Are You a Sales Doctor or Sales Dealer?
I recently reviewed a report on industry-wide mystery shopping. What I learned was both surprising and unsettling.
In most cases, the shopper visited a sales center several times in order to assess the level of attention, follow-up, and customer service they would receive.
Here are a few of the findings:
- Shoppers typically received a full marketing package, often more than once, before being asked any questions about their current motives, needs and desires.
- Over half of the sales representatives made price and pressure techniques the focus of their presentation.
- Rarely did the sales representative ask any thought-clarifying questions during their presentation.
These results must be a wake-up call for those of us in the home sales industry.
How can we provide our clients with excellent service if we haven’t determined or diagnosed their needs?
Allow me to make an analogy to a different industry.
Imagine you are suffering from a stomach pain and set an appointment with
the doctor. Which of the following doctors would you trust?
- Upon sharing that you have stomach pain, the doctor says, ‘Here’s all the medication I offer for stomach problems. Which one do you want? Come back if you need more.’
- You meet with the doctor and he/she asks, ‘How long have you felt the pain? Is it stabbing or a dull ache? Is it in the lower abdomen or off to the side?’ Only after thorough questioning, is a diagnosis given and treatment options suggested.
It’s really the difference between a drug dealer whose only interest is pushing his “product”, and a doctor who analyzes his patient’s symptoms and prescribes the best medical solution for their condition.
I admit, I’m a goody two shoes and don’t know any drug dealers. So forgive me for the assumption, but I don’t imagine that drug dealers worry too much about why someone needs their drugs, and what drug they purchase.
As long as the deal gets done, that’s the end goal.
On the other hand, doctors take an oath to provide the best patient care possible, to the best of their ability. There’s a lot of risk and potentially serious consequences involved if they don’t provide the most accurate diagnosis and treatment option. Therefore, they take great care to provide a solution that best solves the patient’s condition.
Back to our industry… The customer rarely understands all the considerations that go into purchasing a new home. That’s why they come to us! They’re trusting that we will provide the expertise needed to guide them through the home selection and purchasing process.
Out of respect for the client, we need to understand their motives, needs and desires. Then, in consideration of their best interest, we direct them to the home options that best meets their needs.
This is what the buyer experience should look like!
Maybe it’s time for all of us to commit or recommit ourselves to properly diagnose our buyers needs before offering any home solutions.
Source: Customer Insight, Mystery Shop Analysis Jan 2015- Sept 2015
