| Say - Are You Listening? |
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If you are a VP of sales, a sales manager, or a professional salesperson, I have one question for you. Are YOU listening? Most salespeople tell me that they are effective listeners. They claim that as KING or QUEEN of multitasking, they can still "get" what their customers are saying. Why worry about connecting dots? They are such effective listeners, these salespeople claim that they can anticipate what the customer wants BEFORE the need ever comes out of his/her mouth.
This happened to my friend, Sarah, today. Not once, but twice. In the first call she made, Sarah contacted a city newspaper's circulation department to cancel her Father's newspaper subscription. Telling the woman that he is very ill and had to move from his current assisted living facility elsewhere, she asked Sarah: "Don't you think he's going to miss out on all the news we are providing him, especially since his subscription runs out in July?" Do you think the representative was reading off a "Things to Say When the Customer Tries to Cancel" script near her computer? Sarah informed me that she interpreted the question as insensitive and insulting. Perhaps whomever "trained" their circulation personnel should have instructed them to a) listen to what the customer says, b) respond to the customer's comments (such as, "I'm sorry to hear that your father has to move. Is there something we can help you with as he relocates?") That comment may have triggered a response such as, "You know, that's a great idea. Let's have his paper delivered to his new home." Then she would have gotten an order, instead of a cancellation. Instead, Sarah was irritated that she was attempting to up-sell her on an extended subscription. She told me that her next call was to to a funeral home to discuss making pre-death arrangements for her father. When the funeral director answered,Sarah explained how her family is seeking a modest graveside funeral, per her father's wishes and his bank account. The director said, "Ma'am, I'm sure your loved one would want the absolute best for his service. Let's discuss the FULL funeral plan." Sarah,told the man that her father was on Medicaid.He said, "Well, first, we need to sit down with the family all together and go through the options. After all, I'm sure your family wants to best honor your loved one in the most appropriate way possible. We have payment plans available." Sarah reported to me in a frustrated tone earlier today, "Renee! He wasn't LISTENING to me! Where did he hear the words 'expensive', 'full service', or 'extravagant' from my question?" As a stressed, infuriated, disgusted Sarah lamented her experiences this afternoon, I reflected. Is it true that those in the sales profession really aren't listening? Do we all just skim by what the customer is saying because we have our own agenda's or pre-conceived ideas? And what listening tools are we employing to sharpen our axes during times when there are multiple distractions hitting us from all angles? So, as you go through your calls, I beg you to put your other stuff down. Focus your attention on your customer. Listen to what CLUES he/she is giving you from the other end of the phone. Then pause. Digest. It just takes a fraction of a second. Then respond. Appropriately. You may just get the sale. |
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