About five miles from the town of Cork in Ireland sits the ancient Blarney Castle. Protruding from its battlements is a stone that is said to hold magical powers. Kiss the Blarney Stone, and you will obtain the gift of gab. Sending bank tellers to Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone is hardly practical, but there are other ways to help hone their people skills. “Upsell”. That has been the byword for branch workers for some time. Engage with customers and then find financial needs that can be met with financial products. To that end, financial institutions train frontline employees in the workings of various products, then encourage them to pitch appropriate solutions to fit financial needs. The People-Skills GapWhile financial institutions are adept at training workers in the nuances of bank products, they may not be as much help when it comes to the art of engagement, particularly for those who lack the gift of gab. Fortunately, there are proven ways to learn to relate to others and engage in meaningful conversation that meets the needs of both sides.Methods for Improving Engagement
One key to engagement is knowing how to start a conversation. Here are two proven methods for opening conversations with customers and perhaps landing sales:1. FORD. The acronym stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams. The FORD method suggests you strike up a conversation around one of those subjects by asking open-ended questions. If a customer has become familiar and you feel comfortable talking family, ask how the family is doing. If it’s a known business customer, ask how the business is going. In recreation, you can ask about travel plans or perhaps ask a question about pickleball or golf. Dreams are a little tougher. You could ask where a person would like to travel or where they hope to be working in a few years. Many businesses swear by the FORD method, and rather than feeling awkward, it can be very natural to simply check in with customers at key times such as holidays, weddings, graduations, birthdays, retirement, the arrival of grandchildren, etc. This acknowledgment of life events will show customers that you’re invested in their overall well-being.In fact, the Credit Union of Southern California trains its staff using the FORD method. The credit union’s SVP of Retail Banking, Aaron Young, asserts that their representatives have become more like personal shoppers for financial services. According to marketing consultant company ReminderMedia, “When you ask people about their family, occupation, hobbies, and goals, you’re more likely to find out what it is that they truly value, as well as what they’re looking to achieve in life.” That knowledge is the ultimate window into what you can do to benefit both your customers and your business.2. HEFE. The FORD method has its critics, who say that the topics (except recreation) may be too personal for a casual conversation. What if you ask about the family of a customer who happens to be going through a divorce or a loss? As an alternative to FORD, there is the HEFE method, which stands for Hobbies, Entertainment, Food, and Environment. "HEFE are low-stakes and immediately accessible everyday topics, so they make initiating a conversation feel less intimidating and awkward," says Jenny Woo, a cognitive science researcher and CEO of Mind Brain Emotion. "They don’t require much expertise, and they encourage sharing of opinions and perspectives to help people get to know each other better." Questions can range from “What do you think of this weather?” (Environment) to “Have you seen any movies lately?” (Entertainment) to “Are there any restaurants around here that you like?” (Food). Because the HEFE method is less personal, it can be especially helpful when your staff are talking to customers they don’t know well. Bringing up “safe” topics like favorite foods or films can also help reduce the pressure your staff might feel when asked to increase engagement and suggest products to customers.FORD and HEFE both revolve around starting up a conversation. But be careful when you use them. Bank customers at branches are often in a hurry and may not want to slow down to engage in conversation. Be mindful of your customer’s time. You never want to come across as pestering them with trivial chitchat. That said, customers are more likely to stay loyal and try new product offerings if they know, like, and trust your staff — but getting your frontline staff to engage more with customers is not as easy as it sounds. The FORD and HEFE methods can provide a framework for starting conversations that may ultimately lead to sales. Training your public-facing employees to get to know customers better and make astute and timely product recommendations benefits everyone involved.
One key to engagement is knowing how to start a conversation. Here are two proven methods for opening conversations with customers and perhaps landing sales:1. FORD. The acronym stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams. The FORD method suggests you strike up a conversation around one of those subjects by asking open-ended questions. If a customer has become familiar and you feel comfortable talking family, ask how the family is doing. If it’s a known business customer, ask how the business is going. In recreation, you can ask about travel plans or perhaps ask a question about pickleball or golf. Dreams are a little tougher. You could ask where a person would like to travel or where they hope to be working in a few years. Many businesses swear by the FORD method, and rather than feeling awkward, it can be very natural to simply check in with customers at key times such as holidays, weddings, graduations, birthdays, retirement, the arrival of grandchildren, etc. This acknowledgment of life events will show customers that you’re invested in their overall well-being.In fact, the Credit Union of Southern California trains its staff using the FORD method. The credit union’s SVP of Retail Banking, Aaron Young, asserts that their representatives have become more like personal shoppers for financial services. According to marketing consultant company ReminderMedia, “When you ask people about their family, occupation, hobbies, and goals, you’re more likely to find out what it is that they truly value, as well as what they’re looking to achieve in life.” That knowledge is the ultimate window into what you can do to benefit both your customers and your business.2. HEFE. The FORD method has its critics, who say that the topics (except recreation) may be too personal for a casual conversation. What if you ask about the family of a customer who happens to be going through a divorce or a loss? As an alternative to FORD, there is the HEFE method, which stands for Hobbies, Entertainment, Food, and Environment. "HEFE are low-stakes and immediately accessible everyday topics, so they make initiating a conversation feel less intimidating and awkward," says Jenny Woo, a cognitive science researcher and CEO of Mind Brain Emotion. "They don’t require much expertise, and they encourage sharing of opinions and perspectives to help people get to know each other better." Questions can range from “What do you think of this weather?” (Environment) to “Have you seen any movies lately?” (Entertainment) to “Are there any restaurants around here that you like?” (Food). Because the HEFE method is less personal, it can be especially helpful when your staff are talking to customers they don’t know well. Bringing up “safe” topics like favorite foods or films can also help reduce the pressure your staff might feel when asked to increase engagement and suggest products to customers.FORD and HEFE both revolve around starting up a conversation. But be careful when you use them. Bank customers at branches are often in a hurry and may not want to slow down to engage in conversation. Be mindful of your customer’s time. You never want to come across as pestering them with trivial chitchat. That said, customers are more likely to stay loyal and try new product offerings if they know, like, and trust your staff — but getting your frontline staff to engage more with customers is not as easy as it sounds. The FORD and HEFE methods can provide a framework for starting conversations that may ultimately lead to sales. Training your public-facing employees to get to know customers better and make astute and timely product recommendations benefits everyone involved.
