After all, not to defend
Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2025 9:52 am
Quietude returned to Dick’s office. A minute or two passed while we both pretended to re-immerse ourselves in our respective tasks. Finally, Dick spoke:
“I’ve been expecting a loss of that magnitude and what you heard was a prepared speech,” Dick explained softly. “Chelsea isn’t any more to blame than anyone else as the entire sales force is guilty of exactly the same thing.”
I wanted to ask a question but sensed that Dick was going to answer it regardless so I kept still.
“We’ve become too casual with our long-term czech republic telegram data relationships,” Dick continued. “So many of our sellers have been calling on the same agency buyers for so long now that we take for granted that we’ll be bought. As a consequence, we aren’t always making our best effort; coming up with great ideas; working hard to earn the business. We hit the cost parameters and we offer promotional ideas but we don’t attack with zeal or aggression. We’re placid and cool and we’re losing to others who act hungry and are being creative. In short, the familiarity that we’ve earned has caused the complacency that is killing us.”
“What do we do about it?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s normal but in a sales arena it’s not acceptable. I have to take the blame for not making changes before we started to lose business because of it. As for what we do about it, that depends on one’s role. The sales manager should be guarding against. However, the seller should be guarding against it, too, as the seller is ultimately responsible for their own success.”
“That makes sense, ” I agreed “because there aren’t enough sales managers to assume that one is available to police our every move. Plus, I don’t know a seller that would respond well to that type of management.”
“Given all of that,” Dick said “let’s put together a short list of the actions sellers can take to avoid complacency.”
With that, Dick took the sales reports and threw them in the garbage. Then, he pulled out a fresh pad of paper and his favorite Montblanc pen and we got to work.
To Avoid Complacency Derived from Familiarity a Seller should:
Treat those with whom you are most familiar as least likely to buy from you. Realizing that the familiar buyer who calls you a friend is more likely to buy around you to avoid the appearance of favoritism, you must take your presentation to them far more seriously than you would otherwise.
“I’ve been expecting a loss of that magnitude and what you heard was a prepared speech,” Dick explained softly. “Chelsea isn’t any more to blame than anyone else as the entire sales force is guilty of exactly the same thing.”
I wanted to ask a question but sensed that Dick was going to answer it regardless so I kept still.
“We’ve become too casual with our long-term czech republic telegram data relationships,” Dick continued. “So many of our sellers have been calling on the same agency buyers for so long now that we take for granted that we’ll be bought. As a consequence, we aren’t always making our best effort; coming up with great ideas; working hard to earn the business. We hit the cost parameters and we offer promotional ideas but we don’t attack with zeal or aggression. We’re placid and cool and we’re losing to others who act hungry and are being creative. In short, the familiarity that we’ve earned has caused the complacency that is killing us.”
“What do we do about it?” I asked.
“Yeah, it’s normal but in a sales arena it’s not acceptable. I have to take the blame for not making changes before we started to lose business because of it. As for what we do about it, that depends on one’s role. The sales manager should be guarding against. However, the seller should be guarding against it, too, as the seller is ultimately responsible for their own success.”
“That makes sense, ” I agreed “because there aren’t enough sales managers to assume that one is available to police our every move. Plus, I don’t know a seller that would respond well to that type of management.”
“Given all of that,” Dick said “let’s put together a short list of the actions sellers can take to avoid complacency.”
With that, Dick took the sales reports and threw them in the garbage. Then, he pulled out a fresh pad of paper and his favorite Montblanc pen and we got to work.
To Avoid Complacency Derived from Familiarity a Seller should:
Treat those with whom you are most familiar as least likely to buy from you. Realizing that the familiar buyer who calls you a friend is more likely to buy around you to avoid the appearance of favoritism, you must take your presentation to them far more seriously than you would otherwise.