Thinking Outside the Bulb

Million Dollar Words Part 2

(Read time: Less than 3 minutes)

Google “words that sell” and you’ll retrieve over 86 million hits – including a 1987 book by that title. Allow me to save you the trouble. This is my pick for the top five for selling in the industrial wholesale evironment:
1. You. Customers want to know you’re talking to them. Instead of saying, “Customers who bought this cordless drill saved money in labor,” say, “You’ll cut down on labor costs when you own this drill.”
2. Money. Everyone likes to know that they are getting good value, yet many salespeople avoid talking about money. By telling the customer right away, “You’ll save money on labor costs when you own this drill,” the money issue is addressed early in the sale and won’t be a deal-breaker later.
3. Guarantee. Many products have guarantees backed up by the manufacturers. Though often neglected as a sales tool, it rates high as a deciding factor for customers. By offering a guarantee, it takes the pressure off the buyer who fears making a wrong choice.
4. Benefit. Everyone knows to sell benefits, not features, but often the customer is unaware of the benefit unless it’s pointed it out. Saying something like “When you own this cordless drill, an added benefit is the money you’ll save on extension cords” can be helpful to the buyer.
5. Customer’s name. Dale Carnegie said years ago that people love to hear the sound of their own names. Using a customer’s name personalizes the sales process and keeps a presentation from sounding canned; however, avoid overusing the name because it sounds insincere.

Million Dollar Words

(less than 4 minutes to read this article)

Behind the right words, the human voice can become a tool of mass persuasion.

The sales counter plays a dual role as a call center and storefront, and is thus undoubtedly the voice of a branch. This means that, for a counter pro, whether face to face or over the phone, communication skills are critical. The frenetic energy—with phones ringing, intercom paging, and customers waiting—can test the patience of even the most even-tempered employee. It requires extra effort to keep stress from stealing into the voice. A frazzled tone translates as annoyance and impatience. Yet, the counter pro who has mastered this extraordinary instrument can just as easily transmit enthusiasm and empathy.

Inflection is key. Consider the importance of inflection in the commonly used expression “not bad.” Downplay the first word, emphasize the second, and it sounds like an upbeat compliment. But stress the first word and fade out on the second and it sounds like indifference. By merely changing the emphasis, the same two words can convey high praise or mild approval.

Varying volume and tone can turn a casual remark into a cutting insult. For instance, I once questioned the legitimacy of a customer’s product return by asking, “Are you sure you bought that here?” But my tone of voice was both accusatory and condescending—it was no surprise that the customer asked to see my boss. When confronted, I innocently said, “I only asked, ‘Are you sure that you bought that here?’” This time I spoke with a calm, neutral voice. It didn’t fool my boss. He knew from the customer’s mood that that wasn’t the way I had originally asked the question.

What’s in a word?
Words are a powerful force. They can express ideas with clarity and intensity. And when combined with a voice of authority, they can communicate a brand and influence the perception a customer has of your company. The following are five suggestions for using voice and words strategically and persuasively:

1. Lose the filler words and phrases. Filler words don’t add any meaning to a sentence—such as well, you know, and like. Filler phrases are overused clichés that state the obvious or don’t mean anything at all. Examples include “See what I’m saying?” and “At the end of the day.” Some other catchphrases that are easily ignored by customers include cutting edge, industry standard, and world class. Avoid these like the plague.

2. Turn on the high voltage. A flat sine wave on an electrical test meter indicates a lack of current. Likewise, emotionless speech patterns can be just as flat and lifeless. Voice inflection makes conversation more interesting, and customers are more apt to buy when they hear enthusiasm in a salesperson’s voice.

3. Avoid gobbledygook. Using the language of the industry, a salesperson could carry on a conversation with a coworker that would be unintelligible to an outsider. The electrical distribution industry has its share of jargon, acronyms, and abbreviations. Electrical contractors have their own jargon as well. In some areas, these two worlds overlap, but in most, they don’t.

When speaking with customers, it’s important that they understand what is being said. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what’s jargon and what’s not. But because most people are hesitant to admit when they don’t understand something, it’s up to a salesperson to pay attention to the physical cues that indicate that the customer is confused. Never try to impress a customer by using technical jargon; it sounds belittling and dismissive. Remember, the intention is to educate, not intimidate.

4. Ac-cent-u-ate the positive. A single word can trigger an emotion-and a customer's attitude can be influenced by the words used. For example, depressed, lousy, gloomy, and stupid have a completely different impact from the words pumped, excited, thrilled, and energized. Words are units of energy- they can pierce like a bayonet or soothe like a bandage. Replace negative words with positive ones and the result will be happier customers.

