How many of you have ever ‘bought’ a salesman? How many of you want to pay for the salesman as part of your purchase? I have recently become quite unpopular regarding my approach to ‘selling’ and ‘salesmen’.
The internet has changed the world. We may not agree on if the change was for the better or for the worse but we all agree that the world is not the same place as it was before the internet age of knowledge. Information has become available to ANY person with an internet connection and the will to do a little research.
30 years ago if a person in America
Times have changed. The salesman is now simply the gatekeeper that introduces the customer to ‘access of knowledge’ channel. The customer does NOT want to pay for the salesman. (Nor have they ever) Customers paid for salesmen in the past because they had no choice. My market research within my industry recently has helped me understand how the customer really feels but sometimes will not tell us simply out of respect. Customers want to buy a quality product and the service to support that product and VERY little else.
Contrary to popular opinion, the customer does not want to buy your lunch, or support your family, or pay the salary of your salesmen, or pay your rising health insurance costs. At the end of the day customers want their money to go towards a quality product and service support.
The sooner we realize this global shift in customer opinion and embrace the change the better off the entire world will be. We need to focus more on directing the customer to the correct portal of knowledge and less on planning a way to prop up a crumbling (and outdated) system.
Think on these things. When was the last time you bought a product and wanted to buy the ‘salesman’ too??
Sometimes we overcomplicate simple things. Your thoughts??
kml
2009
I have mixed feelings about your comments.
ReplyDeleteI agree that, in many cases (but not all), salesman for commodity items add no value. This assumes that the customer is willing and able to access available knowledge about the product in advance of the purchase. Remember there is a group of people out there who, for various reasons, are not computer literate or don't have ready access to information.
Your statements do not apply to engineered products or specialty services. In these cases the salesman or sales team has the responsibility of helping the customer make the best informed decision he can make for his company. It is also the job of the sales team to LISTEN to the customer and tailor (or customize) the product for the customer's needs.
I could go on, but won't for now.
Brian
Brian,
ReplyDeleteYou mention some very valid points. I should have drawn a line of demarcation between 'commodity items' and 'engineered / specialty products'. I was thinking more in terms of 'vehicle searches'. My brother recently purchased a new car for his family and I was amazed at the amount of research he was able to do at home before he ever drove to dealership. It was to the degree that driving to the dealership was a mere formality.
I suspect there are some concepts that would apply both to 'commodity items' and to 'engineered items'. As you mentioned, 'LISTENING' to the customer would be imperative.
I appreciate your feedback! In my mind, the role of the modern day salesman has not been reduced but rather shifted a bit. Today's salesmen have many more tools to use.
Great thoughts on your part!!
Kelly