Reacting Quickly, Building Rapport, and Avoiding the Pitfalls Caused by Guessing Usage Patterns
It is incumbent of us, whenever possible, to get in front of our Guests as quickly as time allows. After all, once a Buyer’s Order has been signed, our Guests are relieved to have reached what they may believe is the conclusion of their car-buying decision-making. They are at a peak emotional point. Time, however, probably seems to stand still when not greeted promptly, by those of us in the Business Office. Confusion begins to creep in…“what is taking so long?” they wonder aloud. You are now in the doghouse!
Have you ever been to a Doctor who asked, “what makes it hurt?” only to react to your response with, “don’t do that”? Stay out of the doghouse. Getting out to the showroom to greet our next Guest, immediately, will help reset the clock. The Salesperson’s desk is probably the best location for this. Our Guests have become acclimated to this space. This is where they have invested so much of their time and are probably going to be most comfortable discussing things with us, versus in the Customer waiting area.
Ask anyone in the know, and you’ll likely hear the same response, every time…getting in front of your Guest, as quickly as possible, is of paramount importance!
Of course this is also our opportunity to establish rapport. There are many ways to accomplish this but time may be short, and we certainly don’t want to give our Guests the impression that we are wasting theirs. As quickly as possible we must demonstrate concern for accuracy, compliance, and most importantly, their needs. We’ll find common ground, create shared experiences, and explain how it is that we will be serving them. Be emphatic in your efforts and economical in your usage of their time. Show empathy for their needs. And possibly most importantly, have fun with them. They’ll know it if you are having a bad day, and results will reflect a furtherance of your dismay. Conversely, if everyone is enjoying themselves, everyone benefits. Your Guests will be far more likely to like you, and, frankly, they are spending too much money not to be having a good time!
Ask yourself…”If my Guests are meeting me for the first time, as I ask them to consider buying something, have I invested enough to warrant favorable returns?”
Also, remember, folks may modify their vehicle usage patterns. Countless reasons occur. Perhaps they changed employers and went from driving 30,000 miles per year, to working just down the street from home…or visa versa. Maybe they hated their old car (that they were originally planning to keep for much longer) and, by agreeing to the change, the spouse has insisted the replacement car be kept for far longer. The trade may have been inherited. Household income, number of family members, hobbies, pets, retirement…you name it, it has probably happened.
Business Managers who rely on past usage patterns (versus
conducting a customer interview to ensure things are dialed-in, on the
first pass) may stub their toes. Explaining to your Guest, after the fact,
that “I can customize this to meet your needs” doesn’t work very well. In
reality, the typical response goes something like, “don’t worry about it,
I’m not interested.” You might as well be trying to sell a ketchup popsicle
to a lady in white gloves! Your Guest(s) may be thinking that your
sudden interest in what is important to them is less than inspiring.
Perhaps we would be better served by demonstrating a genuine interest
in what’s important to them before we are reacting to an objection.
Far more upside might be had (and more confidence be inspired)
from a direct, tailored approach designed to cater to your Guests specific
needs and concerns.
For ideas on securing invaluable information regarding your
Guest’s needs, click here.
Think about it.
Good luck and good selling!
Erik Landrum
F&I Performance Coach at Conley Insurance Group