5. Take the "cus" out of customer service. Though an R-rated vocabulary seems to be widely accepted, or perhaps tolerated, there are still some people who don't like profanity. Others find it outright offensive. A good filter for language is the "Grandma factor." Before letting fly with those colorful colloquialisms, consider whether the same word choices would be made if Grandma was within earshot.

Freeing the voice
It's a popular idea that each person has a natural voice. At one time, this may have been true, but most voices undergo restrictions and transformations due to poor posture, tensions, and improper breathing. In fact, the natural voice has almost been lost. It requires a conscious act of will to uncover it, but the results are worth it. Be selective of the words that are spoken and talk in a voice that freely expresses your personality, and it will make a positive impact on the bottom line.

Order Taker or Counter Pro

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.

Dirt on Selling

Who knew that all the world's customer service philosophies could be so succinctly summed up by ....

Continue reading "Dirt on Selling" »

July 04, 2007 in Customer Service | Permalink | Comments (0)

An electrician walks through the door of a distributorship. It’s 7:20 a.m. Behind the counter an employee is reading a newspaper —seemingly oblivious to the chime that sounded when the door opened. The electrician clears his throat, loudly, and gets no response. “Excuse me,” he says after several seconds, “I need some material.” The paper doesn’t drop. No head peeks over the top. Only a voice replies, “We don’t open until 7:30.” Too stunned to even respond, the electrician turns around, walks back to his truck, vows never to return, and drives to the next distributorship. This is a true story. The electrician that it happened to lived up to his vow, and never bought anything else from that distributorship. No one likes being ignored. Common sense tells us that. But don’t pretend you haven’t done it. You’re waiting on a customer, or you’re on the phone. Maybe both. Another customer walks in. You could say, “Come on in. We’ll be right with you.” Even if you’re on the phone, you could nod and acknowledge the customer’s presence. But you don’t. You avoid eye contact, fearing you may be asked a question (and then you’d have one more thing to do). You don’t mean to be rude, it’s just that, well, you’re busy. Or you’re an outside salesperson and you hurriedly cut through the counter area. Customers are three-deep waiting in line. Both countermen are in the warehouse filling orders. You haven’t got time. There’s a job that bids at 2:00 p.m.—it’s worth $500,000 while this counter stuff is nickel-and-dime. You pick up the pace and rush by the customers. You don’t mean to be rude, it’s just that, well, you have to prioritize. It’s time to rethink the relationship between the sales counter and customers. For many distributors, the counter is an afterthought, just a place that serves up the “table scraps”— miscellaneous leftovers needed to complete a job, odds and ends for service-call electricians, parts and pieces picked up by DIY homeowners. But a counter’s reach can go far beyond that small percentage of sales currently shown on the company’s financial ledger: A counter can become a goodwill ambassador for an entire operation. The American psychologist Abraham Maslow said one of the most important social needs of a human being is the need to belong. Through its counter, an electrical distributorship can become a gathering place for a community of electricians to form; and it all begins with a few simple steps: 1. Make everyone a greeter. Obviously, most distributorships don’t budget for professional greeters, so make it everyone’s job. Explain that any employee in the counter area is to greet customers, and ask if someone is helping them. If an employee hasn’t trained to work at the counter, he or she should simply tell customers that someone will be with them soon. For example, a warehouseperson filling an order should look up from his or her clipboard, make eye contact with the customer, and greet and assure that person that help is on the way. 2. Watch the language. Most people have never received training on proper ways to greet customers. As a result, most of the time what comes across is an abrupt “Whacha’ need?” or “Help you?”, as if it’s too much trouble to get out a whole sentence. And some people don’t say anything at all. They simply stand there and wait for the customer to speak. Although it’s not necessary to follow a script, the way a statement is phrased can mean the difference between seeming bothered and disinterested and being friendly and helpful. For instance, “How may I help you?” has a couple of implications: It indicates a willingness to help and shows confidence in the speaker’s ability to help. Of course, always offer a casual greeting first, such as “Hey” or “Yo” or whatever is customary to the region. And always, when possible, address customers by name. 3. Say goodbye. The goodbye is just as important as the greeting. Gratitude should be expressed at the close of every business transaction. “We appreciate your business,” is always appropriate. Again, there is no need to follow a script; the main thing is to show sincerity. 4. Un-curb the enthusiasm. The previous steps won’t matter if this one thing isn’t done right. Imagine that a good friend walked in. Chances are you would act glad to see him. Enthused, even. Now, take that imaginary enthusiasm and apply it to each customer who walks through the door—and don’t worry that it will come across as “too much.” Many people become so restrained in their behavior that they seem bored and lifeless. Showing enthusiasm tells the customer that his or her business is important. The smart distributor understands that continued success doesn’t hinge on a single business point-of-contact. Rather it relies upon a collection of all of the connections between distributor and customer. The counter can deepen the relationship between a company and its clientele—or it can destroy the relationship altogether. By the way, the name of the “electrician” in the story at the beginning of this article is Josh Coleman. He is the owner of Coleman Electric, the third largest electrical contractor in our market. The distributorship that “didn’t open until 7:30” lost more than “table scraps.” That company lost millions of dollars worth of jobs— business that Coleman handed to us. You see, we just happened to be the distributorship he drove to next that morning.

