Running to the customers concerns and comments about
Running Head: ROLES AND GOALS OF SALESPEOPLE CHANGED Roles and Goals of Salespeople Changed July 7, 2011 How Selling has changed in Marketing The role and goals of salespeople have changed dramatically over the last few years. Personal selling involves a two-way flow of communication, according to Bethel.
In the past being a good salesperson was the difference of which salesman came home the latest. They showed up to your front door, product in hand, delivered the pitch and prayed that the customer purchased their product.Communication was typically done face to face and there was no follow up cost or return policy, so to speak. The salesperson in the past did not know the customer’s need or what the best interest of the customer is. The one advantage that I can think of is that a true salesman knows that at the heart of customer focus is the art of listening constructively – the best salespeople are masters at capturing information.
They listen to the customers concerns and comments about the product they intend to sell and use all the information gathered to persuade the customer that their product is essential in their lives.Outstanding sales results depend on the ability to think from the customer’s point of view? , understanding the customer’s agenda, buying cycle and best interests, and beyond a superficial reading of immediate customer needs, salespeople must gain a deeper understanding of both the buyer’s long-term goals and the overall business climate. I have read that it cost more money to attract a new customer than to retain the old ones therefore, sellers use customer service differently than in the past. Follow-up calls are made to the consumer to make sure that the customer is happy with the product they purchased.There are three types of personal selling that exist which include order taking, order getting, and customer sales support activities. (Bethel University, 2011) Order takers duties and responsibilities are self-explanatory.
They take orders from new and existing customers. There is not much effort that goes into this type of selling besides data entry. The order getting is a little different that the order taking. Order getters are more to me like the solicitors instead of the seller. Their job is to persuade the customer to buy a product, explain to them what the product is and how to use the product also.The order getter plays the primary role of customer service representative and salesperson. Selling has changed due to various reasons but the one probably the most important is technology.
Now salespersons do not have to do the door-to-door selling or make the selling process a two-way conversation. A potential buyer has the power now to go online and search for whatever product they are in need of and read all of the specifications of that specific product. They are not put into a situation to buy impulsively or on the spot.They have the option of even performing the task of comparison-shopping with the ease of pushing a button in comparison to wasting gas traveling from store to store. Technology has not only changes the selling process dramatically, it has single handedly changed the world we live in. A few years ago I received a knock at the door and on the receiving end was a man dressed in plain clothes standing there with a vacuum. He asked me if he could vacuum my carpet in my living room and shampoo the carpet also.
He guaranteed me that the finished product would be the same quality, if not better, than a professional cleaner.I realized this is the same man that has come to my door before on numerous occasions and had been turned away every time. For some reason or another I let him in and decided to go for it and if nothing came out of this demonstration at least I received a free carpet cleaning.
Being the bargain shopper that I am, there was not way this was going to be a lose situation for me, only beneficial. I informed him that I have already vacuumed not more that a couple of hours ago so there was no way I was going to be impressed.He showed me the different attachments and also showed me that after the demonstration he would show me how much I would love the Kirby vacuum. I was amazed at how much dirt was still in my carpet that my vacuum left behind. I felt as though I was watching an Oxy Clean commercial with Billy Mays only this was personal and there was not time elapsed. These results were right here, right now. I was more than impressed, not only with what the vacuum could do but also by the salesman’s knowledge of the product.
Needless to say I purchased that Kirby vacuum that day.When the salesman left my house, he had cleaned the ceiling fans, vents, sofa cushions, the mattress on my bed, and had even shampooed the carpet in one room. He had a through knowledge of the product he was selling and was very patient in demonstrating the vacuums ability. He made me feel like I had won. I didn’t feel like a sucker and I looked at that very expensive purchase as an investment, I even donated my old three-month-old vacuum and steam cleaner to someone less fortunate.
I felt good about that purchase and had no intentions of buying a new vacuum.Another example is that I recently purchased a furniture piece from a furniture store. I was greeted at the door and was told to make myself at home. I though his gesture was nice, since I was shopping for furniture for my home. The salesman did not pressure me and was a good listener. He heard my concerns and took the time to customize my need into exactly what I was looking for. I did not purchase that same day however when I went back one week later I requested that same salesman who helped me the previous week.
He completed the sale, called me the day of delivery as a courtesy and also to thank me for doing business with him. What made me a customer that this particular furniture store will and had retained is the fact that the salesman sent me a personal thank you card in the mail for being a loyal customer and also let me know that if I needed anything else, it would be his pleasure. Unbeknown to him, because of his customer service, the pleasure was all mine. Reference Bethel University. (2011).
Issues in Marketing. Boston: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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