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Your sales people can burn your business.
By The 800lb Gorilla | July 24, 2007
The hardest people to attract in the world is a paying customer. Companies large and small spend obscene amounts of money in marketing their brand products and services to the needs and wants of their target markets. They heavily invest on billboards, magazine ads, stationary, automated phone systems, screen savers, websites, door magnets, vinyl stickers, t-shirts, corporate culture concepts, graphics, celebrity endorsements, etc. just to fish the hardest people in the world. Marketing is so important to not only capture a new customer but even more important to capture a return customer. It costs six times more to market to a new customer. No matter how many business dollars a company invests to attract a paying customer a sales person, or other representative, will kill it with their lack of business sense.
Over these past two weekends, Mrs. Gorilla and myself were shopping for a fleet type pre-owned Chevy Astro Van. We went to Carmax in Davie, FL whose salesman, Claudio, was fantastic and devoted his time and expertise in assisting us with this specific purchase. He searched in his inventory database but his lot had nothing. He searched further and found one in Texas. For a $550.00 fee, his company would ship it from their Texas lot. We were not interested in paying an additional fee for a vehicle we may not like at all in person, but that was not his fault. That is his company’s liability. If Claudio had this specific Van on his lot my wife would have bought it without blinking as long as it was the one she wants with the right mileage.
No deal, but great salesman. He was in the people business. His attitude is an asset to Carmax. Claudio is a true sales servant.
Saturday, a week later, we venture to the number one brand name dealer in South Florida, Maroone of Autonation. Mike Maroone sells vehicles, and lots of them, with an annoyingly catchy Ghostbusters jingle in his commercials. We went to Maroone’s pre-owned Chevrolet dealership on Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. As soon as we stepped on the lot this sales guy, Joseph, who sounds like “Watto” from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace pops out the door to greet us.
“I just got done closing a deal just in time so I can help you,” he boasts as if he is doing us a favor meanwhile giving us very little eye contact.
My thoughts started talking, “Who cares what you just did with another customer. Who cares about anything you do except for us.” Rule number 1: No customer gives a rat’s butt about you or your company. It is only about what they want and how you can satisfy their expectations. It is about respect and service as if you are the most important person in their life at that moment. Rule number 2: Give eye contact. It shows you are interested in listening and serving. Rule number 3: Ask specific questions about the needs of the customers. Customers ARE there for a reason other than separating hard earned money from their bank accounts.
We told him specifically we are only seeking a fleet type Chevy Astro Van. It is a small lot. We were there to help ourselves anyways. He looked at us indifferent then turns away waddling through the lot and starts pointing at larger express package vans, Fords, and minivans. He never asked us for an alternative. He was taking away our experience and expectations for something he wanted to push on us. We reiterated again, ” we are only seeking a fleet type Chevy Astro Van.” And he continues pointing out to other vehicles and extended vans. He ignored us and our needs.
Nobody ignores Mr. and Mrs. 800lb Gorilla!
There is a reason why we will not purchase a bigger van. Our community does not permit residents to have extended vehicles. The parking and driveways are not big enough. We told this jerk again with that reason since he failed to ask. He persists to show us what we do not want. Joseph would sell a rare, bloody T-bone steak to a vegan even if they specifically ordered a soy patty.
He is a jerk who failed to listen, show concern for our needs and expectations, and give respect. His lack of providing a customer experience to satisfy our needs in exchange for our money failed miserably. If he has a short memory or ADD he should carry a notepad and take Vitamin B, but that was not the case. Joseph is a “me” person. If you have a “me” person in your business, or staff, you need to address this attitude or you are wasting valuable funds in marketing. A “me” person will kill your bottom line; profits!
We left and drove across the street to Maroone’s Ford lot. We were definitely not interested in talking to any sales person at that point. We were ready to fight one if they looked at us cross-eyed. This young guy, Alex, comes out and asked if he can help us. We said “no just looking.” He said okay and saw we were about to walk towards the other end of the lot which is pretty lengthy. He invited us to jump on his golf cart so we would not have to make a long walk in the hot sun. He got our attention. He saw a need just to get our attention. Hey he must care a little something about us even though we turned him down? Right?
