Chapter 15: Servicing the Sale and Building the Partnerships
List the three major activities associated with the customer service phase of personal selling. (6)
(1) suggestion selling (2) delivery and installation (3) assistance with a warranty or service contract (4) securing credit arrangements (5) post-sale follow-up calls (6) adding value with follow-through.
List and describe the major customer service methods that strengthen the partnership.
- A major key to an effective customer service strategy is follow-through on assurances and promises that were part of the sales presentation & expressing sincere expressions of appreciation. Follow-through services may involve: - making credit arrangements - scheduling deliveries - monitoring installation - training in the use or care of the product - providing product updates and similar services. Salespeople can also add value with a sincere expression of appreciation. Follow-up methods include; - personal visits - phone calls - e-mail messages - letters - reports. *A salesperson depends on the support of many other people in servicing a sale. Maintaining good relationships with support staff members who help service your accounts is well worth the time and energy required.*
Explain how to build long-term partnerships with customer service.
- Servicing the sale is a major dimension of the selling process, aiming to provide maximum customer satisfaction and establish a long-term partnership. - Servicing the sale encompasses various activities that occur during and after the buying process. This chapter presents servicing the sale as a three-part process: 1. follow-through on assurances and promises 2. Follow up with ongoing communication after the sale 3. expansion selling.
Describe the steps for partnering with an unhappy customer.
1. Give the customer every opportunity to disclose feelings. 2. Remember that it does not matter whether a complaint is real or perceived. Remember, problems exist when customers perceive they exist. 3. Do not alibi. 4. Politely share with the customer your point of view concerning the cause of the problem. 5. Decide what action must be taken to remedy the problem.
Per Professor Boehm - Managing customer claims:
1. Understand company policy & protocol for managing customer complaints 2. Know your authority level for managing issues 3. Consult with leadership, marketing and legal regarding messaging
Adding value with follow-through can involve several post-sale services. List five possible services.
1. making credit arrangements 2. scheduling deliveries 3. offering training in the use or care of product 4. Provide price change information 5. helping with warranty problems.
Making credit arrangements, scheduling deliveries, offering training in the use or care of the product, provide price change information, or help with a warranty problem are examples of:
Adding value through follow-through
Suggestion selling
Another term for full-line selling.
Explain how to add value with expansion selling.
As the salesperson learns more about the customer, opportunities for expansion selling will arise. Expansion selling can take three forms: 1. full-line selling 2. cross-selling 3. upselling
How does credit become a part of servicing the sale?
Credit becomes a way of servicing the sale because closing the sale will often depend on the salesperson's ability to handle customer credit requests.
Cross-selling
Cross-selling involves selling products that are not directly associated with products that you have sold to an established customer.
Customer service
Customer service encompasses all activities that enhance or facilitate the sale and use of one's product or service.
Define customer service.
Customer service is all those activities that enhance or facilitate the sale and use of one's product or service.
Explain how to deal effectively with complaints.
Dealing effectively with unhappy customers should be considered an opportunity to strengthen the business relationship. 1. Always give customers every opportunity to disclose their feelings. 2. Encourage angry customers to vent their feelings and listen closely to what is said. 3. Briefly summarize what seems to be a major concern and express a sincere desire to find ways to solve the problem.
Full-line selling
Full-line selling, sometimes called "suggestion selling," is the process of recommending products or services that are related to the main item sold to the customer.
List and describe the major current developments in customer service
In the new millennium, customer service has become a primary value-added function. Salespeople are in a unique position to enhance customer satisfaction and trust by displaying five important service behaviors: 1. diligence 2. information communication 3. inducements 4. empathy 5. sportsmanship.
Lifetime customer
Refers to a loyal customer who is unlikely to switch to a competitor in the foreseeable future
What types of customer service problems might be prevented using a call report? (4)
The call report can solve the problems of communication between company personnel and the customer that may include: (1) requested sales literature (2) information about price changes (3) assistance with a product service problem (4) a host of other things that the customer needs.
Call report
The call report is a form that serves as a communications link with people who can assist with customer service.
Upselling
The effort to sell better-quality products is known as upselling. It is an important selling method that often adds customer value.
Define upselling and explain how it can add value. (3)
The effort to sell better-quality products is known as upselling. The better-quality product may provide: 1. greater durability 2. comfort 3. economy
A 3x3 relationship matrix refers to developing relationships across 3 levels within an organization; it is a way of partnership building
True
Value reinforcement
Value reinforcement means getting credit for the value you create for the customer.
Full line selling, cross selling, and upselling are examples of?
expansion selling
