Just concluded a one day program on “Enhancing Promoter Effectiveness” for ‘Promoters’ of United Spirits Limited (USL) in Bangalore… Promoters are tertiary employees who are placed in outlets to promote their brands over other brands displayed in the mall or retail outlet.

It was interesting to see how the promoters unanimously felt that the customers they engaged with and tried to convert were targets for achieving their revenue budgets. Nothing wrong in this principally as the bottom line of all business is profitability. However, what if we try another approach?… try to service the customer empathically and watch how he helps you with your revenue targets and conversions in the long run?

Doing role plays showing this principle of caring for the guest’s needs before ours, we were able to make them understand that if we become guest-centric, then the guest will help us achieve our targets, rather than if we remain totally revenue driven and oblivious to the guest / customer.

It was heartening to see that the Promoters were able to grasp this concept quickly enough and they have pledged to be more customer oriented than earlier. I am sure that they will see improvements in their conversions in the future.