Dib Dib Dob: Bob-a-Job week?
Last Thursday I signed up on-line for a free seminar being run by a well-known supplier of sales automation software (let’s call them "Clothes Horse dot com" - we’re going to be on a cleaning theme). I was expecting a follow-up call at some stage as they are always very diligent.
The next day was a quiet catch-up day - I was working from home and getting lots done. I was contemplating popping into town for a caffeine treat and to get the car washed (that’s multi-tasking in my book) when the phone rings and it’s a blocked number. Here’s how the ‘conversation’ goes:
Jim: "Hello Jim Wigg"
Caller: "Hello Jim, this is Tony from Clothes Horse dot com. I'm calling to ask if you need any help."
Jim (bit bemused): "Help with what? Washing the car?"
Caller repeats: "I'm from Clothes Horse dot com!"
This call isn’t going well for Tony. Or me!
Continue reading from here
Silence for a bit then...
Jim: "...and?"
Caller: "I said I'm from Clothes Horse dot com and I'm asking if you need any help"
Jim (bit irritated): "And I said, help with what? Washing the car or something?"
The conversation continues at a pace (snail's pace)...
Caller: "I'm from Clothes Horse dot com"
Jim: "Mmmm, we don’t seem to be getting anywhere do we. What’s the reason for your call?"
Caller: "Yesterday you signed up for a seminar and I'm calling to find out if there is anything specific you'd like to get from it"
Jim: "Ah, now I get it! Well I signed up because ........".
And we’re off, finally.
Research tells us that people make decisions very quickly. In the first few seconds of a conversation your customer decides if this will be a productive call or meeting or adversely if it will be a waste of time. A bad start is extremely hard to reverse. That makes the opening bits very important, allowing the customer to ‘settle-in’ for a productive conversation rather than think you sound like a boy scout on Bob-A-Job week! Anyone remember that?
When you have an important call or meeting make sure that you:
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Can clearly state the purpose of the call or meeting to the customer:
“The reason for the meeting is to review results of the Proof of Concept and agree the plan from here to the go-live date. Is that what you would like to achieve?” - You ask an appropriate (a mix of relevant and easy to answer) first question:
“How do you feel the Proof of Concept went?”
And if the outcome you want is really important, how about running these two past a colleague to make sure they are crisp and clear?
As Lord Baden-Powell would have said “Be Prepared”. Simple stuff but such an easy way for you and your customers to get what you want.