Jumping to Solve a Client Problem Can Cost You Credibility - Sandler Training - Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Features & Events

Good to see you again, Client. How’ve your experiences been with us over the last 90 days?

Well, not good, Salesperson. I hear that your sensors aren’t working as well as I thought they would when we switched to your company 12 months ago and your After Sales Support is slow to respond.

Oh my. Thanks for telling me, Client. I’ll talk to the After Sales Support Manager and get you a new set of sensors out next week on us. Sound good?

Sounds good, Salesperson.

STOP

That vignette may be an extreme example to illustrate a point, but it’s a too common reaction when salespeople hear about a “problem” from their client.

If we could interview the salesperson in that scene about their motivations they’d probably say they were providing “good customer service” and “strengthening their relationship.” If we interviewed their client they would probably say that “a vendor gave me free stuff that I didn’t ask for.”

Vendor. The bottom end of the sales totem pole. Opposite from “trusted adviser.”

If we could get into that salesperson’s head during that scene their mental dialogue after their client share their “problems” would sound like, “oh shit they’re probably going to switch back to my competitor if I don’t do something now! If they switch back I’ll have to make up their number by prospecting or I’ll get fired at the end of the quarter!”

Our number one competitor in sales is us. Those mental dialogues happen to all of us, but they aren’t detrimental unless they cause us to say or do things that aren’t in our best interest – like offering free product when none was asked for.

Let’s revisit that scene above with a salesperson who has a “trusted adviser” mindset and a full funnel.

Good to see you again, Client. How’ve your experiences been with us over the last 90 days?

Thank you for sharing, Client. If you were to score us on a 1-10 scale where 1 is “I’m firing you” and 10 is “I’ll love you forever,” where would we sit based on what you just told me?

You’re about a six.

That’s fair. Pain me a picture of what it would look like to get us back to a 10.

Well, when me or one of my team calls After Sales Support and we leave a message I’d want a call back before the end of business same day if we call before 1pm or by 9am next business day if we’re after that.

Sounds reasonable. Tell me, how often does your team use our after hours support line?

After hours support line?

Ah, my fault. We have an after hours support line that has a Keep Performance Indicator of 90 minute response to messages left between 5pm and 6am. I’d hate for you to have to wait for a response after hours if you didn’t need to. Who should I send the after hours support line number to?

Send it to me and CC my two managers, Diane and Jim. I’ll let them know we had this conversation.

Perfect. What about the issue with the sensors?

Oh, I don’t know much about that Diane mentioned it to me last week in our check out meeting.

That’s okay. What would be the best way for me to go about finding out more about what’s happening with the sensors?

Diane’s in the field today. Give her a call on her cell, tell her we talked and set up a meeting with her next week when she’s back in the office.

Thank you. I’ll call her today. Once we get the sensors sorted and the after hours support number over to you, Diane and Jim where would we sit on that 1-10 scale?

Well, you know I don’t give “10s,” but you’d be a solid nine-and-three-quarters.

I’ll take that, Client. What else did you want to discuss today?

Nothing. I know you want to get our next quarterly review in the calendar so let’s do that and wrap up.

SCENE

By seeking clarity through questions and having their client pull them forward (“what would be the best way…”) that salesperson increases their credibility be positioning themselves as a trusted adviser.

With a system in place for consistent quarterly check-ins with clients you’re better positioned to address issues when they are 10% instead of 90% and create long term mutually profitable relationships with your clients.

Until next time… go sell something

Crash-a-Class

Hiring More Effectively
When: Thursday November 29^th, 2018
Time: 08.30-10.30AM

Crash our regularly scheduled Sandler Management Solutions Class.

Successfully putting the right people in the right roles in your organization is a science that requires a systematic approach. It’s estimated that a bad fit hire costs your organization between 4.1 and 6.2 times base salary regardless of role. Even for an entry-level position that’s into the hundreds of thousands.

The tools you will receive are:

A three-part formula for quickly determining if a candidate should advance based on their data
• Tools to support good fit hiring
• New mindsets, activities and techniques that limit time wasted on bad fit candidates
• Opportunity to network with fellow business leaders

Whether you’re hiring your 1st team member or your 1,000th you’ll gain insights that will save you time and your company money when hiring.

Reserve your seat today. Seating is limited.

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