Sales & Service Tip of the Week

Do you sell features or benefits when interacting with a customer?  Today, you must “carry” the feature to a benefit in order to justify the value or gain as perceived by the customer.  In this step, Active Presentation, you create the desire to buy.  Translate your products and services into benefits by using the FAB formula.  Features explain “what it is” you have to offer.  It could be a special trait or characteristic that describes the product or service.  Advantages explain “what it does”.  They are something distinctive or better than what the competition has.  The advantage becomes a “natural bridge” to get from the feature to the benefit.  Benefits explain “how the customer gains”.  This is the end result that creates a want or satisfies a need as perceived by the customer.  Remember from last week we need to uncover the customer’s buying motives first and then “match up” with the benefits.  This sales fundamental is a critical component in the Active Presentation.  Here’s an example:  “We are a full service supplier (feature) that provides you with one stop shopping (advantage) so you have the security and convenience (benefit) of buying all your needs at one time which gives you more time (another benefit) to do your job of serving your customers!”  Perfect the “FAB formula” and you are well on your way to becoming the sales and service professional you want to be.

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

Behind every favorable buying decision is a buying motive.  Buying motives identify what the product or service will do.  Buying motives establish how the customer gains.  It’s your job as a sales and service professional to uncover or discover the customer’s buying motives and equate them to specific benefits that the customer “sees” value in and is willing to pay for it.  Sounds easy, but it’s not!  The key is to appeal to customers’ emotions and feelings in order to surface their “true” buying motives so you can match your products and services to these motives, via benefits.  The complexity of the sale comes into play because people have different motives or reasons why they buy.  You can’t say the same things to all people.  If you can find their “pain” it will lead to a “gain”.  So memorize the following buying motives and apply to your specific products and services when you talk with your customers.  These buying motives are:  profit, safety, comfort, convenience, fear, envy and personal satisfaction.  Surface these buying motives of your customers and you’ll increase your sales!  Try it.  Believe it.  Do it.

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

So far so good!  You are “paying the price” to become a sales and service professional by following the 6 A’s – your guide or road map to sales success.  You have properly greeted or Approached the customer and asked the right questions to qualify in the Analysis step.  Now, you are ready to proceed to the next “A”, step 3 – Active Presentation.  The Active Presentation is the very heart of the sale where you showcase your knowledge and professionalism.  Finally, you get to talk!  If you have discovered the customer’s needs and wants in the Analysis step your job becomes much easier.  Match your products and services to the customer’s needs and wants and create the desire to buy.  Appeal to the customer’s emotions and feelings during the interaction and sell perceived value – sell benefits.  Benefits explain how the customer gains, which is the end result that creates a want or satisfies a need as perceived by the customer.  Without a gain the customer doesn’t perceive value and won’t buy.  The key is PERCEPTION!  Perception is “real” to me, how about you?  How good are you at communicating this “perception” to your customers?   Benefit selling is another sales fundamental that must be mastered and is a critical part of the Active Presentation.  Get in the habit of selling benefits and you will close more sales!

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

Your sales success in questioning customers is based on how well you can qualify.  Qualifying demands evaluation of your information.  Is there a need, desire or want?  Or, does the customer trust and respect you?  In order to truly master the art of questioning, close-ended questions must be “layered” in between open-ended questions, that we talked about last week.  Close-ended questions typically begin with “is, do, will, how many, how much, how often and should.”  These questions elicit “yes” or  “no” answers, help obtain specific information and allow you to stay in control.  “Is that enough to cover all of your units?” or “Do you prefer pickup or delivery service?” or “Will Wednesday delivery be soon enough?” or “How many do you want?” or “How much do you want to spend?” or, “How often do you use this?” or “Should we go ahead and write up the order?”  Close-ended questions typically ask for an action and/or commitment and “surface” where the customers are in their thought process.  The answers signal the customer’s acceptance so you can complete your transaction swiftly and move on to the next customer.  Remember, the Analysis step is most important as a sales and service professional, so always be prepared to ask the “right” questions.

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

The art of questioning is a sales fundamental that is often lacking in sales and service professionals, as we discussed last week.  The “art” or “science” of questioning relates to how well you can create customer interaction without being too pushy or forward with the customer.  Do you ask questions like a servant or like an attorney?  Some people have the ability and tact to question in a normal conversation that’s non-threatening, while others “cross-examine” and put the customer on the defensive immediately.