We hopped on and had casual small talk. Then he asked what kind of vehicle we were looking for? We told him, “we are only seeking a fleet type Chevy Astro Van.” Nothing new. Same need. He says they do not have any on his lot. He asked if we checked across the street at their Chevy store. We said we did and told him about our experience with “Watto.” Alex apologized for something he did not do, but we told him it is okay since we have him as our sales guy now.
He checked the company intranet for what we wanted, and said he was going to have it for us on Monday because it had to be transported from a Miami lot. Unfortunately, we could not see it Saturday because it was locked away for the weekend in the service garage. Sounds awkward but that was okay because we are not in a rush. He said he will call us Monday when it comes in for us to check it out and test drive. Alex left a good impression on us. We left with confidence and looked forward to Monday’s phone call.
Monday comes and my wife waits for a call from Alex. She wonders what is the hold up because he did say he is going to call her when it comes in. She attempts to call him instead. They patch him to his cell phone. He was on his way to the lot and will call her back. Okay. She tells herself she can wait a little. She waits a few hours and she calls back because she wants to plan her afternoon out to see the van. They patch her to Alex’s cell again and she gets a voice mail. She hangs up. She calls again later and once again she can not reach him. She gets home and tells me her ordeal, and I call him twice and get his voice mail. No, I will not leave a message. I call back and ask for a sales manager and he patches me to Alex’s cell. Guess who answered? Alex’s voice mail.
Rule number 4: Always do what you say you are going to do. Mean what you say. Say what you mean. Always call back your customers no matter what. In my professional lending experience the top Account Executives who produced the most closed mortgages were the sales servants who always called their customers back. They always made a living from doing what they say they are going to do and never making promises they can not keep. Business is always about building relationships. Never let the customer down or you will be down and out of profits. Right now Mrs. Gorilla and myself are not going to call Maroone Ford back.
Today, my wife calls the Maroone lot in Miami which has the van. She wants to find out if that particular van was ever transported to Maroone Ford. A gentleman by the name of Robert tells her that specific Astro Van which we were waiting for never left his lot. She told him what she was promised over the weekend. He tells her since it was priced so low for the internet sale they did not want to pay for its transfer to Fort Lauderdale. Now Mrs. Gorilla is pissed because not only did Alex not call her back…he also lied!
Nobody pisses off Mrs. 800lb Gorilla!
Rule number 5: Do not lie to your customers. Be straight forward and honest. Lying is an act of treason to your bottom line. It is in the same category as stealing. If you can not do the deal then just say so. You can not pay people for their time especially when a customer is the one that is suppose to be paying you!
There is a saying that a child is suppose to be a reflection of their parents. A student is a reflection of their teacher. Is Joseph and Alex a reflection of Maroone and parent corporation, Autonation; Mike Maroone and founder Wayne Huizenga? The answer is yes. Why? Because we are the paying customer who has been robbed twice of a satisfactory customer experience and our time. We were disrespected, ignored, and lied to, and we wasted valuable time that should have went elsewhere to get what we wanted. The apple does not fall too far from the tree. They fail in the people business.
Keep in mind Mike Maroone and Wayne Huizenga are not successful because they personally did all the wrong things to customers. They got there for doing the right things with their businesses by serving people their expecations. Unfortunately, those solid business characteristics were not passed down and demonstrated by their sales people.
At this time, we are still in the market specifically seeking a fleet type Chevy Astro Van. The customer’s motto to a salesperson is always, “Somebody is going to get my money. It might as well be you. Treat me with respect.” Treat your customer with respect. Be on the level with your client. Be understanding. Demonstrate humility, character and integrity. Always, first listen before you speak.
If Claudio from Carmax was with Maroone it would have been a happy ending.
With this type of experience gives leverage why sales people can destroy your marketing investment and profits. Remember: “No matter how many business dollars your company invests to attract a paying customer, a sales person (or other representative) will kill it with their lack of business sense.”
Are you in the people business? It’s a Jungle out there, and paying customers are looking for you to get them results.
Topics: Editorial, Marketing, Misc |
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