If asked to describe their position with one of three words— clerk, order-taker, counter professional—many salespeople would surely answer the latter; but being a counter pro takes more than simply the desire to be one.
Most counter salespeople want to do a good job and want to help customers, but they simply don't know how. The biggest mistake is the belief that customer service is instinctive, when the fact of the matter is that many of these skills aren't innate.
The problem is that each person has his or her own ideas about what service is- so, in order to provide consistent customer care, it's necessary for companies to make their service objectives known to counter personnel.
Nature vs. nurture
Don't assume that a person
who made an excellent warehouse
supervisor knows even
the first thing about selling
over the counter just because
he or she helped out during
busy times.
Below are a few counter salesperson basics that are not instinctive to most:
1. Hands on. The reason an automotive dealership encourages a prospect to test drive a vehicle isn't so the driver can handle the car; it's so the car can handle the driver. It instills the feeling of owning the vehicle-to such a degree that some dealers even let qualified prospects take vehicles home. There's nothing like seeing a new car parked in the driveway in the morning to light the desire for ownership. And so it is for many electricians who want a new tool or meter. Many distributors keep expensive test equipment behind the counter. When an electrician asks about a meter, placing it in his or her hands lets that customer see how the meter handles, as well as how it feels to own it. It also presents the perfect time for the salesperson to talk about the benefits of the meter.
2. Plus and minus. Customers are weary of hype, and boasting about a product's features and benefits can cause a raised eyebrow or two. Rather, try telling a customer about the downside of a product, as well as the features: "Yes, this meter tests up to 1,000 volts, but only reads up to 10 amps."
It's surprising how often customers will let down their guards when a salesperson tells them something negative about a product-in fact, many times, it will lead them to upgrade to the next model.
2. Just say yes. I worked for a man who wouldn't let us onto the sales floor empty handed, even if we didn't have what the customer needed. "If you're out of a 1/2" condulet," he'd say, "take a 3/4" and a couple of reducing bushings."
Of course, there were those times when nothing would work, but even then, he taught us how to tell a customer we were out of something without starting the explanation with the word "no." Instead, we might say, "I can have one of those for you this afternoon," or, "We're expecting a new shipment tomorrow." We used anything we could except "Nope, we ain't got it."
Of course, having something on order is never the same as having the item in stock, but his challenge forced everyone to think creatively. I once witnessed a counter salesperson bring out a complete HID fixture when the customer only asked for a replacement lamp. Instead of saying anything about being out of the lamp, the salesperson said, "I figured you needed light, so I brought you a light." The customer purchased the fixture and a sales clerk transformed into a counter pro.
3. Drain the swamp. A counter person starts the morning answering phones, waiting on customers, and filling orders. Stocking shelves and emptying trash, making coffee, and sweeping the floor fill the workday. And that's the heart of the problem. Like the old saying about draining the swamp while up to your neck in alligators, focusing on customers while preoccupied with multiple pressures is a balancing act.
The counter pro, on the other hand, is aware that every time the door opens, it's an opportunity for him or her to make a sale. It may be selling a product over the counter or selling the image of the company as a solution provider. The sales counter is still the most visible part of the branch-and the best place to make an actionable statement about service by offering a compelling customer experience. It begins with the basics-"Be nice to the customer"-and sometimes this means having to come out from behind the counter.
Comments