joshuapaccione
Expert
Customers Hate Sales People!
Written by: Joshua J. Nichols
President of Paccione Insurance
I will not deny it or say it is untrue. The fact is people do in fact hate sales people.
“I HATE sales people. Unfortunately, I have to deal with them to a certain extent, since I am technically a buyer. If sales people had their way, they would waste 4 or more hours of my work day, so I’ve had to resort to screening my phone calls. And, I have also made a house rule that if a sales person calls more than 3 times, they are cut off. I will no longer be placing orders with them. Period. The way I see it is that if you are offering a good product, it will sell itself. If I can use it, I will buy if from you. If you try and force your products down my throat, obviously the product sucks and I don’t want it.
Last time I went car shopping, the sales guy asked what I was looking for. I told him I was looking for a Jeep, but since they didn’t have one in the color I wanted he said, “How about we get you into a nice Ford Focus…” I rolled my eyes, turned around and walked off the lot without saying another word to that tool (Although I did want to say, “**** you and your crappy Ford Focus too!”). Am I missing something? What exactly does a Ford Focus and a Jeep Wrangler have in common?! Suggesting something so stupid and thinking that you could manipulate me into buying something I don’t want, is just an insult to my intelligence…” [FONT="]Quote from I Hate Sales People | Endless Summer[/FONT]
Now if a customer comes into our agency looking for a Jeep Wrangler we are going to direct them to the nearest free mental health clinic (just kidding), but the above quote does show why generally most people hate salesmen. Now STOP and think about that. You work in sales and sales pay your bills but generally everyone hates sales people. They put their names in “Do Not Call Lists” they spend money on “NO SOLICATION” signs. They try to avoid us and it don’t matter how great our products are they don’t want anything to do with us.
Now using the above quote we have a customer who wants to buy but we don’t have their product available at his time. What would you do? Offer them something else like the agent did above? Here is what I would do.
GET DETAILS FROM THEM!
Is she dead set on that color? Would she be willing to look at some others colors we have available? Does she have a deadline when she must have this new car? Would she be willing to wait while we order her car in the color she requested?
Customers are not stupid and they know you work on commission, but do they care? no not really, should they?, no not really. Customers want it their way and why should they not get it their way. It’s their money and they have worked hard for it. We as agents need to work for our customers not for ourselves. Yes this deal is not going to get closed today. Yes there is a chance that this customer may not even close in the future, BUT did you take care of the customer by addressing their needs and doing your best to provide them a service that meets their needs. YES!
I challenge you to not be sales agents! People hate sales agents for several reasons but the number one reason is they just simply don’t trust them.
By now everyone is probably asking what do you suggest we do?
The answer is being a consultant for the customer.The key difference is that a consultant never makes decisions for the individual or group but rather helps the individual or group to make the decision they already want to make! Being a consultant is not to talk all day about your products and how great it is but to rather talk to the person and to learn about their situation, learn about their current contracts through health carriers, find out about their kids and conditions they may have. The more questions you have for them shows them that you care about their needs and their personal situation. This information can then be used to determine what products this customer would benefit most from. You can show how your product will change their life and situation. This will put some real value in your product and show the customer why they need this product. This will not only result in a sale but you will have gained respect from the customer that will lead to referrals and a lasting business relationship.
Written by: Joshua J. Nichols
President of Paccione Insurance
I will not deny it or say it is untrue. The fact is people do in fact hate sales people.
“I HATE sales people. Unfortunately, I have to deal with them to a certain extent, since I am technically a buyer. If sales people had their way, they would waste 4 or more hours of my work day, so I’ve had to resort to screening my phone calls. And, I have also made a house rule that if a sales person calls more than 3 times, they are cut off. I will no longer be placing orders with them. Period. The way I see it is that if you are offering a good product, it will sell itself. If I can use it, I will buy if from you. If you try and force your products down my throat, obviously the product sucks and I don’t want it.
Last time I went car shopping, the sales guy asked what I was looking for. I told him I was looking for a Jeep, but since they didn’t have one in the color I wanted he said, “How about we get you into a nice Ford Focus…” I rolled my eyes, turned around and walked off the lot without saying another word to that tool (Although I did want to say, “**** you and your crappy Ford Focus too!”). Am I missing something? What exactly does a Ford Focus and a Jeep Wrangler have in common?! Suggesting something so stupid and thinking that you could manipulate me into buying something I don’t want, is just an insult to my intelligence…” [FONT="]Quote from I Hate Sales People | Endless Summer[/FONT]
Now if a customer comes into our agency looking for a Jeep Wrangler we are going to direct them to the nearest free mental health clinic (just kidding), but the above quote does show why generally most people hate salesmen. Now STOP and think about that. You work in sales and sales pay your bills but generally everyone hates sales people. They put their names in “Do Not Call Lists” they spend money on “NO SOLICATION” signs. They try to avoid us and it don’t matter how great our products are they don’t want anything to do with us.
Now using the above quote we have a customer who wants to buy but we don’t have their product available at his time. What would you do? Offer them something else like the agent did above? Here is what I would do.
GET DETAILS FROM THEM!
Is she dead set on that color? Would she be willing to look at some others colors we have available? Does she have a deadline when she must have this new car? Would she be willing to wait while we order her car in the color she requested?
Customers are not stupid and they know you work on commission, but do they care? no not really, should they?, no not really. Customers want it their way and why should they not get it their way. It’s their money and they have worked hard for it. We as agents need to work for our customers not for ourselves. Yes this deal is not going to get closed today. Yes there is a chance that this customer may not even close in the future, BUT did you take care of the customer by addressing their needs and doing your best to provide them a service that meets their needs. YES!
I challenge you to not be sales agents! People hate sales agents for several reasons but the number one reason is they just simply don’t trust them.
By now everyone is probably asking what do you suggest we do?
The answer is being a consultant for the customer.The key difference is that a consultant never makes decisions for the individual or group but rather helps the individual or group to make the decision they already want to make! Being a consultant is not to talk all day about your products and how great it is but to rather talk to the person and to learn about their situation, learn about their current contracts through health carriers, find out about their kids and conditions they may have. The more questions you have for them shows them that you care about their needs and their personal situation. This information can then be used to determine what products this customer would benefit most from. You can show how your product will change their life and situation. This will put some real value in your product and show the customer why they need this product. This will not only result in a sale but you will have gained respect from the customer that will lead to referrals and a lasting business relationship.
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