Knows when to speak

PERCEPTIVE : Knows when to speak
“Look at this Alex” said Nadim, grimacing at his computer screen. “Def Footwear is no stranger to complaints. But this one takes the cake” As Director Sales, Nadim had asked for all complaint mails to be escalated to him. Alex, his Head of Service Quality peered over Nadim’s shoulder. The mail was sweet, short and disturbing.
Team, I hate to look at my feet. Because they look strange in shoes totally alien to me. I confess I was a big fan of Def Footwear.
I couldn’t wait for Def to open after the lockdown as my shoes needed urgent replacement. I went to the Def Exclusive outlet in our area the day after it reopened. I never had a problem with Def’s premium prices. I believe good value comes at a price. I have a condition called ‘overpronation’. In plain language I suffer from ‘flat feet’ that makes it painful for me to run or exercise for long periods. Def’s podiatry approved cross training shoes were the perfect answer to my problem. Yesterday’s experience however revealed how a good brand can be let down by deficient salesmanship. Tokens, sanitization, temp check and all safety protocols were in place alright. The salesperson kept a safe distance too. But the problem was, he wouldn’t let me browse or speak in peace. He was over eager.
When he saw me go across to the Special Feet section, he assumed I needed orthopedic footwear. And he went on and on about models, prices and options. My attempts to interrupt and convince him that I just needed an enhanced model of cross training shoes didn’t work. Are your sales people asked to push orthopedic footwear? Anyway after 20 frustrating minutes, I walked out and picked up a pair from another brand. Wanted to share this with you so that you can fix the problem. Thank you.
An intelligent salesperson is perceptive enough to know when to speak. He never makes assumptions about the Customer’s needs. He is sensitive to cues from the Customer and gently steers the Customer to discover the need. Then he proposes a solution most appropriate to that need. Like a perfect host who knows when to fill the cup.
Action Question: How can you leverage the power of ‘perceptive silence’ in your next sales call?
Related Reading: Mercuri Insight Document on DAPA – The Power of Customer Driven Goal Oriented Selling https://www.mercuriindia.com/dapa-the-power-of-customer-driven-goal-oriented-selling.php

9.Lose a deal, if you must, but keep the Customer
Champions know how to keep the Customer, even if they have to lose the deal. Such Customer relationships endure the test of time, yielding rewards in multiples of what was lost. Here is one such relationship, built with determination. Read the real life story, share it, and make it happen for your Customer. You can!
29th MAY 2020Read more

11.PERCEPTIVE : Grow the business and the guards the bottom line
Any quota can be crushed if you close all your deals with discounts. The successful #sales professional passionately pursues the top line, AND retains sharp focus on the bottom line. How does he do that?
29th MAY 2020Read more
Explore your Knowledge Centre

Mercuri Mail
Mercuri Mail is a thoughtful compilation of meaningful articles drawn from Mercuri India archives, and from timeless management literature.
Read more
In Essence
In Essence documents are annotations of insightful publications in academic journals of repute, fostering sales excellence.
Read more
Selling is Beautiful
Whatever the size of the quota, your sales team can crush it, with these Sales Tarot cards, lived one at a time.
Read more
Build Your Library
Extreme Money: The Masters of The Universe and The Cult of Risk - Satyajit Das
Read more
Beyond Sales
“If banks cannot be truly Customer intimate, they are doomed to be just dumb commodities, acting behind the scenes, like utilities” – J P Nicols
Read more
MI Quest
How can the Sales Training Professionals of today design learning experiences that engage and inspire sustainable excellence in their audience?
Read more
100 WAYS TO SALES RESILIENCE
In this series "100 Ways to Sales Resilience" we share simple yet powerful ideas that you and your sales people can use to overcome sales challenges ahead.
Read more