SELLING SUCCESSFULLY TO DIFFICULT CLIENTS

There is a group of specialist salespeople visiting architects, designers, and government offices in the course of their work of trying to get their products specified for new buildings and refurbishing projects. But it is very difficult for them to approach these professionals due to their time constraint.

For example, if an architect would see every representative who calls on him, he would do nothing else but seeing them and not get any work done. Most company representatives may make it to the reception desk of such offices and there they are usually stopped and prevented from getting any closer to their important business contact.

But there is a technique of breaking through this barrier und meet face to face with the clients and therefore get the chance of discussing with them your company’s products. And this article passes-on this knowledge of effecting your business in a successful way!

Firstly, there is your own presentation. I strongly advise that you do not over-dress and not appear in any way ostentatious as this may arouse aversion. It is wise to show a bit of solidarity and the ‘camouflage’ should be the same appearance as the architect. Only by blending in with them will a meeting give an air of equality and, yes, solidarity. Of course, your total manners, including standard of language need to match as well in order to establish a good rapport. At any time, you need to convey an air of an equally hard-working professional, which you are!

Having taken care of this pre-condition, you finally arrived at the architect’s office. Standing before the receptionist, with all your samples in your big satchel, have a large piece under your arm, rolled-up or folded, you are being told by her. that the architects are all very busy as their project is running behind schedule or that there is a problem on the building site. And therefore, nobody can see you, you are told with a trained, regretful voice.

You smile at her, nodding understandingly and offer to merely update the catalogue of your company’s products, they have in their library as there is nothing worse, you emphasize, than specifying something that is not available any more. That would be a real big problem. And you promise not to bother anybody, just to update a few pages in the catalogue and you are on your way. This would only take a moment.

At most times, this will get you the permission to proceed into the inner sanctum. Walking through the offices, the library is mostly an array of bookshelves at the far end of the offices or it is located in a separate room. You may get superficial glances from some people as they momentarily look up from their work and it is always very conducive to reward them with a friendly smile.

Arriving at the library, you put your sample case down and ‘inadvertently’ place your large sample, being cloth, board, PVC, whatever in a position that can will be noted by anybody who comes near. A sample table which most rooms have would be a real attention-getting position.

And while you slowly pull your catalogue off the shelve and slowly page through it, pretending to be totally absorbed, you will take notice of the coming and going around you. Professionals are pulling some folders off the shelves, paging for technical data and other information.

They will notice your large sample piece, placed so ostentatiously and become inquisitive. Maybe fingering it or muttering a few words to a colleague, they try to find out more. Eventually, somebody will approach you, looking at the large sample piece or product with interest and ask: ’ Excuse me, what is that?’ And there is your chance to sell your product, finishing with your sales pitch. Some other people with come and listen to it with interest. Or somebody will shout to a colleague across the room: ‘Hey Frank, come and have a look at it! Isn’t this something that you are looking for?’

You hand out technical data and small colour charts and ask for more details about their project. And talk about buildings where this has been already successfully installed and from where references can be obtained…….

On the way out, you smile at the receptionist and assure her that you have updated your catalogue and that all samples are now current. Yes, you reassure her, everything in your company’s product catalogue is now available and nothing can go wrong when specifying something. That will reassure her that she has done the right thing, letting you into the offices ‘without seeing an architect!’

And, leaving the premises in an elated mood, you may notice another company’s representative leaving the counter in a dejected mood as he had just been told that everybody was too busy to see him!

There are, of course, variations of this technique, adjusted to a particular situation but by applying a little bit of ‘creative selling’ you have concluded a successful visit!

Peter Frederick

http://www.peterfrederick.org

http://www.life-on-the-road.com

THE LIFE-CYCLE- COST CONCEPT AND HOW IT IS EFFECTING US.

A new realization is spreading through our materialistic world, a new concept is gaining recognition in the commercial field and also entered our private life. It is based on the discovery that a newly bought product does not stop costing after its purchase, but keeps costing us throughout its life cycle. And, it is now realized, it is the total costs of a product, throughout its life cycle that gives us the real costs!

It is therefore often the case that an item with a cheaper purchase price but a high on-going cost factor turns out to be much more expensive than, say, an product with a higher initial cost. Seemingly more expensive at the moment of purchase, but with lower maintenance costs throughout its life-cycle, it may well be a cheaper one!

