It happens. I was nervously preparing a speech to my church, (for BOTH services, 2500 members or so) and as you might guess, I’m “just a tad behind” getting ready. I decide to take a shower at the last possible second, since its considered bad form to reek at the lectern. Then, since I have remarkably sensitive powers of discernment, I notice….
NO HOT WATER!
That’s right. Go ahead and laugh. I took a shower that would give a Penguin hypothermia. As a result, I complete the entire cleansing process in 2.8 seconds. Possibly God’s way of making sure I wasn’t late.
Anyway, the water heater was in the home when we moved, 11 years ago. Figured it’d be “on the list” soon enough. We did the roof three years ago (no, I don’t remember by whom, haven’t heard back) and paint the next summer. (I referred him ONE $11,000 job, never acknowledged, never got re-contacted. Oh well. Guess I can’t remember him to refer for the neighbors across the street.) Since we’re now contemplating a kitchen remodel, the water heater must’ve gotten jealous.
When I swung open the basement door, I though I heard, “FIX ME, FIX ME! I’m gross and underappreciated!” in a rusty little voice. So by golly, we did. Called the plumbing company that also does our heating and air. Things went downhill from there.
The rest of this story might be a tiny bit painful. Please know I don’t do individual consulting any more (except for Platinum members) but thought you might find this valuable. Also realize that most homeowners would just be happy to get hot water again. They’re not even THINKING of telling you where they might be “sellable”. This story reveals the other side of the sale...
The answering service on Sunday had no idea who I was. Understandable actually. Told her everything again. Tech calls me back. “HAY!” he says at Volume 12 “CAIN’T GIT THERE FOR TWO HEURRS.” Understood. What he lacked in couth he made up for in conversational economy. He said he was busy, but his timing bore a remarkable resemblance to the NASCAR race. Ten minutes after the final lap, the doorbell rang.
“HAY! I’M RONNIE WITH
He did a good job telling me of his “trip charge” for a Sunday visit. Understood. Said it had gone up from $69 to $80 recently due to fuel prices. However, my wife promptly pointed out that fuel prices had “dropped dramatically… so was the trip charge going back down?” For the first time in our 87 year marriage (rounding up), I actually gave her “the look”.
I gave Ronnie an out by complacently saying, “It’s a moving average, so…” but Ronnie interrupted, feeling compelled to defend it anyway.
For 5 minutes he discussed the $11 rise. He told of customers who were mad about it, didn’t understand it, and the problems the CSRs were having with explaining it. Frankly, this sounded more like “their” problem than mine, so guess who wasn’t interested?
Sales mistake: Ronnie forgot that my “real” problem was no hot water. NEVER confuse your customer’s problem for a reason to vent your own or to create a problem that clearly wasn’t. It got worse.
Ronnie and I ventured indoors, he stopped. “HAY! I GOTTA PUT ON THESE!” Sorry. He put on his Shoe Covers, but instead of “GOTTA” he should’ve said, “At
Small Sales Infraction: “Justify” your behavior, habits, and practices as your “difference” on every opportunity. Otherwise, is it a burden… or branding?
As we walked toward the Neolithic Water Heater, just past the dinosaur bones, I pointed to my sump pump, which had worked overtime scavenging the water produced by the erupting heater. “HAY!” I said just to get him back, “After you finish with the water heater, my sump pump is very erratic. Works when it feels like it.”
“Will do” Ronnie said as he fondled the water heater. “OH man, this is gonna be a problem…” and his voice trailed off. I left the basement, Ronnie, and the heater to work things out.
Eventually, Ronnie tells me he “can’t” get a gas water heater down there like I had. Said the last plumber fouled things up. Said it was too dangerous, code wouldn’t let him, plus if he did (though he’d already said he “couldn’t”) he’d have to move it way away, run more gas lines, lots of cost. Recommended full electric, but said there was another option for “instant” hot water, no tank, a bit more cost. Would get us the estimate on both. Stop right there.
Two sales mistakes: Told me everything he couldn’t do, compounded this with “bad history”. Sometimes this is done to support the upsell, but in this case, he told me what a mess things were, how the last plumber was an idiot, “code violator”, etc. Failed to mention why his company had stood inches from this area repairing a sink drain, but never mentioned my water heater was a Saturn V rocket, spewing Carbon Monoxide.
Ronnie had unwittingly entered the Serious Risk Zone: What if I had put the water heater in? Or my beloved, well-meaning, but now-deceased relative? Or an ill-guided representative from this company? Is Ronnie psychic, or just regularly prone to insert shoe cover in overly loud mouth? A brief detour…
In top automotive sales-training curriculum, you NEVER say or agree that the clapped out trade-in is “junk” even if the owner uses that word. You are to say, “Well, you’ve certainly extracted lots of miles out of that one…” or “You must be pretty good with maintenance to have nursed it this long” but you NEVER agree or suggest that it’s junk, or that “their mechanic” must be an idiot. Same thing here. It gains nothing.
Ronnie tells us he can’t finish the job that day, but has shut things off to be safe, which we appreciate. Says his supervisor will get with us early Monday to report and suggest. He does. Says to remove the old one (a job and a half) and install a new 50 gallon “low boy” all electric heater will be $850.
Two more mistakes: First, the “exact” number of $850 is too round, imprecise. Prices weren’t broken down. Since I don’t browse the water heather section often, how am I to know if or how this compares? Is the labor $50? Or $500?
Second is worse: Fails to quote us the “other” option that my wife was honestly interested in. We then would’ve had comparative value instead of mild sticker shock, and actually gotten to choose. In terms of the kitchen remodel we’re planning, this might’ve been worthy. Did he ask? Too late now. Ronnie needs to cancel his Psychic Friends membership.
Though very shaky in his sales presentation, we half-reluctantly bought from the company. (A lesson in there by the way. They mail us several times a year, call us for reminders, thank you’s, treat us very well on the HVAC side, and have an “agreement” with them. I’d call myself a “tentative” customer on this side. We’ll see.)
Would others have done so? Overlooked the missteps? Checked around? Bought more if asked?
Epilogue: Those of you convinced the economy is solely to blame for hurting sales; look inside to see if a little training investment mightn’t be well spent. Anyone in touch with customers needs it. (Hint: your CSRs commit even more sales infractions.)
If you think this is the “end” of the story because it was the “end” of the sale, then you’re definitely a candidate for improvement. Why?
Because some who were reading closely figured out that Ronnie also missed three, rock-solid, nearly guaranteed sales. But he didn’t even try. Send me your answers here: askadams@hudsonink.com
Questions:
- How can you raise your average transaction size on every call, starting now?
- Do you believe that great Customer Service Skills also sell?If so, what are you doing about it? (If not, please hand the reins of management to someone else, immediately.)
- What are you doing to be remembered and referred that is different from “all the others”?
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