Part II

SALES FORCE ACTIVITIES

Chapter 5:

Customer
Interaction
Management
Improvi ng Your
Cha nce s of Suc ces s
1. Build awareness
2. Get on the short list
3. Demonstrate how your proposal
meets company needs
4. Directly address decision maker’s
personal needs
5. Be prepared for “buyer remorse”
Personal Sel ling

The Selling Process

PRE- POST-
INTERACTION INTERACTION INTERACTION
Skills: Skills: Skills:
 Setting Objectives  Relating  Supporting
 Knowledge  Need discovery  Implementing
Management  Advocating  Dealing with
 Information  Closing dissatisfaction
Gathering  Enhancing the
 Rehearsal relationship
Cus tomer Interacti on

Pre-Call Planning
 What do I want to accomplish?
 What do I know about the prospect?
 Where can I find the information?
 What am I going to say?
 Customer Interaction
What is the size of the business?

What product lines do they sell and what markets do they serve?

Where, how, when, why, and by whom will the products be used?

Who are the prominent executives and other key personnel?

Who are their competitors and on what basis do they compete?

Do they have any previous experience with our company?

What are the prospects for future sales volume and what is the
upside potential?

Figure 5-2: Some Important Pre-transactional Information

Cus tomer Interacti on
Anticipate Buyer Questions
2. What are you selling?
3. Why do I need it?
4. Who is your company?
5. How much will it cost?
6. Who else is using it? Are they satisfied?
7. What kind of person are you?
8. How does your solution compare to alternatives?
9. Is price competitive?
10. Why do I need it now?
11. Your record for support & service?
Customer Interaction
Pharmaceutical Reps Run the Gauntlet
If 100 sales
reps call on
a
physician…
100 85 57 20 8
8 reps speak
to physician
and are
remembered

…15 depart …37 drop off …12 speak to

…28 drop off
office before samples at physician but
samples at
reaching samples closet are not
receptionist’
receptionist’s remembered
s desk
desk later
 Other reps  Physician  Physician  Poor

waiting unavailabl unavailable communicati

 Restricted e  Harried on
access signs physician  Harried
physician
 Message not
memorable
 Customer Interaction
 Successful Salespeople
 Research prospect
background
 Use referrals for prospecting
 Open by asking questions
 Use needs-satisfaction type
presentation
 Focus on customer needs
 Let prospect make purchase
decision
Figure 5-3: Successful Versus Less Successful Salespeople
 Less Successful
Salespeople
 Do little background
research
 Use company generated
prospect lists
 Open with a product
statement
 Use standard presentations
 Focus on product benefits
 Close by focusing on the
most important customer
objection
Cus tomer Interacti on
Means of Reducing Relationship Anxiety
PROPRIETY Show buyer respect; dress appropriately

Know your product/service;

COMPETENCE
third-party references

COMMONALITY Common interests, views, acquaintances

Reveal purpose of call, process, and

INTENT
payoff to the buyer
Cus tomer Interacti on

Task Motives
PRODUCTIVITY MONEY

More Output
Less Cost
or Quality

Less Effort More Profit

Cus tomer Interacti on

Personal Motives

Respect Power

Approval Recognition
Cus tomer Interacti on

Needs Discovery: Types of Questions

3. Permission Close-ended

4. Fact-finding Factual information

5. Feeling finding Open-ended questions

6. Checking questions Confirm understanding

 Customer Interaction
TRANSACTIONAL
RELATIONSHIPS
Practices:
 Focuses on closing sales
 Limited call planning investment
 Spends most contact time telling
account about products
 Conducts “product-specific” needs
assessment
 “Lone wolf” approach to the account
 Proposals and presentations based on
pricing and product features
 Sales follow-up is short-term, focused
on product delivery
Figure 5-6: Key Differences in Practices Between Relationships
CONSULTATIVE AND
ENTERPRISE RELATIONSHIPS
Practices:
 Focuses on customer’s bottom line
 Considers call planning a top priority
 Spends most contact time attempting to
build a problem-solving environment
 Conducts discovery in the full scope of
the account’s operations
 Team approach to the account
 Proposals and presentations based on
profit-impact and on strategic benefits.
 Sales follow-up is long-term, focused
on long-term relationship enhancement
Cus tomer Interacti on
Sales Proposals – General Format
 Problem Analysis
 Solution
 Product Specifications
 Cost-benefit Analysis
 Contract
 Cus tomer Interacti on

Handling Concerns
Listen to the buyers feelings

Share concerns without judgment

Clarify real issue with questions

Problem-solve present options and solutions

Ask for ACTION to determine commitmen

Cus tomer Interacti on

Pseudo-Concerns

“I’ll have to talk it over with Frank.”

“I’ll get back to you.”
“I’m too busy right now.”
“Our budget is tight this year.”
“We have no room to store it.”
Cust omer Interacti on
Closing Techniques
IMPORTANCE BY PRODUCT
Selling
Technique Industrial Consumer
 Ask for the order in a straight-
Direct forward manner
1 1

 Summarize the benefits already

Summary covered in the presentation
2 2

Single  Asks for the order if last

obstacle is overcome
3 4
Objection
 Assume readiness to buy and
Assumption focus on the transaction details
4 2

Choice  Focus on version to be ordered 5 5

Customer Interaction
31% Most Profitable Return
Top 3 Rankings for Growth
Rated Very Important to Growth
63%
11%
16%
8%
3%
32%
87% 22% 26% 34%

62% 59% 58% 49%

Quality of Product Information Advertising Development

service to improvement technology and sales of entirely
customers s or promotion new product
extensions lines
Figure 5-7 : The Role of Customer Service
Customer Interaction

Sales Support

Support Manage
Deal Enhance
the the
with the
Buying implementatio
dissatisfaction Relationship
Decision n

Figure 5-8: Servicing the Sale: The Four Pillars of Sales

Support
Cus tomer Interacti on
Pillars of Sales Support
Support Buying Decision  Reduce buyer anxiety
 Make a follow-up call
 Ask for feedback

Manage the Implementation

 Assist w/ approval process
 Introduce support resources
 Monitor & report progress
Cus tomer Interacti on
Pillars of Sales Support
Deal with Dissatisfaction Empathize with the buyer

 Respond to problems –
use objection handling
techniques

 Anticipate buyer concerns

and expectations

 Reinforce the Benefits

Cus tomer Interacti on
Pillars of Sales Support
Enhance the Relationship
 Be available  Be a resource for info,
help and ideas
 Arrange continued
personal  Grow the business internally
communications
 Ask for referrals
 Maintain quality of
products/services

 Provide ongoing updates

and progress reports
Customer Interaction

Ways to Anger Customers

 Constant Selling
 Neglecting Customer Problems
 Talking Too Much
 Stretching the Truth
 No Thank-Yous