The clearest case to demonstrate this may be a car, purchased at a higher price, but with lower on-going running, maintenance and replacement costs it may turn out to be the actually cheaper or cost effective vehicle than, say, a cheaper car purchased at the spur of the moment but with high on-going maintenance costs plus a petrol thirst to match.

In many hospitals and nursing homes the installation of a flooring with a polyurethene wear layer will reduce the cleaning costs by up to fifty percent. The initial purchase of such a flooring may be dearer but, as a result of a decision in its favour, the cleaning costs in these institutions may half. If a medium-size nursing home has an annual cleaning bill of $ 200 000.--, the saving is often more than $ 100 000.--, resulting in a saving of $ 1000 000.—within ten years. This amount thus saved may be used for healing people or caring for them!

This principle of cost-effectiveness applies to every item, – the total cost throughout its life-cycle give us the real or total costs. In our fast-living consumer society, where products are being bought purely by comparing prices, in the end, more money will have to be spent as these may not last as long or when repairs set in. Do we remember our grandparents’ solid oak furniture that have been passed down through generations? Rock-solid, they have outlived many fashion furniture that have been acquired for no other reason than being perceived as ‘cheap’ and subsequently had to be replaced several times over.

But times are changing and we become more and more enlightened when investing in new items and equipment.

Accounting has also changed and new factors are being considered when deriving a true cost factor of an item: Not only do we now state the purchase price, but also incorporate a replacement value and disposal cost before we are able to determine our total cost of a product.

This is already law in an increasing number of countries as the cost of disposing of material in a responsible way is costly too and has to be incorporated already in the cost price and subsequently in a purchase price.

To derive at all these new cost factors may require some investigative work, however, there are now in the professional field an increasingly number of life-cycle-cost experts with all their facts already recorded in their specialized software for instant assistance. Sometimes they are called Logisticians or have other specialized names and are already indispensible in some industries.

Therefore, the total sum of a product’s cost factors, plus the on-going costs throughout a products life-time, are the true expenses for the customer and when calculated that way, responsible accounting will ensure business success.

Peter Frederick

http://www.peterfrederick.org

http://www.life-on-the-road.com

TROUBLES ON A PLANE

Adjusting to the arctic temperatures of Sweden, after leaving Australia’s sweltering summer heat, was not easy. But I managed to acclimatise to these conditions very quickly. I had been sent to Sweden by the company I worked for to study the manufacturing methods and to learn about the PVC floor coverings that were produced there.

This was to help me be more informed so that I could assist my clients back home. It was a steep, yet enjoyable, learning period. Everything seemed so pleasant and fascinating during my stay in Sweden. My days were filled with meeting interesting people and inspecting pioneering manufacturing technologies.

But what really impressed me was the cleanliness. From their vast factories, in which the floors were tiled in a light colour, and the workers wore white socks, white wooden clogs and even white dustcoats.

On the last evening before leaving for home, I was invited to attend a banquet in which I was given an opportunity to thank everybody from the parent company, for their kindness and hospitality. Normally I would have been looking forward to such an event, but the newspapers had been reporting on a new kind of flu epidemic that was expected to spread all over Europe. It had started in England, where the first cases were already being treated in the hospitals.

This news alarmed me as I wanted to return to Australia in a healthy state so I could resume my job, as I was the company’s only Australian representative, covering the Victorian, Tasmanian and the Riverina areas of New South Wales, I could not afford to be sick, as there was no-one who could call on my customers.

The banquet was a glittering affair and the people were very amiable. I had the Swedish company official at my side during the entire evening; he kept introducing me to people and translated conversations, whenever this was necessary, but I found that most people I spoke to have a good command of the English language, albeit with a lovely Swedish lilt, and it was a pleasure to converse with them.

‘Please meet Mrs Sorensen, our Interior design consultant’ Sven, the interpreter, said with a magnanimous gesture towards a very tall and attractive lady. Elegant in her winter dress, blond hair and blue-eyes, and with a warm smile, she extended her hand. ‘How nice to finally meet you, Peter.’ Her English was perfect with only a slight accent, which made it sound more attractive.

‘My husband just came back from England yesterday, there is such an awful flu going round there, everybody is so very sick, it is absolutely dreadful!’ Horrified, I tried to extricate my hand from hers but it was too late! It was a long and welcoming handshake, too long for my comfort, and when I finally withdrew my hand, I furiously rubbed it against the side of my suit whilst trying to hold my smile and keep the conversation going.

