|
|
The
next time you deal with a difficult customer, ask yourself this question:
"Is the time I'm spending with this customer taking time away from
others who need me more?" If the answer is "yes," then it's
time to cut your losses and walk away. So the next time your first thought
is "The customer is always right," stop and ask yourself this
instead: Is this customer right for me? Here are some ways to make that
decision:
-
Know
when to walk away. Persistence in selling should add value. But if
you've tried again and again to reach a prospect who just doesn't
understand your product or service, who doesn't see its value, or with
whom you can't establish a connection, it may be time to walk away.
-
Follow
the 80/20 rule. Take stock of your customers. Which ones give you the
most business? Which give you the most headaches? How much time are you
spending with each? Eighty percent of your business comes from 20
percent of your customers, so focus on those customers that have the
highest potential to increase your bottom line.
-
Ask
the difficult questions. Too many salespeople are "stuck" with
problem customers because they don't ask the hard questions. They get
sucked into a long, drawn-out sales process because they have never
asked, "Is there anyone else besides yourself who is involved in
making this decision?" or "What's our next step?" or
"What do we need to do to get a decision by the end of this
month?" They're afraid of rejection and objections. But getting an
objection is often the only way to truly understand how the customer is
thinking and get the sale back on track-or to realize that this track is
not the right one for you or your customer to follow.
|
