|
MAKE IT RIGHT!
"Take The Stick"
Dan, I have a question for you. I have just been given a new key account. A key client at that account just sent this email to me:
"We purchased our system from you two years ago. It has been completely ineffective and all efforts I have made to get someone to fix the problem have failed. Communications with your company have not been returned and the system has been shut down for the past month. Based on this failure, I have no interest whatsoever in purchasing any additional products from your company to help run our operations."
What is the best way to respond to a situation like this?
Margaret
Portland, OR
Margaret:
Ouch! That has to hurt!
Here is what I find especially unacceptable:
- "... all efforts I have made to get someone to fix the problem have failed."
- Communications with your company have not been returned..."
But, no worries. Turning folks like this into great customers is exactly what superstars do. You can do it!
Real stars yearn for customers with problems and challenges. Here is where they can shine! Any rep can sell ice to satisfied Eskimos. But when presented with the challenge of dissatisfied customers, superstars can prove their mettle by turning everything around.
Here is what I suggest for a recipe for success. You will need some ingredients in order to begin.
- Knowledge of the background of this account and the specifics of this issue
- Help from your senior executive team
- Knowledge of the Trust Triangle™
- Knowledge of the "Take The Stick" approach to dealing with customer challenges
- Time
- Energy and Drive
- Empathy
The Recipe:
1. Do your research on the problem. If you do not fully understand exactly what happened, you cannot begin to investigate solutions.
Remember this key quote:
"More trust is gained through problem definition than is gained by offering the solution." - Unknown.
Talk to as many people in your company and their company as you can. Here are some of the key questions you must address:
- Is the customer acting rationally?
- What position in the company does your customer hold?
- Would a group of your customer's peers all agree that the customer has a point? If yes, you have a big problem. If no, then your strategy would be to rally others who are at a higher level in the account to recognize the problem and agree with your position.
2. Review the challenge with your senior management to determine if they are willing to deploy the resources necessary to "make it right". If yes, go to #3 below. If not, go to #4 below.
3. Assuming your management team wants to solve this issue, set up a meeting with the client. The sole purpose of the meeting is to uncover ways for you to "make it right". If your client won't meet with you, consider going over her head to her manager. What have you got to lose? Use the "take the stick" problem- solving approach (Building Trust, Growing Sales: Chapter 4 p.96). This approach dictates that rather than let the customer tell you how bad you are (and metaphorically take a stick and beat you on the head), YOU take the stick away from them and hit yourself. That is, you tell the customer exactly what she would tell you. You review, with tremendous empathy, exactly what your company did to cause the customer pain and exactly how you plan to solve the problem. This approach allows you to control the situation and gain trust. Do not even think of trying to sell her anything until you have gained her trust (Trust Triangle). I cannot emphasize this key point enough. If she happens to bring up future business, don't go there! Simply state, "Until we have proven to you that we have addressed your current challenges to your 110% level of satisfaction, my view is that we have not earned the right to discuss any additional business with you. Let's keep all of our attention and resources on solving this challenge."
4. If your management team does not want to dedicate resources to solving a key customer problem, do not continue to waste your time with this account. You do not have trust with the customer and never will without corporate reinforcement. Solving a problem this big will require resources beyond your control. Consider looking for another job. You may be working for a company that does not value customer service and support. This may be a harbinger of things to come.
Margaret, I know this mountain you are trying climb seems impossible. Do your research and gather support from your senior executives. You will turn this account around and will prove to your customer that you are a superstar! Good Luck, and Close 'Em!
P.S. For Dan's previous TTS Newsletters click
HERE.
P.S.S. Be sure to visit www.salesstrategizer.com for the new Sales Strategizer-Pro iPhone app. The Sales Strategizer-Pro offers the following unique benefits to sales managers and representatives:
- Analyzes data input to provide intelligence in the form of recommendations for the proper major account sales strategy (strategies) to employ
- Consolidates user inputs to illustrate the chances of winning with an indicator gauge and digital readout
- Submits "red flag" coaching feedback with action items to improve chances of winning
- Coaches and explains why inputs are critical by providing hyperlinks in each question
- Presents a simple and concise summary report to facilitate coaching & major account review
- Provides summary report e-mail capability for sharing and printing
- Creates a database to store account Strategizer results for subsequent updates and modifications
|
