Impatient Customers

Paul Staub

ok all you sales guys help me out. What is the best way to gain control of a call where the customer will not listen to your presentation and keeps demanding a price?

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-Paul

Floorwizard

can you be more specific?

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Don Benham

Hang up. They're price shopping and probably not wortht he trouble.

Don

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Benham Flooring
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Look, I know the voices in my head aren't real, it's just that lately they've had some really good points.

Teetorbilt

Take your price and add 50%. They will hang up or ask why you're so high. One way you're rid of an obnoxious cheapskate and the other, you can complete your presentation and give a real price.

Glasshousebltr

Ask him if he has any daughters, then if he does ask him if he has a pool.

Works every time.

Bob

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Bob

Paul Staub

im sorry, I meant a sales call not a phone call . My last customer greeted me on the front step, and before I could say hello he said, "give me a bottom line price on just this window", pointing to the one next to the door. he said that the price on that window would give him an idea of how much it would be, so he could compare prices.

I eventually talked him into seeing my presentation, however whenever I got done explaining a benefit hed ask for the bottom line. He mustve asked 10 times during the presentation and probably was not listening to what I said.

I know this is probably not a customer I even want to deal with but there has got to be some way of taking control.

Looking back on it I guess I should have tried to change the subject away from windows in order to get his mind off of the project for a minute and give me a chance at taking control.

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-Paul

Mike Finley

I really like those kind of customers, and I'm not being sarcastic either.

Think about it - what is your sales presentation? It is a qualifying process of finding out what the customers needs are and how you can fullfil them, right?

When a guys starts off hammering you wanting a price on something what is he doing other than getting right to the meat of your sales presentation?

All you do is turn it around on him and get going to the meat. When somebody says something like what he did I would tell him "$10.00?" and shrug my shoulders, pause and then say "$1000.00" and shrug my shoulders and look at him and wait for the stuttering and stamering to start.

Then just go into your normal presentation, you explain that windows or whatever product you are selling come in all varieties of quality and prices, every job is different and every customers needs are different, then start asking him qualifying questions that you normally would to determine a customers needs. "Are you interested in vinyl, wood, ect?" within a few moments you will ask him questions that he doesn't know the answers to, if you haven't then keep asking him and get more and more specific, ridiculously specific if you have to, until he can't answer you, at that point he is back where you wanted to be in the first place which is allowing you to do your presentation to determine his needs.

Don't let a customer like that get you off your game, it is just a hicup in the presentation, when you turn it around on him by making him realize very quickly that it is impossible to give you a price without first discussing his needs you are just back where you wanted to be in the first place within a few short moments.

A customer like that is a buyer, you have already eliminated the chance of him being a looker, you just have to sell him on your product. I would rather talk to a guy like that then somebody just starting to look into the process any day.

Teetorbilt

Mike said it pretty well. Watch their eyes, when you start to see them shift, they are losing interest. Hit them immediately with 'How much do you have budgeted?' or 'What figure did you have in mind?'. They will have to respond, then elaborate on what is in their price range. From there you can give them upgrade options.

Grumpy

I'd have said: "Sir this window can range between $100 and $2,000. Let me take a measurement and then we can discuss your options." Another alternative would be: "Well I can't answer that until we discuss features, since the features will determine the price."

I'd also have said: "Is lowest price going to be your deciding factor?" he will say yes. then I will say "Well let me explain to you why lowest price might not be the best way to choose a contractor..."

Being flexible is a must. Tailoring your approach to each customer is a must. This is not possible with a canned sales presentation.

Paul did you give him the WHOLE presentation? Heat lamp and everything?

Grumpy

BTW if he said "$100, sold!" Then you get to say, "Ok great! All you have to do is: take a measurement of the opening, go to the store, buy the window, bring it home, install it, cap the window frame and clean up the job site.

When he's been silenced you might also want to say:

"Oh your going to need to rent a metal break and buy some aluminum coil. Don't forget the caulk, insulation and trim nails."

Hey, afterall ya didn't lie the window is about $100 bucks off the shelf at Home Depot or Lowes or any of the bog box stores, for their cheapest crappiest window. He asked what the window costed and you told him

Grumpy

I've written out a two hour sales presentation for each of the services I offer. I then have squeezed that into 15 minutes. Why? Each customer finds different aspects of the product or service important. Each customer will ask different questions.

Windows for example... some people can care less about architecturally coved exteriors. I will say this window has an architecturally coved exterior and move onto the next feature of the window. As I move on I watch the customer for body language. If I see them interested in what I am saying, or even more obvious if they ask a question, I can go into as great detail as the customer needs to know... I only focus on the features of each product that are important to the customer infront of me.

This is easy to do when you have a husband and wife too... it's hard when youa re giving a presentation to a group of people, such as condominium board members. That's when you might consider the canned approach this way your presentation will appeal to everyone.

Floorwizard

Grumpy, I am always impressed with you sales and marketing advice. You really hit the button on many topics that deal with this.
This question is fantastic.
An even better question may be a more open endind question such as
"what is going to be your deciding factor?"
That way you get more info with your question.

