In regards to business, many refer to RELIABILITY as something that is only applicable after the sale is closed. The following are common ways people think of RELIABILITY.
Product/service reliability – Customer support – Training – Product/service updates – Product durability
While these are things often attributed to reliable companies, in B2B selling, a reliable sales person is often the difference that helps your company sell more. Demonstrating RELIABILITY by doing the little things superbly from the very first sales call onwards is critical to getting that first win and the ever-important repeat business.
What are the little things that earn sales people their RELIABILITY check early in the sales process?
- Respond to emails in a timely fashion even when you don’t have a response. Customers are certain to ask questions you do not know the answer to. Don’t wait until you have the answer before getting back to them. A quick, “Thanks for your email. Let me research your question and get back to you with a complete answer within 48 hours.” With this reply, you’re letting the customer know you heard them; you’re taking immediate action and allowing them to plan for when you’ll get them the answer.
- Always be on time for meetings. I had a football coach who used to say, “If you aren’t five minutes early you’re late.” We had to run laps if we weren’t suited up and on the field, five minutes before practice started. While I’ve never had a customer make me run laps, I’ve had them make me wait long enough to make it clear they weren’t happy with me being late.
- Own up to mistakes right away. Customers are people too, and people generally understand if you proactively identify and correct your mistakes before anything bad happens. In fact, customers are even more forgiving when you note mistakes before they recognize the error. It says you are accountable and that you are prioritizing the customer’s success.
- Be there when the customer is unhappy with you. This is a close cousin to owning up to mistakes. Customers, like any person, sometimes want to air their concerns with you. Never shy away from this opportunity. Customers are often the most clear and honest when they are unhappy or angry. Showing good, responsive listening skills, when the customer is unhappy can be the best proof of reliability to demanding customers.
- Show up when things don’t go your way. Whether you sell for a big corporation or a small start-up, a lost sale is simply a current opportunity that becomes a future opportunity. If you disappear upon losing the sale, then that opportunity is likely lost forever. At minimum, you might get ideas from the customer on how to improve, but it’s important that you let them lead that discussion to ensure they want to talk. At maximum, you want to emphasize your RELIABILITY in the event they decide to look elsewhere, in the future, to address their needs.
Demonstrate RELIABILITY always; You will sell more… always.
©2014 Rick Wong – The Five Abilities® LLC
