Don't Judge
I am sure you have all heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” In the past, I have mentioned how important it is to not make judgments on a customer’s ability to make a purchase based on the way they look or the way they are dressed. Just because someone is dressed in sweats and a T-shirt does not mean they deserve any less respect than the person in a three-piece suit does. We all know this and hopefully we are selling to all people with the same vigor and passion.
Today however, I am going to talk about something that falls under the same premise but has not been addressed very often. I have a nephew; his name is Joe, with Cerebral Palsy. This is a brain disorder affecting muscle control. It does not affect intelligence at all. My nephew has a college degree and is a productive member of society. This brief background is given so I can better make my point today.
Joe has shared some experiences of how he is treated when attempting to make a purchase. He has run into salespeople who talk louder than normal because they think he cannot hear. He has dealt with salespeople who speak to him in very simple terms because they think he must not be very smart. He has even been told that they will not sell to him until he brings in a caregiver. There is more but you get the general idea. As much as I do not want to believe this could happen today, I know it does, but that certainly does not make it right. Joe is judged on his ability to buy on the fact that his voice is a little slurred and he walks a little different from the rest of us. If a salesperson would take the time they are supposed to with every customer, then they would learn that my nephew is more than capable of making a decision to buy.
You should not judge ones ability to buy based on the way they are dressed, you should also not judge that ability based on a disability. Just remember that people with disabilities have friends and family too and their referrals or lacks of referrals count too.
FINAO - Brad Huisken - President, IAS Training
