The Customer is NOT Always Right

B=MAP

The customer is not always right, and often the customer is way off from where they need to be. 

ALL OF US are salespeople! We all have the responsibility to move people to make decisions. There are 3 types of salespeople. Convincers, Listeners and Collaborators. Convincers take orders by coercion. Listeners take orders by serving. Collaborators create action that leads to synergy, a combining of energy that produces a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.

Truly collaborating is not taking orders. Taking orders works when we are in a simple sales process where decision making is easy and consequences are small. But if there is any complexity at all, then the customer will need some guidance from us, their advocates. 

I have been very successful in selling in many markets. Starting at 13, selling candy door to door, I learned to ask people for the sale. That was selling by convincing.However,  over the years, through much coaching and mentoring, my many mentors have taught me that good selling is not about convincing. Over time,  I elevated my skills by doing more listening, understanding what the buyer wanted. But listening is limited. If you listen, then you are taking orders. 

Convincing is selfish and destructive.

Convincers create a frustrated experience.

Listening is helpful but often lacks in truly advocating for the client and leads to a poor delivery. 

Good listeners create a satisfactory experience.

Collaborating is leading clients towards their best interest within the context of everyone winning. 

Henry Ford has been quoted as saying, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Often used in different context, for me it is applicable to this important subject. Not that we know better what people need or want. But we do not automatically accept their first request. We understand that our job is to engage with them to look deeper at what they are really asking for!

When I was in my twenties, I sold mortgages for a small company that taught us how to sell through guiding. People always asked for the lowest interest rate. But what we learned is that they had other needs that were more important. If we gave them what they asked for, we did them a disservice. 

This is when we apply the formula, B=AMP.

Behavior = Ability + Motivation + Prompting.

These can come in any order. In the case of the mortgage, they had the motivation. They knew they wanted to do something with their equity. They had the equity (ability) and they were motivated by something that was current in their life. At this point, we would come along and call on them, prompting them to look at their options. That prompt caused them to throw out what they perceived was the most logical expression of their motivation:

Give me the most money for the lowest interest rate. 

When we enter into the B=AMP cycle with someone, we benefit from understanding where they are in the cycle, how they got there and what our role is. All 3 of these are essential to build collaboration.

In all 3 elements of the cycle, the customer may need some direction or even correction. 

ABILITY- The more skilled salesperson can help guide the customer towards seeing their ability to move forward. However, a collaborator demonstrates empathy in the process, understanding how their ability fits in with their motivations and other factors. But, too much empathy leads to persuading the customer NOT to buy. There is a balance here that leads to more effective selling.

MOTIVATION- This is the pure gold for developing synergy. If they are motivated, then we can use that energy to create action! A convincer uses that energy to take something from the customer. A listener uses that energy to give the customers something. A collaborator works with that energy to move the customer to a win for everyone involved. 

Motivation is a great starting point. Motivation, if prompted (and there is ability) usually leads to some kind of assumptions. Example, I want to use my home equity to do something useful, therefore I need the most money for the lowest interest rate. The collaborative process may lead to a point of clarity that differs from the assumption. Imagine if the mortgage salesperson is an experienced financial advisor, knows what your life goals are, understands your current situation AND understands your core values and uses all of that information to guide you? THAT is a collaborator! 

This collaboration will require that the salesperson direct you towards a decision that likely does not line up with your original assumption of request. So in this example, the customer was not right! In a world of true collaboration, every customer could trust their consulting salesperson, knowing that the partnership will lead them to the best outcome. 

PROMPTING- This may appear to be a much easier process, but can often be a point of success or failure. I recently checked in to a software for managing business processes. I got bombarded with calls, emails and texts. The aggressive nature of the prompt turned me off. So I was motivated and had the ability. But I will not be prompted by a hammer. 

To develop collaboration, we have to be good at reading the room, listening to signals, watching for body language, and developing connections. Ideally, we focus on a genuine relationship with the customer that leads to a comfortable prompt. Collaborating cannot begin until there is trust. If your prompt reduces trust, then you will experience a false start! 

Let’s all become better at managing the BEHAVIOR cycle. B=AMP should be a guiding principle in our sales processes. How can I help you create the behavior that leads you to the best version of yourself?