TURN CUSTOMER CONCERNS INTO OPPORTUNITIES TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF

A salesperson walks into his prospect’s office only to be greeted with, “We’re very happy with our current vendor and are not really looking to switch.” Stunned, he thanks the prospect and leaves.
“That’s the worst thing you can ever do,” says Roz Laves, Strategic Account Manager at MHI Global. She offers the following advice when you find yourself in a similar situation:
Don’t alienate the prospect by saying something negative about the competition. Instead, acknowledge how important it is to have a good relationship with a vendor you can rely on. But remember that there are a number of circumstances that can present opportunities for another trusted vendor. You need to ask the right questions to uncover those.
Tell me about your relationship with your current vendor.
As you take a look at that relationship, if you could improve one aspect of that relationship, what would that be?
If that improves, what would that mean to you and your company?
These questions could potentially surface an area that the current supplier cannot provide but that you can. The information you gather can present you the opening you need to share crucial details about your solution and allow you to be considered in the future.
When the customer says he heard from a trusted source that you can’t deliver to expectations
“Some people either need to touch, see, or experience evidence to be convinced otherwise,” says Laves. “Others will believe it just by hearing it from you.” What is important is that you are able to restore your credibility and your company’s reputation. Consider the following suggestions when a customer voices a misunderstanding:
 

• Avoid trying to prove the customer wrong. Instead, ask questions to understand where the misinformation came from and provide proof to clear up the misunderstanding.
• Acknowledge the customer’s viewpoint before refuting the misconception.
• After you have provided relevant proof, don’t simply assume you have thoroughly convinced the customer. Check that there are no lingering concerns or doubts before you move on to the next step in the sales process.

Always welcome customer concerns. That means they are interested. Acknowledging the concern and asking questions to clarify will allow you to move forward with the conversation and address the concern appropriately. Inability to surface the concerns and address them not only costs you the sale but it also tarnishes the reputation of your company because it validates the customer’s misconceptions of your company and product as true. When handled professionally, customer concerns allow you to differentiate yourself and provide the foundation to successfully close the sale.