Training. It may seem obvious, but your team needs to be trained on how to do these skills and close new business. At Signature Worldwide, we conduct over 15,000 mystery phone shops a month in which we pose as a new customer. You would be amazed at the difference a trained and prepared representative can have on closing new and existing business. Your reps need to be more than order-takers.

These customer service and sales skills don’t happen by accident. They need to be trained, practiced, and measured. Those answering the phone and greeting customers can have a significant impact on closing new business.

Building your business through new customers is critical to growing your business. You need to build a strategy for attracting and closing new business. The time is ripe! With the economy improving, the market growing and industries consolidating, get ready to close more business.

Barry Himmel is Senior Vice President for Signature Worldwide, the leading provider of training solutions for a wide range of service-based industries. He can be reached at 614.766.5101 or barryhimmel@signatureworldwide.com. For more information on Signature Worldwide, visit www.signatureworldwide.com or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.