Embracing Mistakes is Part of the Learning Process

Not Every Telephone Mystery Shop Will Be a Perfect Score

One of our constant reminders here at SkilCheck is that embracing mistakes is part of the learning process.  We regularly observe improvements in telephone scores and phone sales evaluations. It’s encouraging to see managers taking their scores seriously and consistently achieving scores between 80% and 90%. However, when they occasionally receive a score between 65% and 70%, many take it personally and feel down. We like to remind everyone that perfection is not attainable every time; instead, these situations provide valuable learning opportunities.

Sometimes a telephone mystery shop may not go well, and a manager may receive a lower score as a result. It’s important to review that call, acknowledge the points that were missed, and then move on. Understand that everyone makes mistakes, and those mistakes can actually be beneficial because they provide insights that help you improve. Remember, no one is perfect in what they do.

Feedback is How We Improve

Sometimes this is hard to hear. When a manager receives their telephone shop evaluation, we might mark them down in the Subjective Skills sections for the flow of the call or for organization. They may be surprised by this. But then they listen to their calls and realize, “Oh, I didn’t mean for it to sound that way.” They get into such a routine that they forget how to make the conversation more engaging.

Even if there’s a negative mark on their evaluation, they can learn from it. They might realize that they need to slow down and make the call more conversational. This is all part of receiving constructive criticism. It’s not negative; it’s an opportunity for growth.

The SkilCheck evaluation is a brief assessment of their performance. It doesn’t mean they are bad managers. It only indicates there’s room for improvement. Getting feedback is essential unless you are incredibly self-aware, which is a challenge for most people.

Improving at something often requires a coach. That’s what we are – SkilCheck coaches!

Customer Service Begins with Caring About Your Job

You should make sure you understand everything about your sales techniques to enhance your abilities. This mentality is crucial, as some people are resistant to feedback and don’t prioritize self-improvement.

When we receive calls at a self-storage facility, many of those individuals are experiencing something traumatic, whether it’s the death of a loved one or the stress of moving. These situations are often challenging, and they’re rarely a positive experience.

It’s essential that we help alleviate some of that stress. We need to be kind and understanding to those who reach out to us. This is why we believe there’s a particular type of person who excels in the self-storage industry—someone who enjoys interacting with others, who is patient, and who can handle a variety of personalities. We encounter a wide range of individuals, from quirky characters to truly remarkable ones, and everything in between.

You Don’t Just Get a Score – You Get a Training Community!

Your focus as a manager should be on utilizing the feedback from your SkilCheck evaluations to improve your calls. That’s the primary goal. During our monthly training sessions for customers undergoing phone evaluations, we always remind owners that we’re not just providing a score. We don’t want them to simply hand it off to their managers and wish them luck. We’re progressing to the next step. We’ve shared the feedback, and now it’s time to concentrate on how to improve. The evaluation was just a snapshot of their performance.  After the phone shop, SkilCheck aims to create a positive training environment that fosters growth.

Our free manager training sessions are key to focusing our energy on moving forward. They have evolved into what we envisioned and hoped they would be.

Don’t Dwell…Focus on What’s Next…Put Your Energy into Moving Forward

It’s easy to say, but hard to do. That’s why constant training, listening, and seeking feedback are crucial. They keep you engaged and remind you of the importance of interacting with people—not just in terms of selling. The empathy we hear during these calls is where real connections are formed. We aim to provide guidelines for handling calls, but it’s essential to infuse personality into those interactions. Those guidelines are just the foundation; it’s up to everyone to build upon them and focus on the positive.