Patrick Copell has been in the floor covering industry for 10 years. He has been to countless sales and flooring seminars and conventions. Flooring and sales are his life, and he takes great pride in helping others acheive their full potential in this business. The great thing about sales advice is that it can be used in ANY field, and in most cases can also be used in life. he was born and raised in Oregon, until recently when he moved up to Anchorage, AK. Sales knows no boundaries or temperatures. Patrick is married with 3 children. What does customer oriented mean?
It means you completely focus on the customers wants and needs only.
It's not about making the sale, and it is not about how much commission you make. Your focus is solely on the customer.
How will this make you more money?
Customers are not stupid. And you can bet that a majority of salespeople in your field are not motivated by a clients needs. They are more into the amount or profit of a sale. That will help greatly in the customer realizing that YOU are indeed focused on their needs.
Customers who work with customer oriented salespeople are more satisfied with the products and service they get. This helps you with your long term customer base.
Don't be afraid to tell a customer that the more expensive option may not be in their best interest. Unless of course it really is.
Chances are the more expensive option IS in their best interest because it's more valuable. But some people are not looking for long term value.
to be customer oriented you have to:
* Listen.
* Ask questions
* Forget about profit
* Forget about final purchase amount
* Forget commissions
* Forget about time.
* you have to WANT to help them, strictly to make them happy.
Here is the best way to practice being customer oriented.
Go to www.diychatroom.com
Register and log on.
Help people from all over the planet with their specific wants and needs. In any area you are qualified for.
You will not make commission, you will not get paid in any way. You are forced to listen and understand what they want and desire. you will sharpen your skills as if you are getting 30 customers a day. You will also see other pro's responses and maybe learn a trick or 2.
You will be doing what literally NOBODY else in your field is doing.
How many other sales people are doing this? maybe 1% tops!
If you can put 1000 hours doing this, it will make you NATURALLY customer oriented. You will notice a difference in your IN STORE presentation. After 1 year of selling customer oriented, your customer base will be the strongest it has ever been.
Give it a try. This is not something that can be tought. You will either DISCOVER you are customer oriented or not.