Have you ever wondered exactly what separates the best sales and service agents from their peers when they’re talking to customers? If you’re like every other sales and service professional I’ve met, you probably have heard terms like building rapport, engaging, understanding and closing in mind.

But let’s go back to the question I posed above, exactly what are the best customer-facing people doing?

Over the past few months, I have had many conversations with senior leaders in some of the largest sales and service businesses in Australia. What has amazed me is the speed with which businesses have been able to transform into a work from home model and keep servicing their customers.

Let’s face it, sales is a dirty word. Concerns about unethical selling driven by sales incentives have eroded customers’ trust. This trust deficit won’t be fixed overnight, but GRIST has identified five simple micro-behaviours that can begin rebuilding trust immediately. 

Most service organisations want to build a reputation for delivering a world-class customer experience. And yet, we see so few examples of consistently exceptional service.