But it was too late! On my flight from Stockholm to Vienna, where I had to catch my connecting flight to Australia, I started to feel the beginning strains of flu. And by the time I reached Vienna, I was sweating profusely, my body had uncontrollable shakes, and I had started vomiting.

I advised the airline of my state of health, but still agreed to accept me as passenger, regardless of my state of health. “If I can only arrive in Melbourne alive, I’ll be all right!” I kept saying to myself. Before I left on the flight home, I obtained some medicine from the local doctor to try and help stabilise my increasingly troublesome stomach.

I can’t remember how I got on the plane, but I slumped into an aisle seat near the toilets, with a plastic water bottle in my hands. As the long-lasting cramps shook my body. I searched desperately for my medication that I had slid into the pouch of the seat in front of me for easy access.

I did not realise that by inserting my hands into the pouch, I was actually moving my fingers in the seat of the person in front of me. She was a tall and thin lady, a kind of school-Marm type, and when she felt my fingers moving around on her seat, her posture stiffened in exercised control and you could hear her threateningly drum her finger nails on the little plastic tray in front of her.

A man observed all this across the aisle from her; he bent towards me and with an Australian accent whispered, ‘Hey, are you’re searching for something in that pocket?’ and then added, ‘You have your fingers on her arse...’ lifting his plastic cup of beer in approval, smiling encouraging at me, obviously meaning well.

This revelation came as a shock, even in my foggy state, and quickly jerked my hands out of the pouch. I heaved myself out of my seat, pale and with unsteady and slurred speech, I mumbled an apology to the stern looking lady.

Looking up at my glassy eyes, her face betrayed her thoughts. She did not believe a word I was babbling and, judging from her body language, she would have slapped my face had I not stopped my ‘lustful groping’.

Thinking the worst was over, on one of my many trips to the toilet, I heard a banging on the door and muffled voices shout to the flight attendant that there had been a man in there for quite a while and that he may have fainted…

Suddenly, the locked door was ripped open with many arms reaching inside and grabbing me, and then dumped me back into my aisle seat like a sack of potatoes, leaving me sitting there on my own.

The passengers on the flight had their own little bit of theatre, and I suppose any diversion or entertainment is always welcome on the long flight back to Australia.

(Excerpt from my latest book ON THE ROAD AGAIN - and laughing all the way!)

May I invite you to leave a comment?

Peter Frederick

http://www.peterfrederick.org

http://www.life-on-the-road.com

TROUBLES WITH SUPERIORS AND BOSSES

At business meetings and private functions it is often mentioneded by hard-working executives and Managing Directors that it is almost impossible to find employees who are willing to work hard and stay with the company for a long time instead of leaving their employment within two years and moving on.

They lament the fact that young executives, the ones they would like to delegate tasks to, are very difficult to find, despite advertisements and the use of specialised employment agencies, so-called head hunters. They decry the fact that, in their opinion, there is invariably a preponderance of applicants expecting high salary, lots of promotion, least responsibilities, in what they call ‘a career’. Such are their very common, sarcastic remarks divulged in camaraderie with their equals.

However, they would add, somebody has to do the regular work to keep the organisation functioning properly. Without loyal rank-and-file staff, an organisation’s progress is hampered, they state.

With new workplace reforms that have been put in force by the authorities, there is a prevalent lack of loyalty towards an employer as people are changing their jobs at the first opportunity, looking for better employment elsewhere.

Recently, a well-known world-wide personnel agency has published a study on this trend and suggested that employer organisations ‘deal with this trend’.

Also a newspaper recently published a lengthy article on the very same subject indicating that this situation is both widespread and affecting the industry, somehow finding accusing sentiments for the newly recruited junior executives and what their seemingly unrealistic expectations of their industry.

And yet, within all this debating, contemplation, analysing and categorising, nobody has really investigated the other side of this conflict and investigated what most concerned employees are really facing!.

Up to this point, the arguments have been very one-sided, that is from the management’s point of view, however, what every salesman knows, namely, that you cannot sell anything if you do not see the other person’s point of view, is being grossly neglected.

And for top executives who’s job it is to constantly contemplate their competitors’ next move, the government’s new policy, the situation among suppliers, and, of course, and their own benefits for staying in business this is a grave omission!