 

Probing is like a funnel where you start out “wide” and “funnel” or narrow down.  Start out wide by using open-ended questions which begin with “who, what, when, where, how and why”.  These questions are not easily answered yes or no and surface opinions, needs, feelings and emotions.  “Who are your customer issues for today?” or “What purchases are you considering this year?” or “When will you be ready to buy?” or “Where will your sales come from?” or “How does your business look this year?” or “Why are you having problems?”  These types of questions get the customer talking which help you to understand their needs, wants and desires.  Only then can you formulate your suggestions, ideas and recommendations in the best interests of your customers.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Successful interaction is based on your ability to question the customer, which leads us to the next “A” – Analysis.  The ability to ask questions is one of the finest sales fundamentals available, but often lacking in sales associates.  Are we too quick to recommend our products and services without finding out what the customer really wants?  This is the step that separates the few from the many and is where we “pay the price” as a service and sales professional.  Taking the time to uncover needs may take longer initially, but pays big dividends later by increasing the sales opportunity with each customer.  As “doctors of selling” how can we suggest or “prescribe” without doing a diagnosis?  We can’t!  So, take the needed time to help your customers, as they want to buy from you.  By creating a “want” first and then matching your products and services to that want, will provide greater customer satisfaction.  And, that’s what keeps them coming back.  Now, learn and master the art of questioning!

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

The first “A”, Approach sets the stage during customer interaction.  You want to attract the attention of the customer and start the thought processes of the buyer and seller.  How you approach or greet the customer could very well set the tone and influence the outcome of the sales opportunity.  In this first step you want to demonstrate your professionalism, your desire to serve, and that you want to do business.  All of this is appealing to the customer!  In fact this could be your first sale.  The customer buys you first; do you agree?  You represent your company to that customer for the moment (moment of truth) and they either form a positive or negative impression about you.  Your businesslike manner, positive attitude, confidence and expertise are contagious and can influence your customers.  People identify with people so allow your Approach to reflect this human experience and get off on the right foot with all of your customers.

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

Last week we unfolded the 6 A’s as your selling strategy to sales success.  Each one begins with an “A” – a handle to grab on to during a sales interaction or opportunity.  Have you ever missed an opportunity to sell more or was hesitant to suggest or offer ideas to a customer?  We all have, so relax!  The A’s become “memory joggers” so we don’t forget to ask as we can get busy and in a hurry.  Wouldn’t it be great if selling was always 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, in a sequential order?  Unfortunately our thought processes are not always step-by-step.  Selling is spontaneous and thinking on your feet.  Have you ever had a complaining customer before ever saying, “hello”?  Or, a customer that says, “I’ll take it” without even hearing about it first?  Please don’t inform the customer that you have several more steps or A’s to cover first.  Take the order and serve the customer!  Remember, the 6 A’s are based on customer interaction and designed to provide a service request or sales transaction.  Allow the customer to lead the interaction and utilize the 6 A’s when you need a reminder and need to get back on track.  Master the 6 A’s and you will provide total customer satisfaction and develop lifetime customers.  It begins with the first “A” – the Approach.

Sales & Service Tip of the Week

Let’s examine a selling process in detail.  Did you know selling revolves around a thought process?  Doesn’t the customer go through certain thought processes or steps to arrive at a purchasing decision?  You do, don’t you?  We all do!  The key is to be able to identify where the customer is in their thoughts and match your thoughts as it relates to suggestions and ideas to help persuade the customer to reach a decision to buy.  Sounds complicated doesn’t it?  Actually we all go through these thoughts or steps daily in our interactions with customers almost instinctively and naturally in completing the customer transactions.  Now, let’s formalize these steps in order to better serve our customers and better yet, sell more products and services to grow our business and make everybody happy.  Sound too good to be true?  Get ready, here are the steps or thought processes to make us better as sales and service professionals.  We refer to these as the 6 A’s that will become your selling strategy to serve and sell your customers.  Approach, Analysis, Active Presentation, Answer Objections, Always Be Closing, and Apply Service.  Allow the 6 A’s to become your selling strategy for sales success!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

