Jim Hinshaw
Contributing Writer
Improvement Professional, President & Sales
Just spent a couple of days riding with a client, specifically a new salesman for a company that has been in business for over 40 years. I say new, he has been selling replacement systems for about a year, came from a related industry. We went out on several calls, the first one brought out the fact that we should never pre-judge a customer, and try to imagine what the end result will be.
The customer called in late Sunday evening, over 100 degrees outside, close to same inside. They were not a maintenance agreement customer, the on call tech was already booked, so they had to wait till Monday. Oh, they also had a home warranty, they had called them, could not get anyone to respond at all from them. Not happy campers. And not your perfect sales lead.
In my opinion, the perfect sales lead is a maintenance agreement customer, 15-20 year old unit that is down, and a Amex black card. Living in a home that is actually worth more than what they owe on it. In our case we had a couple who was going thru some hard times with job changes and health issues, living in a mobile home that was stinkin hot. Turns out the tech that went out on Monday found a leaking indoor coil, frozen up completely. We showed up after it had been thawed out, running again, but temporarily.
They first were peeved about the fact they had to wait for service, then they were going to try the home warranty company again. We discussed that idea, what the probable result would be (band-aid, not new equipment), and they decided not to call. The salesman took a credit app, gave them a couple of options. Looked at an entry level system, as well as a higher efficiency system with better warranties, features. He actually showed the higher efficiency system at $24 more per month on 60 months. Oh, did I mention that a family member had showed up, who had replaced his unit a couple of years ago, different brand. Perfect!
There was an opportunity with financing the higher efficiency system, but were approved for the entry level system. When we told her that, she turned to the family member, told him she really wanted the better system. End result, we got the higher efficiency system approved, the extra amount charged to his credit card.
I know, you can’t sell a high end system on a mobile home, no one has any money, and you sure can’t sell them when they have a home warranty. Just don’t tell that salesman that. Turns out that was the first of 5 systems sold in two days! A great way to start a week or a month!
We also went to a new install they had just completed, couple of 24 seer systems on a nice home. The customer had trouble out of one system; the salesman gave him a couple of options, and then just mentioned a discount for doing two or three at the same time. The customer said, let’s do the two end units, will wait on the middle unit, which was 8 years old, dual compressor system.
When we did the walk thru, the customer said he could tell the difference walking from one end of the home into the center area, still served by the older system. That will happen, if not this summer, then next.
So you never can guess what will happen on a sales call, so quit trying. Our salesman had more in sales on those two days then in the first two weeks in June, it was that good. Some leads came in after 4:30, he was busy, but effective. One of the leads came from a tech who was in a rental property, the owner was cool and comfortable over 1000 miles away. The tenant, however was really hot. The existing a/c system was over 10 years old, had some problems they had fixed earlier, so not in the best shape. He suggested a complete system, furnace and coil, since the install team would have been in the attic replacing the coil anyway, not much more labor to install the furnace at the same time. He asked if the owner was going to flip the rental, or keep it. he learned the owner was in it for the long term. And sold a complete system.
So my message is simple. When it gets busy in the middle of the season, we sometimes ask less questions, assume more than we should about what the customer wants and needs. Don’t take the easy route. Do exactly what you should do; even if you have a ton of leads, take time with each one to be sure you are looking at the correct solution. Same message to the other employees, give each customer your full attention.
Realize you will have to do more during the rush, but still stay focused on the customer in front of you. Just on the mobile home and the rental, he added about $4000 to the sales in two days, and had he not asked everything, may have missed out on one of those orders completely. And never imagine that they will buy or won’t buy, they will surprise you.
Thanks for listening, we’ll talk later.