In their running of their respective businesses, decisions need to be made in a frame of robustness, individuals’ feelings are being overridden, as this writer has been able to observe many times. Only what is of advantage for their own organisation and, above all, for themselves, is considered ‘the right decision’. They are constantly making ‘executive decisions’, as they like to call it, nodding proudly to themselves.

And yet, the facts for young people leaving an employment so soon is clearly before them, they cannot be denied. If this were only investigated then the truth for companies’ high personnel turnover will be easily come to light. By looking deeper into the situation of a hard-working and successful employee and the psychological situation he finds himself in.

These restive junior executives are indeed backbone of the company, they are the ones who effect sales or profit for the company. And are usually the persons given more and more tasks because ‘they are good at it’. Or, ‘do it so well’, as their judgement goes.

Such a hard-working and very successful person is rarely being promoted because, contrary to what we tend to believe, ‘if you work hard you get ahead’ is seldom true!

The reality is that, because they are so good, they never get promoted as the organisation would have to find somebody to replace him or her with a successor equally as good. And genuine doppelgaengers are rare and management’s logic is: ‘why go through the troubles of making changes in an organisation when everything runs so smoothly!’ This is, of course, a mild observation and most statements are of a nastier nature.

When dealing with such a hard-working person, Isn’t it better to use the old cliché ‘well done, keep up the good work’ or the opposite tactic, which is making that employee feel so inferior that he does not even dream of looking for another job. Plus, they tend to give that young executive more and more work to make this tactic work!

They know that most people, working with their nose to the grindstone, find it difficult to look for a better position elsewhere. Their confidence is low and they tend to stay employed longer in one position. And a nice profit is to be gained from their work!

Whilst such a worthwhile person is denied any promotion, they notice a constant jostling within the organisation by higher-ranking executives to be their supervisor.

It is a great ego-trip for such a supervisor to remark to fellow executives:’ he / she works under my command!’ Which is like saying: ‘that person is so good because of my leadership!’ Especially, when this is being commented on to higher ranking executives. There is a common remark, often made with a forced sigh to indicate concern:’ You cannot get good staff these days, nobody wants to work any more…It seems to be a common statement uttered by one executive to another, it is accepted as ‘executive-talk’.

And when supervisors find that an employee is studying outside working hours in an attempt to improve himself, then a fear or losing that employee creeps in and a new technique is applied in this case. They keep telling that ambitious person in a very suggestive way: ‘You are wasting your time!’ in the hope of discouraging that employee.

Asking for company sponsorship or part payment of the costs is, more often than not, refused. ‘This is for your own benefit!’ is then heard, betraying their awareness that this employee will not stay with them for long.

The modern principle of collective decision making has become popular. This creates the appearance of ‘democratisizing’ the workplace and giving downtrodden people a say. But, of course, whilst attending meetings, the employee in question, with many other fellow workers and superiors, realise that nothing will change and whilst being present at such meetings, work is waiting and piling up, waiting to be done. Therefore, the feeling of such a person is one of merely delaying the inevitable.

It is common at such meetings that these good employees are being asked to forward useable suggestions, and they may be numerous from such a person, due to an in-depth knowledge of his or her workplace environment. However, all their good suggestion they have to implement themselves, in

addition to their regular workload, of course!

After a few of such meetings and, depending on the amount of optimism or goodwill, such a person becomes aware of being manipulated and stops giving forth good ideas at such meetings.

One counter measure is to stare right back at the boss who’d just bleated out ‘what a great idea! That’s just what is needed’ and keep staring into his eyes. After a few seconds the boss invariably will then lower his gaze and when looking up again, speak about something entirely different. Such is the boss’ fear of work!.

Other, additional activities , like, writing articles for publications, designing something for the company, etc. is angrily snatched from this keen worker and passed-on to other executives as the superior’s own output.

How do companies always mange to find such hard-working and productive people? By offering an impressive job title that misleads the applicant into thinking a real executive position is being offered, with subsequent career possibilities, responsibilities and perks.

An often-used company-ploy is the applied ‘Principle of Vagueness and Specificity’. The employee is being informed of his duties in amazing detail whereas the company’s part is explained somewhat as ‘looking after that person.’

Only the responsibilities are a reality!. Once a person is in employ, he often finds that here are no powers to delegate anything further and the actual work has to be implemented by the person himself.

And once the person’s ambitions become obvious to superiors it is important for the company to frustrate him. And keep frustrating him.