How many customers don’t complain, you just lose them?  A Better Business Bureau statistic says 96% of dissatisfied customers do not complain of poor service.  Yet 95% of dissatisfied customers will become loyal customers again if their complaints are handled well and quickly.  Interesting huh?  Can we avoid possible problems, concerns or issues before they are raised?  Every service action with a customer is called a point of interaction.  There are many “points of interaction” with the customer in the delivery of the products and services you provide.  A “moment of truth” occurs whenever and wherever there is customer contact, because that is the moment when the customer forms a perception of your company, its people, its products and services.  The key to all this is to list each “point of interaction” you have with customers, identify the problems that can happen at each interaction point, and finally, list the corrective action needed to solve it.  Keep in mind that the goal is to exceed customer expectations.  Review with your team members in your department, standardize the “points of interaction” and document the possible problems and action needed to correct it.  It’s the first step to providing quality service!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Have you called on customers and within five minutes they told you their life’s story?  Or, how about the customer who is quiet, analytical or critical; and the other who is demanding, unreasonable and unappreciative?  It’s the old adage, “you can’t please the public” that keeps cropping up when dealing with customers on a daily basis.  Today all sales and service professionals must understand and learn to “adjust” to the customer’s personality and behavior.  When you “adjust” your behavior you relate to people on a level that is acceptable and comfortable to them.  After all, they are the customers right?  But first you must understand yourself in order to make the adjustments to match the comfort level of each customer you serve.  Flexibility is the key, allowing you to “adjust” to improve interactions and establish a more harmonious working relationship.  We refer to this today as the PLATINUM RULE:  “Treat your customers as they expect to be treated.”

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

One of the hardest fundamentals of communication to master is the art of listening.  Granted, it is an “anatomical reality” when you consider the proportion of these two senses.  That’s why we have two ears and one mouth.  Get the picture?  We need to listen twice as much as we talk when dealing with our customers.  Listening is more than hearing a person talk.  It is an active involvement and a sincere interest in what the person is saying.  Get in the habit of being an active listener.  You want to understand the customer’s thinking and uncover needs so that benefits can be used to satisfy those needs.  Can effective listening help to control customer interaction?  Absolutely!  By asking questions you keep the customer talking and surface hidden needs, wants or desires.  Only then can you truly serve the customers by providing the products and services they really want or need.  So remember for this week, “listen first to understand, then talk to be understood.”

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“Is communication a ‘people’ skill or a ‘technical’ skill?”  We can all agree it takes people to communicate in one form or another.  The key is reaching a point of understanding by providing a common frame of reference.  Without this, no communication can really take place, so picture everyone you communicate with having “filters” or “screens” in front of them.  We must “break through” these filters in order to reach that common point of understanding so communication can happen.  Sounds simple?  Not really!  Here’s some “startling statistics” to consider:  Did you know we communicate only 7% with words, 38% by tone and up to 55% through body language or nonverbal.  Amazing isn’t it!  How important are words today?  Tone is important and you can influence people by not “what you say” but “how you say it!”  Recognize the importance of body language today.  Good or bad vibes are sensed by the customer.  Make sure your nonverbal signals “match” your verbal.  The customer picks up on this, while you, in turn, can observe the customer’s body language too for acceptance or rejection.  The “art of communication” is a never ending skill that must be mastered by all sales and service professionals.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

How good are your people skills?  Everyday you work with people.  How well do you do in your human relations?  Human relations means getting along with people….customers and the people with whom you work.  Use the following questions as a checklist and circle “yes” or “no”.  If “no,” list the action you want to take to improve.  Review every 90 days until you are satisfied with your on-the-job human relations.

Do I show a real interest in people?                                             YES               NO     

Do I keep my promises?                                                               YES               NO                               
Do I treat people as individuals?                                                   YES              NO                                   
Do I listen to people?                                                                     YES              NO

Do I accept certain people despite certain mannerisms?              YES              NO

Do I avoid judging people by the clothes they wear?                    YES              NO

Do I keep personal confidences?                                                  YES              NO

Can I apply customer discipline without making the

person angry?                                                                                YES             NO

Am I willing to see the other person’s viewpoint?                          YES             NO

Can I accept constructive criticism?                                              YES             NO

Do I avoid making sarcastic remarks?                                          YES              NO

Do I maintain dignity in my actions with people?                          YES              NO

Do I sincerely want to provide service to the customer?              YES               NO

Do I cooperate with the other employees in my

company?                                                                                     YES               NO
 
Do I cooperate with my company’s management?                     YES                 NO

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“LEARN TO CALL CUSTOMERS BY NAME.”  Have you ever “just met” someone and “forgot” their name?  Remembering names is very important in providing quality service.  Customers appreciate being called by name.  It’s the old story.  You can remember names if you want to.  Step One – You must want to.  Wanting to is the key.  It is your positive approach to remembering customer’s names.  Step Two – Learn the name.  As you interact with customers you will note names printed on orders, service requests, business cards, correspondence or notes.  Use the name to address the customer.  Repeating the name will help you to learn it and remember it.  Step Three – Use association.  Use words, scenes, and other names that are familiar to you.  Mr. West could be a compass, Mrs. Crane, a digging machine, and Monroe could be the former president or the famous movie actress.  Work out a system with which you are comfortable.  Step Four – Memorize the name.  Repeating the name will help.  Have a piece of paper handy and write the name quickly.  Later, review the new names you learned that day.  By using association and by memorizing, you will remember the name.  What do you do and how do you remember names?

