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LEADER’S GUIDE
Overview
This class focuses on understanding the Company’s competitors and their offerings. It is important for the company to do more for our customers by being better, faster, and different from our competition in order to be successful now and in the future. Use the information below to enhance class discussions.
Roles
Manager – Help the participants understand the various types of competition in the Company’s area of business and how those competitors influence the expectations of customers.
Employee – Be aware and understand that customer expectations continually evolve. The ongoing focus and improvement of customer service skills are the keys to meeting and exceeding customer expectations as they change.
Preparation
Identify the Company’s direct competitors.
Direct Competitors
- Are in the same industry
- Offer the same goods or services
- Touch or sell to the same customer base
Create a chart comparing your Company to your direct competitors.
Be prepared to provide actual competitor examples in class, i.e., viewing each competitor’s website in order to demonstrate similarities and differences.
Identify a few companies that are indirect competitors.
Indirect Competitors
- May or may not be in the same industry
- Offer alternative goods or services
- Touch or sell to the same customer base
Example: If direct competitors are television stations, your indirect competitors might be radio stations and newspapers.
Identify a few companies that create competition because of the affect they have on customer expectations. These “influence” competitors are companies known for a specific focus or process that changes customer expectations or behaviors. Apple is an example of an “influence” competitor because of its focus on design. Customer expectations of product design have changed as a result of their products. Another example might be Zappos. Zappos is known for its over-the-top customer service. They have raised the bar for all other internet retailers.
Review class guidance below.
CLASS GUIDE
Getting Started
At the beginning of the session, welcome everyone and follow-up on last week’s homework assignment. Participants were asked to read and understand the Company’s goals and consider those self-development opportunities they could leverage to further benefit themselves, the Company, and their customers.
Ask: “What did you learn from your homework assignment last week?”
Remember to encourage conversational dialogue by using open-ended questions. Another technique is to say, “Tell me more,” or “Tell me more about that.” Be prepared to share some of your personal thoughts and examples, if needed. Refer to the Getting Started sections in Tenet 1 or Tenet 2 for more information.
Introduce the ninth Tenet – Be More, Better, Faster, Different
Say, “Today, we will focus on the 9 Tenet – ‘Be More, Better, Faster, Different’.”
Ask, “What does this tenet mean to you?”
Main Discussion
Say, “In our last session, we focused on our Company history, strategies, and goals. In this session, we will focus on our competition and why we must do more for our customers by being better, faster, and different. First, let’s discuss our direct customers.
Direct Competitors
- Are in the same industry
- Offer the same goods or services
- Touch or sell to the same customer base”
Ask: “Who are our direct competitors? What companies are pursuing our customers? How are they doing it?”
Solicit the names of your competitors from the class participants. It is possible that the attendees will not be able to name all of your competitors. Be prepared to assist the class by consulting the list you compiled in the Preparation section.
Pick one if the competitors mentioned.
Ask, “Let’s consider <competitor name>. In what ways are we alike? How are we different?”
It is quite possible that the attendees may not know what differentiates your Company from your direct competitors.
Provide the class with the comparison chart you created in the Preparation section. Briefly review the chart as a way to identify your Company’s point(s) of differentiation.
Say, “Our competition has the ability to change the customers’ perspectives about the quality of service delivered. What other types of companies affect our customers’ expectations?”
This question may be confusing to some participants and that’s fine. Help them understand that in addition to our direct competitors, there are potentially many other companies that shape our customers’ expectations.
Say, “There are other types of competitors that we must consider – indirect competitors and “influence” competitors.
Indirect Competitors
- May or may not be in the same industry
- Offer alternative goods or services
- Touch or sell to the same customer base”
Provide the class with the examples of indirect competitors identified in the Preparation section.
“Influence” competitors are companies known for a specific focus or process that changes customer expectations or behaviors.
Provide the class with the examples of “influence” competitors identified in the Preparation section.
The idea to convey is that all companies have the potential to influence our customer’s expectations. As customer expectations evolve over time, the Company must take a focused and active approach to meet and exceed the needs of its customers. We must work to do more for our customers by being better, faster, and different from our competition.
Summary
Understanding the current competitive landscape allows us the opportunity to differentiate our Company through our focus on the customer and the quality of the customer service we provide.
Homework/exercise
Over the next week, become familiar with what our competitors offer and identity some ways to differentiate the Company through the actions you take and the service you provide to your customers.
Let’s Engage!
I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.
Employee engagement is a critical mission. I hope I can count on your help! Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest intelligence/insights and/or register to make entries in the comments log.
You can follow me @agtinengagement.
Email me at g…@a…t.com.
Connect via LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/GregoryFSimpson.
Learn more about me at gregoryfsimpson.com.
P.S. First contact? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement community. Explore and join fellow employee engagement operatives in targeting a known thief – alias: Disengagement. Together we can bring this thief to justice and make the world a better place for all companies and their employees.
You can access information on The 10 Tenets of Better Engaged Employees below:
Tenet 1 – Customers Make the Rules
Tenet 2 – Service Comes from the Inside Out
Tenet 3 – Provide Solutions and Show that You Care
Tenet 4 – Customers Define Quality and Service
Tenet 5 – Feedback from Customers is a Gift
Tenet 6 – Know Your Customer and You’ll Be Rewarded
Tenet 7 – Skip Satisfaction, Exceed Expectations
Tenet 8 – Create Value
Tenet 9 – Be More, Better, Faster, Different
Tenet 10 – Honor Your Customer