Are Your Customers Invisible?

An electrician walks through the door of a distributorship. It’s 7:20 a.m. Behind the counter an employee is reading a newspaper —seemingly oblivious to the chime that sounded when the door opened. The electrician clears his throat, loudly, and gets no response. “Excuse me,” he says after several seconds, “I need some material.” The paper doesn’t drop. No head peeks over the top. Only a voice replies, “We don’t open until 7:30.” Too stunned to even respond, the electrician turns around, walks back to his truck, vows never to return, and drives to the next distributorship. This is a true story. The electrician that it happened to lived up to his vow, and never bought anything else from that distributorship. No one likes being ignored. Common sense tells us that. But don’t pretend you haven’t done it. You’re waiting on a customer, or you’re on the phone. Maybe both. Another customer walks in. You could say, “Come on in. We’ll be right with you.” Even if you’re on the phone, you could nod and acknowledge the customer’s presence. But you don’t. You avoid eye contact, fearing you may be asked a question (and then you’d have one more thing to do). You don’t mean to be rude, it’s just that, well, you’re busy. Or you’re an outside salesperson and you hurriedly cut through the counter area. Customers are three-deep waiting in line. Both countermen are in the warehouse filling orders. You haven’t got time. There’s a job that bids at 2:00 p.m.—it’s worth $500,000 while this counter stuff is nickel-and-dime. You pick up the pace and rush by the customers. You don’t mean to be rude, it’s just that, well, you have to prioritize. It’s time to rethink the relationship between the sales counter and customers. For many distributors, the counter is an afterthought, just a place that serves up the “table scraps”— miscellaneous leftovers needed to complete a job, odds and ends for service-call electricians, parts and pieces picked up by DIY homeowners. But a counter’s reach can go far beyond that small percentage of sales currently shown on the company’s financial ledger: A counter can become a goodwill ambassador for an entire operation. The American psychologist Abraham Maslow said one of the most important social needs of a human being is the need to belong. Through its counter, an electrical distributorship can become a gathering place for a community of electricians to form; and it all begins with a few simple steps: 1. Make everyone a greeter. Obviously, most distributorships don’t budget for professional greeters, so make it everyone’s job. Explain that any employee in the counter area is to greet customers, and ask if someone is helping them. If an employee hasn’t trained to work at the counter, he or she should simply tell customers that someone will be with them soon. For example, a warehouseperson filling an order should look up from his or her clipboard, make eye contact with the customer, and greet and assure that person that help is on the way. 2. Watch the language. Most people have never received training on proper ways to greet customers. As a result, most of the time what comes across is an abrupt “Whacha’ need?” or “Help you?”, as if it’s too much trouble to get out a whole sentence. And some people don’t say anything at all. They simply stand there and wait for the customer to speak. Although it’s not necessary to follow a script, the way a statement is phrased can mean the difference between seeming bothered and disinterested and being friendly and helpful. For instance, “How may I help you?” has a couple of implications: It indicates a willingness to help and shows confidence in the speaker’s ability to help. Of course, always offer a casual greeting first, such as “Hey” or “Yo” or whatever is customary to the region. And always, when possible, address customers by name. 3. Say goodbye. The goodbye is just as important as the greeting. Gratitude should be expressed at the close of every business transaction. “We appreciate your business,” is always appropriate. Again, there is no need to follow a script; the main thing is to show sincerity. 4. Un-curb the enthusiasm. The previous steps won’t matter if this one thing isn’t done right. Imagine that a good friend walked in. Chances are you would act glad to see him. Enthused, even. Now, take that imaginary enthusiasm and apply it to each customer who walks through the door—and don’t worry that it will come across as “too much.” Many people become so restrained in their behavior that they seem bored and lifeless. Showing enthusiasm tells the customer that his or her business is important. The smart distributor understands that continued success doesn’t hinge on a single business point-of-contact. Rather it relies upon a collection of all of the connections between distributor and customer. The counter can deepen the relationship between a company and its clientele—or it can destroy the relationship altogether. By the way, the name of the “electrician” in the story at the beginning of this article is Josh Coleman. He is the owner of Coleman Electric, the third largest electrical contractor in our market. The distributorship that “didn’t open until 7:30” lost more than “table scraps.” That company lost millions of dollars worth of jobs— business that Coleman handed to us. You see, we just happened to be the distributorship he drove to next that morning.