Everybody then speaks down to him, a normal business conversation is made impossible from then on. This is done by talking ‘executive spin’, with lots of words like: ‘If you only knew what we know…..’ Mixed with plenty of wonderful sounding: ’however’ and ‘furthermore’.

And the talks are being kept one-sided by going on and on without respite. The poor underling, who has a lot of work waiting for him, has to listen to all this politely as such is the pecking order…

Especially painful is having to listen to a superior’s:’ What I said was…’ for what comes now is the biggest nonsense, the biggest lie one has ever heard. And nothing can be done about it but to listen politely whilst subduing an inner voice that wants to scream with rage.

The methods of frustrating hard-working employees increases constantly because they are so productive. They are needed where they are as nobody else would want their work.

And additional work is heaped onto this high achieving member of the team. Sometimes, a boss apologises by saying things like:’ When I give a task to somebody else, I must be happy if they do 60% of what I ask for – with you, I always get 120%.Therefore I just have to delegate this task to you! You understand, don’t you?’

Some superiors, knowing that they could not do the job themselves, since that would show their inadequacy or would involve, God forbid, perspiration, try to destabilise the good worker by insisting on changes to the working routine.

Sometimes, such an achiever explains: ’I know what works best, but I shall do what you order if you take responsibility for the result!’ This, invariably makes a superior shudder and retreat.

And the carrot keeps being dangled: ’You are doing a good job! Keep up the good work!’ Or the opposite:’ Your are not doing enough!’ whichever tactic is applied.

It rarely happens that such a downtrodden employee confronts his boss and attempts to explain that, for a harmonious working relationship, both parties need to be happy. When it does, the boss’ glassy eyes invariable snap wide open, their eyebrows shoot up, their acted or natural surprise showing strongly in their face.

Having the company’s shortcomings explained, they say nothing, however, a kind of poker face settles on his visage and he walks away, exercising rudeness.

But when put too much under pressure, his face will split into a desperate cry: ’ Why don’t you just keep doing what you are doing! You doing it so well!’

When you hear this, the truth dawns on you that you have wasted your time and taken great risks, as a company sees only a company’s point of view!

And detailed professional conversations are being avoided as superiors hide their lack of knowledge or the marketing skill to do so. Many do not even know what certain professional words mean, leaving the willing worker somewhat isolated in his attempt to communicate.

But shouldn’t a Superior be ‘superior’, in product knowledge and skill, otherwise why should he have the right to be in charge of skilled people and judge their work?

The rule here seems to prevail: ‘When you have somebody working for you, work him very hard! Do not worry about what he thinks, just get the most out of him. As long as he or she gives, you take! You do not worry about working conditions and his career opportunities!’

Only when a resignation is handed in and the disenchanted worker really means it, a slight panic shows on a superior’s face. ‘Who is going to do all that work? ‘Will I find somebody who is just as exploitable, er.. I mean hard working? Or will I get lumbered with a mess and be expected to the work myself?’

Off to a pub or club and talking this over with fellow executives! Let’s commiserate the prevailing employment situation over something stronger than mineral water. Naturally, every Friday, these expenses are being claimed as legitimate business expenses and promptly reimbursed.

All this, whilst the disgruntled employee ponders his future somewhere else, where the cycle of disenchantment may start all over again.

But the reality is that such a person has only one option: To bide his time, follow the rules and learn as much as possible. Achieve additional qualifications and establish a good reputation in his particular field of business!

And keep observing the employment situation as there is for sure a company ‘out there’ that not only takes but also gives in return: Recognition for your good work, a just reward, and a career. In other words, a company worth working for!

To return to the original clamouring of the business world, that too many employees are leaving within two years and that employees expect a career, advancement and reward for their achievements, one can only suggest that these effected companies thoroughly investigate their own system.

Where employees are leaving within a short period it is important to listen to them and try to obtain the real reason for this phenomenon. And then take action: A management consultancy firm needs to be brought in and all executives, superiors and chief administrators need to re-apply for their own position. And undergo an encompassing test with an industrial psychologist.

This will unmask phoney management and superiors and give a true picture of a company’s upper echelon! Superiors, bosses up to the C.E.O will have their own competency assessed for their contributions to their organisation’s success.

And it will then become clear why young employees have been leaving their employment in unacceptable numbers.

May I invite you to leave a comment?

Peter Frederick

http://www.peterfrederick.org

http://www.life-on-the-road.com