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“DO NOT BE CONDESCENDING!”  Have you ever walked into a store and the sales associate treated you like “dirt”?  How did you feel?  Did you go back to that establishment again?  Probably not!  Customers don’t like to be treated like they’re stupid.  Avoid talking down, belittling or being sarcastic with customers.  People don’t like it.  Be careful using names or words like “honey”, “sport”, “buddy” or “dear”, in you’re interactions with your customers.  They’ll react negatively, which creates a further barrier for you.  Don’t fall into the trap of using trite sayings such as, “to be honest with you,” or “to tell you the truth.”  Haven’t you been honest and truthful up to now?  Eliminate these sayings from your vocabulary and focus on providing quality service for every customer you come in contact with daily.  Your beliefs equal your sincerity and that’s what comes across to your customers.  What have you been called as the customer?

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Have you heard, “courtesy is good manners in business?”  The ability to say “please” and “thank you” goes a long way in serving the customer (it works well at home too!).  Some people think being courteous to customers is a sign of weakness – absolutely not!  Your customers are coming to you for help and by being polite and willing to serve, allows the customers to “feel good” about dealing with you.  When customers “feel good” about their experience, they want your ideas and suggestions, so they buy more.  Don’t forget to “smother” your customers with kindness, but be sincere.  Your behavior signals to the customer your true feelings about wanting to serve.  Apply the Golden Rule:  “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” and you can never go wrong.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“Negative information has twice the impact of positive information on purchasing decisions!”  That’s right!  Did you know that dissatisfied customers tell an average of ten other people about their bad experience, while satisfied customers will tell an average of five people about their positive experience?  Did you know that?  It’s all about choosing your attitude when you show up for work.  Keep your personal problems at home and be positive when interacting with your customers.  Allow your P.R.I.D.E. to shine through along with your willingness to serve and your customers will thank you for it.  Remember, People Really Interested Deliver Excellence.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

“People buy from people they like.”  Have you ever heard this before?  Well, it’s true!  Think about it:  Do you always get your haircut at the same place?  Go to the same dry cleaner, drugstore, bank or gas station usually?  Customers like to shop or buy in similar surroundings, where they know what to expect and appreciate being recognized.  Don’t you?  So remember, to the customer you are your company.  You make it happen.  Don’t blame others or make excuses when things go wrong.  Serve each customer as if you were in your own business.  It is YOU, INC. that the customers come to know and ask for help to solve their problems.  Catch this entrepreneurial spirit and watch your sales grow as your customers keep coming back!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

By now, as a sales and service professional, you should be able to recite the 6 A’s by memory.  Any volunteers?  More importantly, you should be “harvesting” the rewards by applying these skills, concepts and techniques with your customers.  It’s never too late to “go back to the well” and replenish your mind and body with the spirit and desire to Apply Service, so you can develop lifetime customers.  A famous coach once said “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.”  Master these sales and service tips and there’s no stopping you.  The progression on learning today is:  training and practice, which leads to habits.  It starts and ends with you.  Are you willing, able and committed to the journey of self-improvement?  Allow these tips to provide the framework for your continued sales and service success.  Remember, “Winners execute fundamentals skillfully…by habit.”  Be strong, stay well and sell often!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Now we are ready for Step-6, our last “A”, Apply Service – where we follow up.  Service is the key to future relationships and assuring continued success.  In fact, it may be the only difference that sets you apart from your competition.  The more similar your products and services are to competitors, the more different your selling and service should be!  Service builds your reputation and leads to repeat sales to build your business in good times as well as bad.  When does your service begin?  As soon as you greet, Approach or say “hello” to your customers!  It’s the “little things” that customers seem to remember and keep them coming back.  You cannot provide customer satisfaction by “brushing the customer off.”  Appreciate what you sell and appreciate the opportunity to serve.  It’s all about developing customers for life!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

If no sale is made, what should you do?  Have you ever heard, “don’t burn any bridges” or “never say never?”  Always keep the sales door open.  Don’t allow your nonverbal to show disappointment.  Look for ways to keep your “foot in the door.”  Remember, “things change!”  Never insult or reprimand the customer.  This is negative, damages relationships and can create more problems for you later on.  Also, do not base the sale on what it does for you personally.  Being in a contest or feeding the family is your concern, not the customer’s.  This is unprofessional and comes across as “whining” to the customer.  Be aware of “overselling” a customer too.

