Serve The Client.
How do you make yourself invaluable to your client when 90% of their questions can be answered in three minutes with a smartphone?
Chances are good that if you work in sales, the product or service you represent is pretty high impact for your client. Most likely, the cost is high, along with the consequence it has on their day-to-day lives.
Your job is to close that 10% research gap, not fence it off. It is also your job to think analytically on behalf of your client, and report your findings, regardless of the outcome it has on your paycheck.
In my first month selling cars at the local Subaru dealership, a customer came in thinking about “trading up” her three year old Forester for a new one. She had gotten an automated email from our sales department telling her that we were dying to buy her current car, and would give her an “insane deal” on a new one. While our used car manager kicked the tires on her current ride, she and I talked about what features she liked on that one, and what she wanted on her next car.
The more she shared with me, the more clear it became that she didn’t necessarily need a new one. When the appraisal numbers came back, it became clear that the email she received was indeed a “too good to be true” kind of offer. Rather than trying to upsell thousands of unnecessary dollars, I recommended that she hold onto the car for another two years, when Subaru was likely to automate many of the features she was looking for, but having to break the bank with a higher trim package. When I explained to my sales manager why I recommended that she keep her existing car, I thought I might get fired, but didn’t care.
Three weeks later, another woman came in, citing her friend’s strange experience outlined above as the reason for her visit. Unlike her friend, it made a lot of sense for her to buy a new car. We bonded over appreciating many of her friend’s idiosynchrocies, and pension for curse words. The sale went as smooth as can be, and she walked away amazed at how painless the process had been.
About six weeks later, one of her children came in and bought a used car. Four months later, one of her friends from the Co-Op picked up a new Outback. Fastforward six years, and my friend who I turned away was responsible for sending me about 8 gratefully received sales.
Sales people lose their way when they forget about serving the client, and only care about serving themselves.
Trust the process, people. When you do the right thing, good things will follow.