Thursday, March 15, 2012

Are you really listening?


Sometimes we are so busy we often forget to listen. When I recently visited a DME/HME dealer, I was watching their salesperson showing a senior citizen and her husband how to correctly use the new wheel chair ordered by her physician.

He did an excellent job demonstrating all the features of the chair, but … and here is the problem he missed. He didn’t listen to the question that concerned the husband. He was asked about how HE, an 80+ old senior, would fold the chair?

The young man lifted the seat and the chair closed into itself. What he should have done is allow the customer do it by himself. Although somewhat frail he was capable. Other questions were asked, how to travel carrying her pocketbook, how to use the chair when shopping, and how to put it in the trunk of their vehicle.

Think about what your customer wants. When they come to you to make a purchase they are looking for explanations and demonstrations. They seek a comfort level. When they leave and have made the purchase, they are now ready to maximize the benefits. However, when they are not fully satisfied they usually will say “thank you” but they want to speak to their children. You may have lost that sale!

All I can say is please listen very carefully to what your customer asks and pay attention to their comments. Be very sure you address and answer any questions and resolve any doubts they may have.

At Medtrade in Las Vegas, try to arrange with your vendors to have sales training sessions for your staff. These invariably are “win-win”.


Visit http://www.medtrade.com for more information on the upcoming conference this April 2012!



No comments:

Post a Comment

Share your thoughts with Shelly!