These kind of questions help you stop "assuming" what the customer wants, and you actually find out exactly what the customer wants.
Great info!

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Grumpy

I agree about not assuming what the cusotmer wants and typically I would ask open ended question but this case was obvious the guy had his defenses way up and was very concerned with the price.

Grumpy

LOL that reminded me of a true story about finding out what the customer really wants... LOL

A few years ago I ran an estimate for a roof. The house was across the street from a large park. I asked the customer what his concerns were. I asked him what he wanted. I asked him how he would be making his final decision.

It was obvious to me the guy wanted a roof that could with stand hard winds, that's what he kept insisting he wanted. As always I showed him multiple types of roofing. I told him this is 60mph and this is 80 mph. He INSISTED he wanted the 80. I told him we can acheive higher wind resistances by nailing 6 nails instead of 4. He insisted that he wanted 6 nails.

Two weeks later I spoke with him he said he went with someone cheaper. When I probed for info he ended up going with the 60 mph 4 nailed. I asked him why he changed his mind and he said he decided it didn't matter when he saw the cost difference. LOL Read that one wrong.

I learned from that though. Now in situations like that I will give a base price for something like the 60mph and 4 nailed and give an optional upgrade, so the customer can see the cost difference.

Floorwizard

Another thing is, it may be that the customer really does not know what they want even when they think they do.
Case in point:

A client walks in and says they want a new floor.

Me: What is the most important feature you want from your new floor"
them: "Durability"

well, I could just sell them tile and be done with it, untill they call me 1 year later with a doctors bill for worn ligaments on their bones, and a bill for broken dishes

Actually, I need to ask more open ended questions to further "vote flooring off the island"

me: "what do you think of ceramic tile"

them: " I am not sure, tell me about it"

me: well it's durable like you want, but it can be cold and hard for some folks"
them: well that's out, what's next?"

me: what are your thought on laminate flooring?"

them: " my friends have it, and they like it...is this the answer?"

me: " it may be, but there can be issues with water affecting it...who will be living on this floor?"

them: "My husband and I, 2 teenagers, and 2 big dogs"

Me: " Well it seems you will have some control over the flooring, but you may still run into issues with water that sheet vinyl will solve for the most part. But there is no sheet vinyl that can have the durability of laminate. So we need to determine if you can be happy with laminate"

Them: "what do we need to do?"

Me: Be aware that longstanding water will affect the laminate. If you spill something, then clean it up. Try to keep the dog's water off the lam floor, just in case the dogs slop it all over while you are gone. Use the right mop and cleaners and you should not have any major issues"

Them: "I can do that....let's sign up "
(in a perfect world)


Most customers do not actually have a clue what they really want, unless they have lived on it for a long period of time.
Alot of salespeople "assume" based on a couple questions that they know exactly what the clients want, but they may not get them into EXACTLY what would work best.
Everything is a give n take. EVERYTHING.
Salespeople need to understand that starting your customers objections for them will result in more satisfied customers down the road.


Depends is not just an adult diaper..it's also a great way to make sure the client knows that the salesperson needs more info to be sure a choice is the best for them.

"is laminate the best floor for me"? Depends
"Is vinyl what I want?" Depends
"Will tile be my answer?" Depends


sell em laminate - they hate the moisture issue
Sell em tile - they hate the hardness
Sell em vinyl - It dents to easily
Sell em wood - dents too much

80% of products failures are do to install, and customers too high of expectations or miseducation.


Sorry to rant...I am making something that deals with this subject for the other site for DIYers.

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"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Grumpy

Asking questions gives you a real good feel, but I learned from my previos mistake. I don't LATCH onto what the customer has to say quite as much. They say they want 3 tabs? I'm going to show them 3 tabs and architectural shingles. I need to make sure they know I offer both. At the same time I still let the customer's own questions be my guide for my presentation.

Paul Staub

everyone thanks for the advice :Thumbs:

Grumpy: I rarely go through my whole presentation, it is easy to see what the hot buttons are after asking a lot of open ended questions. I learned early on that canned pitches lead to a lot of watch-looking, and finger-tapping. I just hate it when someone tries to sell me while im in their house trying to sell them.

I agree that a lot of customers "think" they know what they want, but are severely miseducated on the subject. Many customers assume that they want the middle grade window even if they have enough money budgeted for triple pane windows.

Also does anyone ever use a take-away technique to handle that situation?
for example:
Them: Whats your bottom line

Me: what did you have budgeted for the job?

Them: $200 per window or lowest offer

Me: If thats the case we're probably not the right company for you. Have a nice day.

Them: no hold on let me see what you have.

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-Paul

Glasshousebltr

OH! that take away technique, I was thinking more along the lines of "write the check or I'll take your wife".

Bob

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Bob

Paul Staub

Unfortunately most of my customer's wives are too old for me (I'm 24).
I'd have to modify it to "write the check or ill take your car".

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-Paul

Teetorbilt

Bob,
I'd give you ol'#2 and it's a win-win situation for me. LOL