your true passions are, your talents, and what you have always wanted to do. Success is better achieved when we are happy in what we are doing. It’s perfectly ok to start in a field in which you have less experience. This new learning can only bring positive results, even if the paycheck is smaller for a while.

4. Changing careers may require going back to school or getting more training. If this is the case, it is possible that the big leap be postponed for a while. Be patient and, more importantly, try to avoid discussing your plans at the office. It will be difficult to explain to your employers why you are following courses in a field that has no relation to your present job. They may become weary and even try to replace you, in order to avoid dealing with the typical demotivated employee – a situation that happens more often than we think.

5. Changing careers does not mean burning bridges: take care of your contacts! Only fools don’t change their mind; you may one day wish to take a step back. Furthermore, it is quite possible that you will be doing business with your contacts one day. A network is like friendship: it requires a little effort. Offer your help when you can, send messages to show you are still there, and to catch up. Word-of-mouth is one of the best tools you can use to drive business.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Confucius

Your experiences define you. Nothing is lost, and what you did before will serve you in a different way. Any comments? Please share them here or on our blog page at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

You can reach the authors at: consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

Anick Lamothe and Marie-Josee Verhaaf

  1. http://www.workopolis.com/content/advice/article/how-many-jobs-do-canadians-hold-in-a-lifetime/

Mission Possible : Convincing Type A Personalities

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

They have a reputation. They are irritable and tough, impatient, stressed and stressful, with a boundless ambition and energy level. In a nutshell, they are the type A personality. People are seen, coming out of their office, purple-faced and sweaty. And now, it’s your turn to confront Genghis Khan. Your mission: to convince.

Types As hate to waste time. They are the embodiment of action and urgency. They can have feelings at times, but not necessarily at the office. As a matter of fact, expressing your feelings will only serve to irritate them immeasurably. Only results count.

In order to persuade or to sell, you must be in sync with the person or people you are trying to convince. You must know how to speak the same language. Failing that, you will only unnerve them and risk being led to the door.

Creators of psychometric tests understand this and know that, for example, a person wanting to encourage a thinking process will start by saying “I think”, as opposed to “I feel” or “I believe”.

Listed here are a few examples of words that Type As like to hear, and that you should integrate in your speech: lead, take action, commit, strive, mobilise, reinforce, aim, control, intensify, result. Words to avoid are: adore, feel, fun, conciliate, discuss, talk, debate.

Here is a specific example: do not invite Type As to come to listen to a conference. They are people of action, and they hate the idea of sitting down and listening, without talking for hours. Invite them instead to participate in an interactive meeting if you want to see them there.

Modifying your vocabulary in order to use words that will please the stakeholder will no doubt increase your chances of success. It is a known fact that we prefer doing business with those who are more like us.

Want to know more? Contact us:

consultation.virtus@outlook.com or mj.verhaaf@gmail.com

If you would like to see more of our articles, visit our blog at:

https://consultationettraduction.com/

PROPER COMMUNICATION IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

Good style creates a good impression, not just of you, but of the company you represent. By paying attention to the language you use, you can eliminate the frustration caused by communication that is hard to read, confusing, or uninformative and thereby build and sustain business relationships. (Carolyn Meyer. Communicating for results, 3rd Ed. P. 72)

To this end, here are a few simple rules:

. Be direct, and use one or two words to convey the intended message.

For example, instead of saying, or writing: you might want to consider sending us the information in a timely fashion, say/write: please send us the information promptly.

. Make minimal use of French or foreign words, thereby conveying your message in a simple and direct manner.

Words such as ambiguous (confusing), impromptu (spontaneous, unplanned), per se (clearly), bona fide (genuine), converse (talk), etc. are fine, once in a while. Overused, they are irritating and distracting.

. Be wary of technical terms. They are fine to use with technicians and specialists, but with a customer, or any other non-expert, such words can make them feel awkward and inadequate.

