Back in 1999 I noticed an alarming trend in the sales industry, people started referring to themselves as "consultants" rather than "salespeople". When you got a business card from a telephone salesperson they were now a "communications & media consultant" and so on. I took time to ponder the motives for this about turn in job titles and came to the conclusion that this was definitely a morph of name only. Sales people had gotten such a bad rap in many sectors and therefore felt it neccessary to disguise their true role to the unsuspecting client.
Fast forward to the current marketplace and now you really have to "behave" like a consultant to gain respect and business from prospective purchasers. Firstly though, lets examine the true definition of what a consultant should actually do. You are there to examine the needs and wants of a client and work with them as though you were a hired part of their team, to present the facts and then advise on what best suits their specific requirements.
Does this describe the "consultants" you have worked with recently?
From a business owners perspective it is difficult to structure salaries that promote this approach. If you pay a high enough basic salary, you are not going to get people trying to sell clients whats best for them rather than the right thing for the customer. On the other side of the coin, I have seen people on a huge basic salary become lazy and contribute very little to the consumers experience, because there is little financial motivation for them to do so. Here in the Costa Del Sol property market many companies employ a commission only salary structure that, I feel can be a hugely damaging experience for clients. There are of course ways that remunerate staff through customer excellence, rather than black and white sales figures and that is the way to go.
It is true to say that with the online power people now have to facilitate research for any purchase, "old school", sell at all cost salespeople are a dying breed and unless you demonstrate, knowledge, the ability to listen closely and then deliver relevant choices to clients you have little chance of succeeding in any business today.
Contact Me
Subscribe (RSS)
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Visitor Feedback
There are currently 1 Response to this blog entry.
gilberthomes
I think "consultant" is code for "out of work." I definitely consider myself a salesman. Being a salesman has gained a negative connotation, but it doesn't need to be a bad thing. You're simply guiding a consumer who is already interested in purchasing a home to make the most of their money. The other day I walked into a mattress store and the no-pressure salesman just sat at his desk like a toad. I don't know anything about mattresses, so I was unimpressed with his lack of initiative. At the next store the salesman had me lay on a bed and ran some computer test that supposedly told him what type of mattress I need. Then he helped me find something that would work in my price range and he price-matched Costco. Anyway, I bought from the real salesman, not the no-pressure guy.