What is overselling?  You talk too much which creates doubt with the customer.  One salesperson defined overselling as, “you just bought back what you sold.”  Complete your transaction, change the subject and look for a sales opportunity with another customer.  Closing is the emotional part of the sale.  It’s the culmination of the selling and buying processes coming together.  Master this step and you are well on your way toward sales success.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Learn early to acquire the habit of asking for the order.  Take the initiative and look forward to it.  The close becomes an exhilarating experience for the sales and service professional.  It generates your enthusiasm and provides you with a feeling of self-confidence.  You want to sell every customer and succeed.  How many times can you ask for the order?  As many times it takes as you interact with the customer!  How do you ask?  What do you say?  Something as simple as, “Would you like to write that up today?” may get a positive response from the customer.  You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by asking.  As long as the customer is talking and interacting, keep asking.  But don’t be like a robot or parrot, which can come across negatively to the customer.
 
What do you do after you ask?  Shut up and listen!  That’s right!!  Utilize the “strength of silence” after you ask for an order or commitment.  There’s a truism in selling that says, “the side that speaks first typically loses.”  So, wait it out and let your silence signal your confidence and understanding that the customer is ready to buy.  What happens if there’s still no reply?  Ask again and be silent!  It’s all part of being a sales and service professional.

Sales & Service Tip of The Week

What is a trial close?  A trial close will shorten the presentation, ask for an opinion, qualify the customer further, determine readiness to close and surface true objections.  It’s like taking the customer’s temperature as to where they are in the buying process.  Trial closes help you to control time and finish sooner so you can be more productive by serving more customers.  It’s another sales fundamental that must be mastered.  It’s a learned skill based on experience.  Your subconscious is ready at any given moment to recognize a buying signal and immediately follow up with a trial close.  It should be instinctive and automatic, similar to athletes or accomplished musicians.  By practice or habit you are aware of these signals and it becomes logical, you’ve created a desire so ask for a commitment.  When you don’t have to rely on your conscious mind, you’ve instilled a new habit.  It’s all part of getting into the desirable “habit of selling.”  Trial close more often and sooner and you’ll increase your sales!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Do you miss selling opportunities?  Why?  Has the customer already agreed to make a purchase decision but hasn’t informed you as yet?  You must prepare yourself mentally to close sales, like doing exercises or calisthenics.  Expect to close – it’s the name of the game and why you are there.  Have confidence in your ability to close – your tone, body language and “personal vibes” transmit this belief.  You must want to close – it’s a desire you have, a burning urge to succeed.  Close the sale – it’s your job as a sales and service professional.  Make no excuses!

Throughout your interaction the customer sends you many positive signals, which can occur anytime.  These are called buying signals, indicating the customer has reached a decision and is at the end of the buying process.  Buying signals could be questions, comments, verbal and nonverbal.  For instance sayings such as, “that’s interesting,” or “I like that,” or “that’s what we want” could signal that the customer has reached a decision.  Questions like, “when can you deliver,” or “what’s the cost again,” or “what’s the guarantee,” may indicate that the customer is ready to buy.  So be aware of buying signals and how they lead to an order.  Be prepared for a “trial close.”

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

What “A” are we on?  Last week we finished up Step 4 – Answer Objections.  Now we’re ready for Step 5 – Always Be Closing when the customer agrees to buy.  This is the step that “makes or breaks it” with the customer.  The moment of truth is here.  This step or moment is what separates sales and service professionals from being merely conversationalists.  You have “paid the price” and the customer is “ready” to buy.  When you keep the selling process in harmony with the buying process the close is logical.  It almost becomes automatic!  When you think about it what’s left?  The customer has progressed through his/her thought process and has committed to buy.

Unfortunately, the customer may not say anything unless you ask first.  So, keep your focus and be prepared to ask for the order.  This small step can produce huge dividends but is often lacking in many salespeople today, which leads to missed opportunities.  Always visualize the close the moment you Approach your customers and be prepared to close in any of the first four steps.  It’s an exhilarating experience!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Let’s pick up where we left off last week.  Here’s an example to help you master answering objections, using the R-PAST method.

Objection:  “I’m still waiting on a part to finish up this repair.”

Restate:       “You mean you still haven’t received that part yet?”

Probe:          “When did you order from parts?  What did they say?  Can you use another brand?  If I can find the right replacement, will you take it?”

Answer:        “We didn’t mean to hold you up on this, I’m sorry you had to wait.  I can help you with this and know how to bring a solution to your concerns.

