Bigger Isn’t Always Better
We talk constantly about taking the time to get to know every customer, and the importance of finding out what they want and how to go about giving it to them. I would like to share with you two examples that happened to a friend of mine that illustrate the difference between a salesperson who does it the right way, and another who just wants to make a large sale.
My friend and his wife were in the market for a futon for their son and they went to look at them a couple of days before they were going to buy. They decided that they liked a wood model with a mattress that was fairly inexpensive. The salesperson who was helping them tried over and over to direct them over to the metal ones, which also included mattresses and were much more expensive. The salesperson never asked what the customer wanted or needed, their only objective, in my friend’s eye, was to sell him the most expensive futon that he had in stock.
Two days later, when they were ready to make a purchase, they went back to the same store to buy the futon that they liked. They still had a few questions, so they found a salesperson to help them and had a completely different experience. The second salesperson asked whom the futon was for and what the age of their son was. Upon hearing that the futon was for a 12 year old boy, the salesperson recommended a wood futon with an inexpensive mattress. She said that the metal is best for people who are not going to use it for a bed very often, because the gears wear out faster if you are constantly putting it up and down. The wood futons will last much longer because it is not a mechanical system and there are fewer parts to worry about.
Obviously a substantial difference in the experience my friends encountered during the two presentations. The second salesperson took the time to find out what and who the futon was for, took the information, and sold my friend’s the futon that fit their wants and needs. The first salesperson only had a larger sale or bigger commissions dancing in his head. Professional salespeople make their living on repeat customers and doing the right thing for the customer. Who do you think my friend will go see when he and his wife need a bed for themselves? I think you know the answer to that one.
FINAO - Brad Huisken - President, IAS Training
