COMMENTS
Sharing a similar situation. This is with an owner of a landscaping company. Spoke with him twice and finally got him over. I got him via a post card he sent (self marketing, good). He showed up, we talked. I let him know what I had in mind. He had no suggestions so I knew I was in trouble, I'm not a landscaper. Said he would send a quote, dumb me called a week later asking for the quote, got it and now 3 weeks later I have not heard from. He lost the business for sure.
I wonder in today's world with lots of people starting up their own businesses, how they ever will survive without some sales training, some focus on the potential clients, some knowledge of what it takes to close business.
Makes me want to give all the folks that come by a
www.dkatraining.com/baselineselling">Baseline Selling book for starters.
I've had many situations like the above over the last five years. I finally found one plumber and one HVAC vendor I liked and use both all the time. When I tell them my horror stories they say it is because the other contractors believe there will always be a need for a plumber or electrician so it doesn't matter if they get the business or not because most companies are busy. The companies I work with realize the value in building a long term relationship with their customers. It is no coincidence that when times got tough in the last two years the two companies I work with gained market share.
So why should you care what your customers are saying?
The other day I was standing in line at the men’s department of Macy’s waiting to make a purchase. The gentleman in front of me apparently called ahead and had some ties put aside for him to pick up. The salesperson that he was speaking with was not the person that he spoke with on the telephone and had no idea where the ties were located. After a few cursory attempts to find them on the shelf below the cash register the salesperson shrugged and said that he had no idea where they were. What happened next was right out of the “Twilight Zone.” Did I mention the poster, on the wall right behind the salesperson, that said, “Our Customers Are Our # 1 Priority” The salesperson immediately began to distance himself from the customer by looking beyond him to me with a hand gesture for me to give him my purchases for him to process. At that point the other customer politely told the salesperson that he had just driven about 40 minutes to this location just to pick up the ties. He asked the salesperson if he could try to locate the person that he spoke with on the telephone. Yep, you guessed it…the salesperson was too busy, AND SAID SO, apparently now helping me. Taking pity on the other customer and with some amusement wondering how this will end I mentioned that I was in no hurry and that he could continue helping the "tie guy." At that point the customer tried again by asking for the manager of the department. The salesperson told him that there was no manager on duty and that he was in charge. The exchange went back and forth several times with the salesperson getting more and more agitated with the customer while to the customer’s credit he remained polite and under control. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, the salesperson directed the customer to the “Executive Offices” to see if they knew where the ties were. (I think he was being sarcastic, but I can’t be certain.) When the customer asked where the “Executive Offices” were located the salesperson said he didn’t know. (I bet they’re near his missing ties.) The customer went off in an understandable huff no doubt to another retailer. The salesperson then began our transaction by saying to me, “Can you believe that guy?”
So why should you care what your customers are saying?
It costs 6 to 8 times more to get a new customer than to keep an old one.
There is a 12% higher profit margin with your existing customers.
Companies that keep their existing customers enjoy a 9% higher growth rate than ones who don't.
When each customer leaves they tell at least ten people they know and with e-mail and Internet they may potentially tell thousands or millions.
My point.. bad sales experiences tend to find there way around the net and network of friends!
Jerry Flynn
Macy's ..this is not the MACY'S we grew up with.. this guy wasn't a saleperson he was a cashier making 10 coins an hour... When you deal with low level realtailers this what happens... So when you walk into a LLF [LOW LEVEL REALTAILER] don't expect 2 much!