Support:        “I’m confident this replacement will take care of your problems.  All of us here are certified in recommending the right part and how to use properly, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Trial close:    “That should take care of it.  Can we go ahead and get it in?  Is there anything else you need today?  Again, sorry for the wait.”

 
There now.  See how easy it is!  Remember, objections can occur anywhere in the sale.  It’s all based on your interaction and the customer’s interest in what you’re offering.  You should look forward to and welcome objections.  You learn the customer’s thinking and are better able to qualify, which leads to a sale quicker.  Perfect the R-PAST method as a sales and service professional.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Over time most sales and service professionals find that they receive the same objections.  How about you?  Do you have a response developed for each one?  You should!  Most salespeople quit selling and interacting after receiving an objection, which creates tension in a relationship.  The key is to treat each objection as an opportunity to close.  That’s right, like a buying signal which “triggers” your instincts to go for a trial close.  Try this method as a better means in handling objections.  It’s called the R-PAST method:

Restate – relate as a question and “toss” it right back to the customer.

Probe – keep interacting by asking questions.  Uncover the facts before responding first.

Answer – answer the objection.  Don’t bluff, find out if you don’t know.

Support – immediately summarize on agreed benefits to back up your answer.

Trial close – ask for the order, get agreement or action, go for it!

As you document and develop responses using R-PAST, you’ll be more comfortable and will develop desirable habits.  It’s all part of getting in the “habit of selling.”  Now, start developing answers to your objections using the R-PAST method.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

How did last week go in handling complaints?  Didn’t have any?  That’s great!  Now, let’s continue with step four – Answer Objections, another sales opportunity for you to close.  That’s right, close!  This may be the “first clue” as to the customer’s thought process and surfaces where the person is in the buying process.  The customer may be ready to buy.  All you have to do is to get the person to act upon it.  Why do customers have objections?  Maybe the customer doesn’t know something and is asking for clarification.  Or, the person is confused and misunderstands what is said.  The customer could be making an excuse and possibly objecting out of habit.  Or, maybe the customer has “legitimate concerns” before proceeding.  Your job is to find the answers as to the “whys” and persuade the customer to buy.  If they don’t buy from you, they’ll buy from your competitor.  Either way, a sale is made.  Objections are a natural part of the selling process.  Don’t we ask questions of our customers?  Can’t they ask questions of us?  Sure they can!  Start documenting your objections for the week.  Next week we’ll unfold a method of responding and answering objections.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Did you have another good week?  Are you all “refreshed” after reviewing the sales and service tips from previous weeks?  Did you do your homework and come up with a list of complaints?  Good!  Now lets review a checklist for handling complaints as a sales and service professional.

Listen…Be calm.  Don’t add “fuel to the fire” by yelling back to the customer.

Don’t interrupt.  Let angry person “blow off steam.”  Sometimes, saying nothing “douses the flames.”

Apologize for the inconvenience.  Appealing to emotion and having “empathy” for the customer’s viewpoint eases the situation.

Assure customer you will answer to person’s satisfaction.  But, don’t make promises that can’t be fulfilled.

Answer the complaint.  Rebuild your customer relations.

If you cannot answer, seek help.  Be sure the customer is satisfied.

Swing back to selling.  Ask if there’s anything else you can do for the customer.

