1. Fearing the Customer's Reaction
When salespeople are afraid of what a customer might say, they end up losing sales opportunities because they don't find out what the customer really wants. For example, you dread hearing customers say, "Your price is too high," so it's almost a knee-jerk reaction to offer a lower price. Instead, be proactive and try to uncover the unique buying criteria important to the customer so the price objection doesn't come up in the first place.
2. Taking It Personally
Sure, in our heads we know that a customer's bad attitude doesn't reflect on our worth as human beings. But our egos get in the way, and we internalize the customer's negativity. When your customer brings up a problem, don't get defensive and explain the problem away. Not only will the customer probably not be overjoyed at your response, but you also will have failed to address the heart of the matter: how to fix your customer's problem.
3. Rushing to Judgment
As a salesperson, you should work to focus all of your attention on your customer and her needs. It's all too easy to swoop in and present a solution instead of listening to your customer's complaints and the specifics of her situation. In this rush to cut to the chase, you're in danger of coming across as arrogant, and your customer ends up feeling her input is unimportant and unappreciated.
Embrace any information your prospect gives you, whether you believe it's valuable or not. If you don't have time to talk at length with your prospect, request the opportunity to call him back when you do have the time. Otherwise, put down your briefcase, close your office door, and listen to him for as long as he needs. Remember, even if you hear the story all the time, it is unique and personal for each customer. Instead of interrupting your customer with your standard solution, let him have the floor and explain his problem. Only then can you proceed with the process of finding a solution for whatever ails him.
4. Beating a Dead Horse
How do you know when, despite your best efforts, your customer relationship is beyond saving and therefore taking up more time than it's worth? When the customer is demanding, even confrontational, yet provides you with little to no business for all the irritation she's giving you. Sometimes customers like this actually cost you money because you spend so much time trying to please them. You hope that if you keep doing business with them, they'll eventually reward you for your loyalty — but let's face it: there are some customers you just don't want!
5. Shifting Blame
For the past 20 years, organizations have embraced the concept of teamwork. When things go awry, though, it's easy to point fingers. Donald Trump's TV series, The Apprentice, shows how individuals can turn on each other to protect their own interests. The boardroom meetings with "the Donald" show a different side of each contestant's character. One individual must be eliminated from the show each week, so one individual gets singled out for letting the team down.
When customers come to you with problems, do you know someone on your team who tries to shift blame to another person or department in your company? Pointing fingers only delays resolving customers' issues. When things go well in your firm, everyone should definitely share the glory — and when things go wrong, everyone should share the blame, too.
6. Addressing All Customer Complaints with the Same Approach
Some salespeople have one-size-fits-all approaches when it comes to dealing with customer objections. They may offer to lower their prices or automatically throw in product extras, without listening to the reasons the customer is upset. While you're being conditioned to respond to objections with concessions, your customers are learning that whenever they complain, they're rewarded, much like giving whiny children toys or treats to quiet them.
For example, a customer might ask you to cut your price by 5% to clinch a deal. When you agree to this deal, you're setting up his expectations for the next time you negotiate. He'll think all he has to do is raise an objection and you'll always give in. Having only one approach to resolving customer issues results in two mistakes:
- You're not addressing your customer's real problem.
- You end up offering more than what your customer really wants.
About the Author
Paul Cherry is president of the Philadelphia-based sales and leadership firm Performance Based Results and the author of Questions That Sell, published by AMACOM Books. Paul can be reached at 302-478-4443 or cherry@pbresults.com.
When you subscribe to PBR's quarterly newsletter at www.pbresults.com, you can download a free white paper, "117 Top Questions That Sell," based on PBR's latest research on what salespeople need to ask in order to up-sell, cross-sell, and win more customers!
