The document discusses strategies for improving customer relations and marketing effectiveness in public relations. It emphasizes the importance of understanding and empathizing with customers, practicing conflict management, and maintaining a positive, evidence-based approach to service. Key interventions include asking the right questions to focus on actions and adapting behaviors for better outcomes.

1. The Reluctant
Customer
“Change your brain to change
the game.”
Allied Public Relations Executives
New York City
April 4, 2013

2. Why are we here?
• Want our customers to have a positive
marketing resource experience
• Doing good work makes us feel good
• We like to be known for providing a
consistent positive image of our
association
• We want to be seen as “adding value”

3. Why are We Really Here?
• Efficiency – Smooth, fast delivery
• Effectiveness – Want to be the “go-to” resource
• Productivity – Known for giving a bigger bang for
their buck
• Retention – Greater likelihood of job stability
• Repeat Business – Happy association customers
come back – and tell others about their experience
• Risk Management – Happy customers don’t throw
me or our association under the bus!
• Success – Successful service = successful
organization = high sustainability and brand affinity

5. Who is the “member”?
Who is the “customer”?
• Member (BIG M):
– The institution and its top leaders.
• Member (small m): AKA Customer
– Those whose relations retain connection and
continued alignment (Those who must also
be satisfied).

6. Disclaimer
This information may be
hazardous to your career.
Proceed with caution!

7. Three Key Strategies

8. One Example for Consideration
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/

9. Customers Look to
Stop Partners They Can:
•Respect
Begging •Trust
•See as Powerful
•Perceive as
Partners
•See as Problem-
Solvers
•Count On

10. Know your Customer
Exceptionally Well
•Many are insecure – expressing false vibrato
•Many are worried about their continued
relevance
•Some suffer from the effects of “spousal” abuse
•Many have no clear “measures of success” to
guide them
•Many are promoted to their role…..not
educated for their role

11. Key Interventions
•Practice Empathy X10
•Align with Positive Sentiment
Override
•Resist the Four Horsemen

12. Customers Look to
Partners To:
Frame •Present a Cohesive
Argument
Your •Seek Contributions While
Argument Resisting “Permission”
•Lead UP
•Be Consistent
•Challenge the Status Quo
Without Confrontation
•Present a Powerful Voice

13. Key Interventions
•Practice Creative Conflict
Communication
•Use a six-step problem-
solving process
•Use high empathy
questioning

14. Conflict –
The Necessary Ingredient for
Successful Outcomes
Scenario:
•Take two people
Each has a sum-total of experiences
Each has a set of responsibilities
•Add a complex issue
•What you get – A “stew” of divergent information on ....
What is important
What is true
Creative Conflict Management is about harvesting that
divergent information to make better decisions.

15. Conflict Management Model

16. Collaborate when you can on important issues:
Seek ways to satisfy both your own and the
other person’s concerns.
Definition:
Concern: What you care about in a conflict;
the thing that’s threatened that you would like to
protect.
Position: The action you propose to settle the
conflict; what you think should be done.
(Framing things in terms of position limits you to
win/lose outcomes)

17. It Begins With the
Right Question –
We Ask Ourselves

18. # 1 – Begin with “what/how”
• Always begin any question with “what” or
“how” – not “why”, “when”, or “who”
The spirit of the customer experience is
about personal accountability – no victim
thinking, procrastinating, or blaming.

19. #2 – It contains an “I”
• Questions do not use “they”, “them”, “we”,
or “you”.
The customer experience is their experience
… not your perception of who is at “fault”.
An assertion of blame is NOT comfort.

20. #3 – Be active
• Questions always focus on action
The customer experience must be about
motion toward an attainable goal – not an
explanation about why a goal cannot be
reached.

21. Examples of “what/how” questions.
• How can I serve you right now?
• What can I do to support my fellow team
members to free them to better support
customers’ needs?
• What can I do today to add value for the
customer experience?
• What is my contribution to successful
customer service/experience?

22. Customers Want
Execute, to Bet On:
Evaluate, •Winners
and •Go-To Leaders
Proclaim •Benevolent
Powerhouses
•Evidence-Driven
Decision-Makers
•“Good to Great” -
Leaders

23. Key Interventions:
•Be evidence based in all
actions
•Be the provider of emerging
ideas/concepts
•Never go to the podium alone

24. Small adjustments…
Big differences
• Your actions matter
• Consistency is critical
• You will see change over time
• Adapting your behavior to get different
results will take a little practice…

25. “Wisdom is what you
learn after you know
it all”
John G. Miller

26. Resist Negative Sentiment
Override
1
Be Evidenced-
Based and 2
Collaborative
Be a Creative Conflict
3 Communicator Who Frames
Issues Carefully

27. Thank You!
818 S. Hawthorne Avenue
Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57104-4537
(605) 336-0244 or (888) 4-SUMPTION
www.sumptionandwyland.com