Cheryl Crumbis a trainer, coach, transition consultant and facilitator who designs training programs to fit specific corporate needs. Her specialties include customer focus, strategic account management, leadership, conflict resolution, change management and presentation skills.

Cheryl’s clients come from a wide variety of industries and organizations including high tech, electronics, hospital and health care, cable TV, charities, cosmetic and publishing companies. A citizen of Canada and the United States, Cheryl has designed and presented international training programs for clients in Canada, US, Mexico, UK, Italy, Spain, Czech Republic, Romania, Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

She was the recipient of the 2005 High Performance Organization Partner of the Year Award from Celestica, a world leader in the delivery of innovative electronics manufacturing services. Cheryl is a regular columnist for CEBiz, a consumer electronics publication.

Cheryl’s Philosophy:
The most powerful ‘stop sign’ is the one we place in front of ourselves. Challenging our assumptions about ourselves and others is a first step toward breaking through that barrier. Taking responsibility and holding oneself accountable are fundamental life skills. We create our future by recognizing and embracing possibilities. Leadership is about hope and courage.
Cheryl Crumb & Associates

37 The Pines Lane, Sunderland, Ontario, L0C 1H0
Telephone: 705-357-0389

www.CCrumb.com

Download Articles in PDF file format by Cheryl Crumb

Communication – Tell ‘em often and tell ‘em straight

For Those Days When You're Less Than Perfect

Leadership … A Cultural Shift

Proactivity…Customers are Demanding it

Sales Success: Lessons from “The Wizard of Oz”

How to Make Winning Recommendations

What I Stand For

• The possibility that people are alive and energized by the power within them.
• People making a difference in the lives of others
• Courage in action
• Turning moods of resentment and resignation into ambition
• Choosing empowerment vs. obedience

What I Believe

• The most powerful “stop sign” is the one we place in front of ourselves. We need to see it for the imaginary obstacle it is and plow through it. Challenging our assumptions about ourselves and others is one of the first steps toward breakthroughs.
• Everything important gets done through other people. Nothing is accomplished alone. We need to learn to enroll and engage others to create a stronger future.
• Learning occurs in action and through mistakes and lessons learned. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is of short duration if it’s not converted into action.
• The fundamental life skill is taking responsibility and holding oneself accountable
• Leadership is about hope and courage
• We cause our future by our openness or closedness to possibilities
• Looking at the world through the eyes of scarcity prevents us from seeing the true abundance present
• Technology is not the only path toward progress; we need to leverage a high level of self-esteem with the ability to create powerful conversations

Thoughts on Customer Focus

• It’s not about who’s right or wrong…it’s about making the Customer more successful with us than without us. Righteousness is what gets in our way. We must be willing to let it go.
• There is no such thing as an “unreasonable” request. From the Customer’s viewpoint, their requests aren’t unreasonable. They’re a response to issues faced. We need to find out what is missing for the Customer and create solution alternatives to help the Customer better position themselves.
• The degree to which the Customer trusts us is reflected in their micromanagement of us. All situations need to be managed. If the Customer isn’t seeing us as open, honest, reliable or action-focused, then they’ll manage us because their perception is that our self-management is missing.
• Customers perceive indifference (the biggest sin!) or ownership (the biggest win!) through our words, voice, and body language. If we’re thinking thoughts like “the Customer is a pain-in-the-butt”, that will be negatively reflected in our behavior. If we’re thinking thoughts like “what can I do to help the Customer out of this trouble?” that will be positively reflected in our behavior. Customer perceptions are the metamessage of that behavior.
• For us to be seen as value-creating by Customers, we have to master two areas: (1) understanding of the Customer, what’s important to them, what’s driving them, and show ownership, action and accountability; and (2) process capability so that we can master the dimension of time. Employees can definitely impact the former through behavioral change, and they can contribute to process improvement ideas by suggesting ways to take time out of processes.
• Regardless of our “job” (which is an internal concept), the Customer expects that each of us will act as a proactive long-term ally, provide recommendations and suggestions, and manage our commitments.
• Excuses are not acceptable. It’s irrelevant if they are true.
• We’re not necessarily doing the Customer a favor if we give them what they ask for. Most people don’t know what they want…they only know they’re in a “mess”. Each employee’s role is to sift through that “mess” and create options that might be more powerful than mere obedience to the initial request.
• Obedience isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s fear-driven and leads to “me-too, same-old” solutions. Proactivity, which is what customers are demanding, only occurs when people feel comfortable to challenge requests and immerse themselves in their customer’s problems.
• The behaviors associated with Customer focus require practice, time management, courage and self-esteem. The manager plays a significant role in coaching new behaviors.

TESTIMONIAL:   Axel Schlumberger, President at Southwire Canada

“ Cheryl Crumb’s Customer Relationship Training exceeded our expectations and continues to deliver for us in a sales & marketing organization that depends on customer delight.  From the self-assessment to the clear concepts conveyed during the training it speaks to all levels of the organization.  Cheryl delivers the message and concepts in the most engaging way, driving the behaviours and deeper understanding of customer relationships.  As we are seeking to develop an empowered team this is where anybody should start and continue.  High recommended!”

TESTIMONIAL: Sabine Schleese, Managing Director at Saddlefit 4 Life 

“ Cheryl is one of the most engaging consultants and trainers we have had the pleasure of working with.  Her presentations are insightful, interesting and always informative, tailored to our company’s specific needs.  She has a plethora of topics to choose from – you could not work with Cheryl for many weeks and probably not get to learn the same thing twice!  Her astounding memory for names allows her to personally interact with every attendee (we haven’t seen her limit yet but there have been 25 people in the room and she seems to be able to mention each by name after having been introduced only once!)

She is able to speak articulately and intelligently about such diverse topics surrounding customer service as overcoming objections, filling the sales funnel, and retaining customers, and I am sure we have only touched the tip of the iceberg of her resources.  I have had the pleasure of knowing Cheryl personally and professionally now over 10 years and I highly recommend her as a trainer, consultant and presenter for any company who has customers (which is, obviously – any and every company)!

TESTIMONIAL: Craig Essex, Regional Manager Commercial Systems at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company 

“Thank you Cheryl for coaching Goodyear Canada Commercial Division through the following development opportunities:  Conflict Resolution, Style Profiling, How to be a better Field Consultant, and How to Conduct a Fair Fight.

Your training style and personality allowed you to quickly build a rapport and two-way dialogue with all participants.  Your message definitely has “staying power”.  Many of my team members often make reference to what they learnt vs being taught.”

TESTIMONIAL: Craig Essex, Regional Manager Commercial Systems at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company 

“Cheryl has a way of knowing your needs better than you think you do.  And giving that extra that we wish we could all see so clearly as she does.

Before Cheryl’s workshop, “Customers for Keeps”, we were thinking operationally only, check marking the tasks done and equating quantity with quality, just fulfilling minimum service requirements and calling it a job well done.

After Cheryl’s workshops through self and group learning and one-on-one coaching, she elevated our customer service levels from a service reporting requirement to a “Customer Care” level.

We now take the time investment with our Customers, we listen between the lines and silences to give them more than the minimum.  “Love the one you are with.”  Thank you Cheryl.

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