Four behavioural preferences of the Platinum Rule

Last week we discovered that the Platinum Rule is the better way to achieve customer satisfaction. That in practicing The Golden Rule you only satisfy those customers who share the same preferences as your employees. Remember, The Golden Rule projects onto customers’ and employees’ personal preference or the organization’s established standards.

We introduced the four behavioural preferences of Dr Tony Alessandra’s Platinum Rule Model – Director, Socializer, Relater and Thinker.

According to Dr Alessandra, directors want results. They are driven by two governing needs: To control and achieve.

They are time-sensitive people who enjoy having their ideas supported and their power and prestige acknowledged.

Socializers want recognition. They thrive on the admiration, acknowledgement, and compliments that come with being in the limelight. Their primary strengths are enthusiasm, charm, persuasiveness, and warmth. Relaters want relationship. They are the most people-oriented of the four. They go along with others even when they do not agree, because they do not want to rock the boat. Thinkers want to be right. They are analytical, persistent, systematic people who enjoy problem-solving. Thinkers are slow and deliberate decision-makers. They do research, make comparisons, determine risks, calculate margins of error, and then take action.

Knowing the personality preferences of customers can help you to reflect their preferences, thus creating greater customer satisfaction. Imagine a case where several customers were charged multiple times for a service you provided, if you as a socializer were to apply The Golden Rule, with your tendency towards wanting recognition, you will treat all customers as people who want recognition. Therefore, only the needs of those customers who share your behavioural preference will be met. The directors, relaters and thinkers will be left unsatisfied with the way in which you handled their complaint.

Let’s begin to examine the approach that each personality preference type is likely to take when filing their complaint of being overcharged. The director will call and demand to speak with the manager, briefly describe the problem and demand an immediate refund. His focus will not be on what happened, or why, but on resolving the problem immediately. If the employee is able to readily identify the director personality preference and adapt to his behaviour, there will be greater customer satisfaction and less room for conflict.

Join us again next week to see more of The Platinum Rule in Action.

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