 
When you answer a complaint this impacts your future business with the customer!  How?  You’ve exceeded the person’s expectation and have created further loyalty, which keeps the customer coming back.  Remember, never take customer complaints personally, as they are not attacking you as a person, but what they are trying to receive or purchase from you.  Keep your focus.  Swallow your pride and serve your customers properly.  It’s your job.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Who knows the 6 A’s?  Come on, let’s go – repeat after me:  Approach, Analysis, Active Presentation, Answer Objections, Always Be Closing, and number six, Apply Service.  Start right now committing these to memory and be ready to apply the A’s to the sales opportunities that exist around you.  Incidentally, how’s business?  Are sales improving?  You may want to go back to week one and review quickly the previous tips as a “refresher” and to begin anew.  Now we’re ready to move to the next “A”, the fourth “A”, remember?  Step four is Answer Objections, where you want to gain the customer’s conviction and eliminate any doubt of why they should buy.  Answering objections is another sales fundamental that is developed and mastered.  How much of your business is handling complaints?  Answering objections is similar to complaints, however, let’s present them separately to try to further help (or confuse!) you.  Look for the checklist on handling complaints in next week’s tips.  Now, make a list of the complaints you have received and don’t forget to “refresh” yourself!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Do you sell features or benefits when interacting with a customer?  Today, you must “carry” the feature to a benefit in order to justify the value or gain as perceived by the customer.  In this step, Active Presentation, you create the desire to buy.  Translate your products and services into benefits by using the FAB formula.  Features explain “what it is” you have to offer.  It could be a special trait or characteristic that describes the product or service.  Advantages explain “what it does.”  They are something distinctive or better than what the competition has.  The advantage becomes a “natural bridge” to get from the feature to the benefit.  Benefits explain “how the customer gains.”  This is the end result that creates a want or satisfies a need as perceived by the customer.  Remember from last week we need to uncover the customer’s buying motives first and then “match up” with the benefits.  This sales fundamental is a critical component in the Active Presentation.  Here’s an example:  “We are a full service supplier (feature) that provides you with one stop shopping (advantage) so you have the security and convenience (benefit) of buying all your needs at one time which gives you more time (another benefit) to do your job of serving your customers!”  Perfect the “FAB formula” and you are well on your way to becoming the sales and service professional you want to be.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Behind every favorable buying decision is a buying motive.  Buying motives identify what the product or service will do.  Buying motives establish how the customer gains.  It’s your job as a sales and service professional to uncover or discover the customer’s buying motives and equate them to specific benefits that the customer “sees” value in and is willing to pay for it.  Sounds easy, but it’s not!  The key is to appeal to customers’ emotions and feelings in order to surface their “true” buying motives so you can match your products and services to these motives, via benefits.  The complexity of the sale comes into play because people have different motives or reasons why they buy.  You can’t say the same things to all people.  If you can find their “pain” it will lead to a “gain."  So memorize the following buying motives and apply to your specific products and services when you talk with your customers.  These buying motives are:  profit, safety, comfort, convenience, fear, envy and personal satisfaction.  Surface these buying motives of your customers and you’ll increase your sales!  Try it.  Believe it.  Do it.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

So far so good!  You are “paying the price” to become a sales and service professional by following the 6 A’s – your guide or road map to sales success.  You have properly greeted or Approached the customer and asked the right questions to qualify in the Analysis step.  Now, you are ready to proceed to the next “A”, step 3 – Active Presentation.  The Active Presentation is the very heart of the sale where you showcase your knowledge and professionalism.  Finally, you get to talk!  If you have discovered the customer’s needs and wants in the Analysis step your job becomes much easier.  Match your products and services to the customer’s needs and wants and create the desire to buy.  Appeal to the customer’s emotions and feelings during the interaction and sell perceived value – sell benefits.  Benefits explain how the customer gains, which is the end result that creates a want or satisfies a need as perceived by the customer.  Without a gain the customer doesn’t perceive value and won’t buy.  The key is PERCEPTION!  Perception is “real” to me, how about you?  How good are you at communicating this “perception” to your customers?  Benefit selling is another sales fundamental that must be mastered and is a critical part of the Active Presentation.  Get in the habit of selling benefits and you will close more sales!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Your sales success in questioning customers is based on how well you can qualify.  Qualifying demands evaluation of your information.  Is there a need, desire or want?  Or, does the customer trust and respect you?  In order to truly master the art of questioning, close-ended questions must be “layered” in between open-ended questions, that we talked about last week.  Close-ended questions typically begin with “is, do, will, how many, how much, how often and should.”  These questions elicit “yes” or  “no” answers, help obtain specific information and allow you to stay in control.  “Is that enough to cover all of your units?” or “Do you prefer pickup or delivery service?” or “Will Wednesday delivery be soon enough?” or “How many do you want?” or “How much do you want to spend?” or, “How often do you use this?” or “Should we go ahead and write up the order?”  Close-ended questions typically ask for an action and/or commitment and “surface” where the customers are in their thought process.  The answers signal the customer’s acceptance so you can complete your transaction swiftly and move on to the next customer.  Remember, the Analysis step is most important as a sales and service professional, so always be prepared to ask the “right” questions.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

The art of questioning is a sales fundamental that is often lacking in sales and service professionals, as we discussed last week.  The “art” or “science” of questioning relates to how well you can create customer interaction without being too pushy or forward with the customer.  Do you ask questions like a servant or like an attorney?  Some people have the ability and tact to question in a normal conversation that’s non-threatening, while others “cross-examine” and put the customer on the defensive immediately.