For example: The WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is a security protocol, designed to provide a wireless local area network (WLAN) with a level of security and privacy comparable to what is usually expected of a wired LAN.

The same feature can be explained in a simpler way when necessary: WEP stands for “Wired Equivalent Privacy.” It is a security protocol for wireless networks. Since wireless networks transmit data over radio waves, it is easy to “eavesdrop” on these transmissions. The goal of WEP is to make wireless networks as secure as wired networks.

. Finally, avoid socially disrespectful words (the politically correct must prevail here), as well as slang terms.

Marie-Josée & Anick

Consultants, Translators and Copywriters at your service

Interested to learn more? Visit our blog at: https://consultationettraduction.com/

BAD WORDS IN A BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

This is not about cursing, but about using words which can put off a customer – not unlike the expressions presented in the last post (August 7, 2015) – or worse, which can make him or her hesitate… We all heard this joke: “Sign the contract at the bottom, and press hard, there are three copies”! The beginning of this sentence features two words that may cause doubt with a customer who was ready to make a decision: sign and contract. These two words are definitive and binding in most people’s mind. Even if the customer appreciates you, the idea of a long-term relationship with you may be a deterrent. Doesn’t it sound better to ask for an approval on the agreement? Of course, the customer will get it, but choosing words with care simply shows tact and respect. Following is a short list of words to avoid, and replacement options, thus replacing a bad word with the good word:

Replace…                              With…

contract                                  agreement

sign                                        approve

cost                                        investment

price                                       value

buy                                         invest, acquire

sell                                         propose, offer

pitch                                       presentation

deal                                        offer

commission                            fee, service fee

problem                                  situation, challenge

no problem!                            My/our pleasure!

no (or) yes but…                    I understand, let’s see how/why

needs                                     expectations, goals

let me explain                        present, demonstrate

AND finally…

honestly                                  (avoid them all… period!)

frankly

small

always

never

outstanding

awesome

Seven effective ways to lose a customer

Published on by AnickLeave a comment

Let’s admit it: we all said things that we came to regret during a sales interview. That’s when we realized – especially when seeing the infamous rolling of the eyes from our customer – that the sale is lost. Following is a list – although incomplete – of key sentences that must be avoided to maintain our customer’s positive disposition.

    1. To be honest with you. This has to be the best sentence to activate your customers’ lie detector. From then on, they will think that the rest of your presentation is all lies. Take this one out of your repertoire, period.

2. I need this sale to reach my goal. Why would the customers help you? They are not your friend after all. If you utter this one, be prepared to give something in return, as they will understand that you are at their mercy.

3. You don’t understand. There is no better way to irk your customers! They will think you take them for fools that just don’t get it. Learn to preserve their ego. Instead, say: I feel I did not explain this clearly, let me try again.

4. I would be glad to do it, but my boss won’t let me. This is often said to maintain the business relationship. And the boss, not being there, is the perfect scapegoat. The problem with this excuse is that it reflects on the whole company, and if customers hear it repeatedly, they will tend to despise the company. Furthermore, if your boss finds out that you put the blame on him or her, you may hear about it during your annual review! Just avoid this one altogether.

5. Please be patient, we have other customers. So: this means that the others are more important than I am… but my money is just as good as theirs! If at all possible, try getting a colleague to help out.

6. This will cost next to nothing. It’s all a question of perspective: the value of money is not the same for all, and we should never assume that customers have a pocketful of money. Some may drive a Mercedes that can be a stretch to pay for, while others have a tight bank account. Avoid talking about money during the sales interview, talk about the advantages and keep the price for the end. 

7. We are doing our best. Customers do not care. What they want are results. If it is not possible to deliver, try offering solutions that will meet their needs. Happy customers will recommend your services. 

Some sentences — spoken or written — can ruin weeks, and even months, of efforts. Those who know this place themselves ahead of the competition. Taking care of the ways you communicate will ensure greater chances of success.