People are grousing about the price? Sounds like a sales problem to me.
Customers don’t understand our product? Sounds like a sales problem to me.
No one came to our seminar? Sounds like a sales problem to me.
One customer thinks another customer is getting preferential treatment? Sounds like a sales problem to me.
People don’t like the new program? Sounds like a sales problem to me.
A friend and mentor used that phrase all the time. His point was that rather than simply acting as a conduit for every voice from the field, we should engage with those voices and address their concerns. Instead, we often throw up our hands and shake our heads, decrying those jerks back at the office whose ridiculous ideas caused the issue in the first place.
We don’t get to make all the decisions ourselves, regardless of what job or position we hold. At some point, we’re going to have to stand in the gap between someone else’s decision/policy/precedent and our constituency. We have two choices: commiserate or moderate.
If we commiserate, we do nothing to help the situation. And we give away any power of our own. Really, we become part of the problem.
If we moderate, we hold the power to improve an unfavorable situation. We become part of the solution.
Let’s take another look.
People are grousing about the price? Let me show you what you get for your money and why it’s a good value.
Customers don’t understand our product? I must not have explained it well enough. Let me give it another shot.
No one came to our seminar? Let me help get the word out next time. I can stir up some excitement.
One customer thinks another customer is getting preferential treatment? What can I do to help him feel appreciated?
People don’t like the new program? Let me show you its benefits and how they could improve your situation.
Don’t think I’m pointing the finger at salespeople; we ALL have to sell ourselves and our work every day to our customers, colleagues, friends, or family. If the buck doesn’t stop with you, it sounds like a sales problem.
By the way, the friend who said that was a VP of sales. How’s that for taking responsibility?
This is great! Coming back from Expo we all have things to learn, about business, about customers, about others AND about ourselves. Like that you can put a new slant on things for ALL of us. And I was browsing your other posts…LOVE the “boy of my heart”…i must have the same two kids! 😉 Merry Christmas Tammy to you and yours! shelby
Thanks, Shelby! It was good to see you at Expo, even if it was only a passing encounter. Have a great holiday!
Love this. I love the idea of thinking, “How can *I* do this better?” Rather than believing it’s someone else’s lack of understanding.
Thanks, Shannon! After I wrote the post, I realized it shared a lot of the same sentiment in a recent post by Derek Sivers, “It’s all my fault.” Once I got over my initial indignation, it really gave me an attitude adjustment.
I read that post, it was great. I liked yours just as much. Even though it’s not an easy thing to do, I think we all need to think that way a little bit more. It’s so easy to play the victim, but I think we all need to reflect a bit more on what we’re doing that puts us in that position.
Good one Tammy!
Dick Sullivan | National Account Executive
Mossberg & Company Inc. | 301 East Sample Street, South Bend, IN 46601
Tel: 574 289 9253 x353 | Cell: 574 286 5100 | Fax: 574 289 6622 | 800 428 3340 I http://www.mossbergco.com
Mossberg & Company Inc. is ISO 9001:2008, FSC©1996 (SGSNA-COC-004382) and SFI certified
Thanks, Dick!
I nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award! 🙂
http://candycoatedturtles.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/2013-here-we-come/
Thanks, Candice!