“So… what can I help you find today?” the salesperson asked in the hardware section of a major department store.
“Well… ” I said, “I’m looking for a lawn mower that is REALLY easy to start.”
“We have one of the best selections of lawn mowers in the city… and they’re all backed by the best service plans available… what’s most important to you?”
“Well… ” I said, “I’m looking for a lawn mower that is REALLY easy to start.”
“Great… well all of these models have a 22″ sweep… along with rear-bagging, extra large tires… and a 6.5 HP engine…”
“Are they easy to start?”
“And over here, these models are self-propelled… switch easily between mulching, throwing, and bagging… and… how big a yard are we talking about?”
“My main concern…” I said, “is that it is REALLY easy to start.”
I continued… “When I was working a hundred hours a week, I had a service do the lawn. Now, I have the time and don’t mind doing it… but here’s the thing. My wife actually WANTS to fire this baby up about three times a year… so… it needs to be REALLY EASY to START. That’s it.”
“I trust the brand. If it starts easy… I’ll buy it for cash right now.”
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Well, I gotta tell you… I had one incredible upper-body workout today, pulling on that cord. Oh, my…
An entire summer of this… and I may have Pecs like Arnold!
It reminded me of the old joke of the pastor who’s told that he needs to swear at his mower to get it started. When he tells his neighbor that he’s forgotten all those words, his friend says… “That’s okay… if you keep pulling on that long enough… they’ll come back to you!”
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Now, I suppose if I wanted to have this company’s customer service and PR people on the phone tomorrow… offering me a new machine and discounts to this, that, and the other thing… I could just name the facility here… and start a rant that would be read by tens of thousands of people.
Then again, you know I don’t play those games… it’s just not my style. I’ll handle this issue privately… like always. (See… “Do Unto Others…”)
The point is… I really made it clear what I was looking for, and in fact… was prepared to spend considerably more. So we’ll discuss it… in private… and I’d imagine I’ll be quite satisfied in the next week or two.
In the meantime… I suspect I’ll get another great workout in a few days.
Questions:
Are your salespeople really listening to what the customer is saying?
Is your sales team prepared to walk away if your product isn’t really a match… or even send the prospect to the competition if it’s the right fit?
Are you behind them if they do?
I look forward to speaking with you.
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