The Unwanted Walk-in Customer

This is a true story, and certain particulars have been left out to protect the ignorant.  It was a slow day in a business I was managing.  The sales reps weren't having much luck on the phones and the walk-in customers lately had been non existent.  Then into the parking lot pulls a 77 Plymouth Volare Wagon.  Even new these cars were some of the ugliest vehicles to ever darken a driveway, but this one was even worse.  By that time it was over twenty years old, rusted, dented, and it was smoking so bad that when the car stopped it disappeared in its own cloud.  Below is a photo of what this thing looked like.  Keep in mind though that the one in the photo is much better looking than the heap that uglied up our parking lot. 
 

 Once the smoke cleared I noticed two adults in front and three young children in the back.  A short man with a bushy grey beard and a floppy hat got out of the car.  He wore a t-shirt with coffee stains down the front and of course black socks and sandals.  Immediately I thought that another tourist got lost and needed directions and the woman and kids needed the toilet.  As he made his way to the front door I saw that all the other salespeople had also seen what was now coming their way and some made themselves look busy while others ran to the break room for coffee. Including the sales rep whose turn it was to get the next walk-in customer.  The last thing she wanted to do was waste her walk-in turn on this guy.  Well the man opened the door walked in and stood in the lobby waiting for someone to help him.  I motioned to one of the reps that was still around to go talk to the guy.  My rep walked up to him and said "Sir, the bathroom is just to the right and down the hall" He said "Thanks, but I need to talk to somebody."  Reluctantly my rep brought him into his office and shut the door.  Meanwhile all the other reps filtered back from coffee having dodged the bullet of dealing with the disheveled man.  Then as I thought, the young women and kids came in looking for the toilet and when they were done, waited for grandpa in the lobby.  As the minutes ticked on we could only imagine what the heck was going on in the office.  Certainly this couldn't be a buying customer.  Our customers dressed nice and drove luxury cars.  Altogether they were in the office about an hour when they stood up shook hands and the man left with the woman and children in their beater car.  Nobody could wait to hear what had gone on with the supposed lower class time waster.  That's when the rep made the biggest grin I'd ever seen on any one's face.    The rep still smiling pulled out the clients check and order form.  He said, "that man, with no taste in cars or clothes has just retired from forty years of practicing medicine and he just moved here with his wife and kids."  By this time everyone was just starting to kick themselves when he announced, "And with what he just purchased my take home commission will be exactly ten thousand dollars."  That's the day when we all relearned the old cliche to never judge a book by it's cover.  It was a hard lesson and after that I never had a rep that wasn't eager help the next person who walked through our door no matter what they looked like. 

What Do You Know About Your Customers' Business?

Dale's company had been selling a mechanical part to a company for about a year.  Dale had been responsible for getting the original order.  One day, checking his company's production schedule, Dale discovered that the customer's volume of orders on this part had increased dramatically.   He realized immediately that it might mean one of two things: 1. the parts had been ordered in error, or 2. the parts were being used in another application, in which case additional tooling would surely be required.  Making a call to the customer, he found that the part was to be used on several new models, but that the need for additional tooling had been completely overlooked.  Needless to say, the customer was exceedingly grateful.  It pays, says Dale, to know as much as possible about your customers' business and be as helpful as you can. 

Are You Getting All The Business You Can From Your Current Customers?

Some of the best prospects for new business are your present customers.  When people have bought one product from you, it's easier to interest them in the rest of your line.  You've already sold them on your company, your service, and yourself.  Are you sure that all your customers are buying as much from you as they possibly can?  Have you reviewed their total needs and compared them with your full line of products?  Smart salespeople do this automatically when they sell a new prospect.  And they do it again at regular intervals.  Customer needs change, and the only way to be sure you're not missing new business is to check periodically.  It's a lot easier to get more business when your foot is already in the door.  But it doesn't come automatically, you have to ask for it.  Sometimes customers may come to you for additional needs.  On the other hand, if you don't mention it frequently, it may not even occur to them.  The only way to be sure you're getting all the business you possibly can from everyone of your customers is to keep abreast of their business.  The more you know about their operations,  the better you'll be able you'll be able to see how your product or services fit in.  Keep the communications lines to you customers open and active.  Show an interest in their profit and growth.  If you do, they'll be more likely to share future plans with you.  If you sell to one department, or through one person at the company, ask them to refer you to others in the company who might be interested in your products.  Use the good opinion of your present buyer to help forge contacts in other departments and divisions.  Most important,  keep your whole product line as visible as possible.  Don't expect customers to remember what you carry.  Periodically remind them, and let them know about additions, whether or not they may need them at the moment. Tomorrow they may be looking for that very item.  Make sure they buy it form you.  It takes a lot of time and effort to develop new customers.  Why not make the most of the potential new business right in your own backyard?

How Well Do You Know Your Competition?

When Chuck was a copier salesman, his company brought out a new high speed machine with many extra features.  It was also considerably more expensive.  Chuck installed the new machine on an approval basis with a customer who had been using their old machine but whose requirements had increased greatly.  The added features seemed to more than justify the higher price, so he was surprised, when he phoned a few days later only to be told  that the customer had decided to purchase a competitive model.  Chuck said he would be right over.  It occurred to him, however, that he didn't know anything about the competitive model the customer had mentioned.  So he stopped in the competitors showroom and studied the various features of the machine while they demonstrated it.  This enabled him, when he reached his customers place of business, to make an exact comparison of the two machines and show why his was much better suited to the customers needs and well worth the added cost.  The client agreed and signed the order then and there.  It pays says Chuck, not merely to know what you are talking about, but to know what your competitor is talking about as well.