Give Them What They Least Expect
For years I have been saying that when a customer comes into your store, or contacts your company, they aren't really looking for your particular merchandise. I believe what potential customers are really looking for is a place and a person to buy the merchandise from! The customers of today have a wide variety of choices when it comes to spending their money.
They could go to the superstores, the Internet, mall locations, or the locally owned independent business. Each of which has something special to offer the customer. The only thing that a customer can't find at another store or through another company is the people working for the company. If I was to ask every customer that bought from your company "why" he/she bought from you, and the answer is anything other than "because of the people or the customer service," you could be in trouble.
Yet, while I say that the customers are really looking for a person and a place to buy from, the customer just may not know it! Customer service and professional relationship building salesmanship is so bad in most organizations that I believe the customers of today actually expect poor service, or no service. However, when they deal with a great professional salesperson, or receive outstanding customer service, they appreciate it. Additionally, once they get the great service they tend to come back over and over again to get it.
Give the customer what he/she least expects, great customer service and a professional presentation, and the customers will reward you with repeat business. Make dealing with you, and your company, the experience that the customer, consciously or subconsciously, hoped for, and you are on your way to building a business for the future. Simply making the sale today doesn't insure tomorrow.
FINAO -
Brad Huisken is President, IAS Training and has been in sales since 1971. Since that time he has been directly involved in all aspects of Sales and Sales Management. His experience and knowledge have enabled him to author the book I'm a Salesman! Not a Ph.D. In addition he has developed several sales and sales management seminars for his company, IAS Training, and authors a weekly newsletter, "Sales Insight."