Probing is like a funnel where you start out “wide” and “funnel” or narrow down.  Start out wide by using open-ended questions which begin with “who, what, when, where, how and why”.  These questions are not easily answered yes or no and surface opinions, needs, feelings and emotions.  “Who are your customer issues for today?” or “What purchases are you considering this year?” or “When will you be ready to buy?” or “Where will your sales come from?” or “How does your business look this year?” or “Why are you having problems?”  These types of questions get the customer talking which help you to understand their needs, wants and desires.  Only then can you formulate your suggestions, ideas and recommendations in the best interests of your customers.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Successful interaction is based on your ability to question the customer, which leads us to the next “A” – Analysis.  The ability to ask questions is one of the finest sales fundamentals available, but often lacking in sales associates.  Are we too quick to recommend our products and services without finding out what the customer really wants?  This is the step that separates the few from the many and is where we “pay the price” as a service and sales professional.  Taking the time to uncover needs may take longer initially, but pays big dividends later by increasing the sales opportunity with each customer.  As “doctors of selling” how can we suggest or “prescribe” without doing a diagnosis?  We can’t!  So, take the needed time to help your customers, as they want to buy from you.  By creating a “want” first and then matching your products and services to that want, will provide greater customer satisfaction.  And, that’s what keeps them coming back.  Now, learn and master the art of questioning!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

The first “A”, Approach sets the stage during customer interaction.  You want to attract the attention of the customer and start the thought processes of the buyer and seller.  How you approach or greet the customer could very well set the tone and influence the outcome of the sales opportunity.  In this first step you want to demonstrate your professionalism, your desire to serve, and that you want to do business.  All of this is appealing to the customer!  In fact this could be your first sale.  The customer buys you first; do you agree?  You represent your company to that customer for the moment (moment of truth) and they either form a positive or negative impression about you.  Your businesslike manner, positive attitude, confidence and expertise are contagious and can influence your customers.  People identify with people so allow your Approach to reflect this human experience and get off on the right foot with all of your customers.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Last week we unfolded the 6 A’s as your selling strategy to sales success.  Each one begins with an “A” – a handle to grab on to during a sales interaction or opportunity.  Have you ever missed an opportunity to sell more or was hesitant to suggest or offer ideas to a customer?  We all have, so relax!  The A’s become “memory joggers” so we don’t forget to ask as we can get busy and in a hurry.  Wouldn’t it be great if selling was always 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, in a sequential order?  Unfortunately our thought processes are not always step-by-step.  Selling is spontaneous and thinking on your feet.  Have you ever had a complaining customer before ever saying, “hello”?  Or, a customer that says, “I’ll take it” without even hearing about it first?  Please don’t inform the customer that you have several more steps or A’s to cover first.  Take the order and serve the customer!  Remember, the 6 A’s are based on customer interaction and designed to provide a service request or sales transaction.  Allow the customer to lead the interaction and utilize the 6 A’s when you need a reminder and need to get back on track.  Master the 6 A’s and you will provide total customer satisfaction and develop lifetime customers.  It begins with the first “A” – the Approach.

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

Let’s examine a selling process in detail.  Did you know selling revolves around a thought process?  Doesn’t the customer go through certain thought processes or steps to arrive at a purchasing decision?  You do, don’t you?  We all do!  The key is to be able to identify where the customer is in their thoughts and match your thoughts as it relates to suggestions and ideas to help persuade the customer to reach a decision to buy.  Sounds complicated doesn’t it?  Actually we all go through these thoughts or steps daily in our interactions with customers almost instinctively and naturally in completing the customer transactions.  Now, let’s formalize these steps in order to better serve our customers and better yet, sell more products and services to grow our business and make everybody happy.  Sound too good to be true?  Get ready, here are the steps or thought processes to make us better as sales and service professionals.  We refer to these as the 6 A’s that will become your selling strategy to serve and sell your customers.  Approach, Analysis, Active Presentation, Answer Objections, Always Be Closing, and Apply Service.  Allow the 6 A’s to become your selling strategy for sales success!

Sales & Service Tip Of The Week

How many customers don’t complain, you just lose them?  A Better Business Bureau statistic says 96% of dissatisfied customers do not complain of poor service.  Yet 95% of dissatisfied customers will become loyal customers again if their complaints are handled well and quickly.  Interesting huh?  Can we avoid possible problems, concerns or issues before they are raised?  Every service action with a customer is called a point of interaction.  There are many “points of interaction” with the customer in the delivery of the products and services you provide.  A “moment of truth” occurs whenever and wherever there is customer contact, because that is the moment when the customer forms a perception of your company, its people, its products and services.  The key to all this is to list each “point of interaction” you have with customers, identify the problems that can happen at each interaction point, and finally, list the corrective action needed to solve it.  Keep in mind that the goal is to exceed customer expectations.  Review with your team members in your department, standardize the “points of interaction” and document the possible problems and action needed to correct it.  It’s the first step to providing quality service!