Customers often ask a lot of questions and put problem after problem regarding their usage of the product. If the customer asks too many questions, the conversation gets disturbed and the sale cannot be completed. Here comes the importance of the ability of the salesman. Ability to bring some positivity in the conversation that is otherwise turning towards a negative sphere. But some sales staff can’t handle the customer’s questions well, resulting in the inability to complete the transaction. We know that every situation is different and there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to dealing with customers. But a salesman can learn and improve himself with examples and good guidance. Read on to learn about how you can deal with such situations.
Table of Contents
- Make It Easier For Them
- Let The Customer Speak
- Agree With Customers’ Feelings
- What If The Customer Is Wrong?
- Dealing With Complaints
- What When a Customer Favours A Competitor’s Product?
- Final Words
Make It Easier For Them
Sometimes it may be that the customer is unable to properly explain what he has in mind. In such a situation, it is the salesman’s task to assist him in explaining.
The customer may be unable to explain it properly because he is not the expert. But a salesman should be an expert in everything related to the product and therefore in this situation, the salesman should try to guess the problems based on his expertise and experience.
You can also try asking the customer several questions from the area in which he is facing problems. Let him answer freely. One of these answers may reveal to you the customer’s actual problem.
Let The Customer Speak
Many times a customer presents to you a rather awkward problem. A problem that you cannot understand or comprehend.
When you can’t understand the real problem of the customer, it is better to let the customer speak. Let customers complain more, listen to them carefully and understand customers’ real needs.
Repeat what the customer says and try to grasp key issues. Restate the customer’s specific objections with more clarity. Let the customer explain the reasons in detail as much as possible on the key issues so that you can understand them as deeply as possible.
Agree With Customers’ Feelings
When the customer has finished speaking, please do not answer the question directly, but proceed emotionally. Let the customer feel that his problems or the questions raised are genuine. Make the customer feel that you understand him. This can reduce the customer’s alertness and let the customer feel that you are on the same front with him.
What If The Customer Is Wrong?
Sometimes it may be that the customer is using the product wrongly. Then you can explain to them the proper manner of usage. But what’s important in such cases is to not let customers feel that they are wrong or they made a mistake. Let them feel that what they did was a normal thing and you as a product expert are there, only to help them.
Dealing With Complaints
Give full play to empathy and listen carefully to complaints. Express gratitude and explain why you and your company value the complaints and feedback of the customer. If there is a mistake, apologize for the matter. Apologize for the mood. Promise to deal with it immediately and actively makeup. Propose solutions and timetables, and ask the other party to confirm.
What When a Customer Favours A Competitor’s Product?
Customers may be using a competitor’s product for a long time and be fully satisfied with it. In this case, they may not like to try a new product. In another scenario, customers may be using your product for a long time, but now they tried a competitor’s product and liked it more than yours.
The most important thing for the salesman in such cases is to have detailed knowledge of their product as well as of the competitor’s product. A salesman should clearly know the competitive advantage of their product and the competitive disadvantages as well.
The salesman should have the ability to clearly elaborate the advantage of his product over the competitors. And if the competitor’s product is actually better, the salesman should take note of the issues (whether newly revealed or already known) and explain to the customer, how your company is working to make improvements so as to maintain your brand image.
Final Words
A salesman will regularly come across prospects who are difficult to deal with or have a lot of complaints. However, this by no means means that such prospects cannot be converted to customers. In fact, these customers can be a very good opportunity for you if you think in another way. Those who are reluctant to try a new product have higher chances of becoming loyal customers because once they adopt your product, they will be equally reluctant to shift again to a new product. Therefore, it all boils down to the skills and acumen of the salesman to handle questions of the customer and win them with their answers.
Also read: Tips To Improve Tele-marketing Skills