Love In 360

The great organizations in this country get it and so do great sales people. It’s not enough just to love the client or customer. The love has to extend through out the organization. In fact, if it doesn’t, if people in the organization feel like they are not taken care of, they will often channel that lack of care right back at the customer.

As a marketing representative for an organization that employed several thousand in manufacturing, call centers, design, and support staff I worked very hard at taking care of people in every nook and cranny. We also have field employees that work in parallel divisions. I was very aware that all of them would have opportunities to touch the customer in some way. I tried to visualize myself standing in the hub, making sure that everyone could win in the deals I put together.

Win/Lose propositions have the tendency to turn into Lose/Lose propositions very quickly. As a manager, I’ve tried to impress it upon my team to do the same. All too often sales people feel they’ve done their job if they make the sale and the customer is happy when they walk out with the contract. My philosophy is, “I’ve done my job when the customer is happy with the delivered product, and not a minute sooner”. And I’m not just concerned that the product is great. I’m just as concerned that their experience in obtaining that product is great with everyone in our organization that touches them.

Sales people need to see themselves as serving the whole organization if they want to maximize their success. I grew up in a family construction business. I was around meal conversation every day that gave me insight into what made a business work. I still remember my Dad talking about sales people who would sell something that really couldn’t be built. They were very quick to tell the customer, “Yeah, we can do that!” without giving any thought to what it would do to the carpenters or other trades people.

Customer focus can never be at the expense of taking care of associates. This does not mean you can never ask an associate to make a sacrifice in order to care of the customer. It does mean there should be shared sacrifice. If you as the sales representative are always asking your team members to sacrifice while you prosper on their back, problems are inevitable.

Make a list of every one in your organization who will come in contact with, or indirectly supports your customer. Next to their name, write down how they win. What makes them feel taken care of? Buy them lunch and ask them, “what can I do in my position to make your job easier?”