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In the November 2006 e-ret@iler we asked for responses to this question posed by another reader: "I have a salesperson that is very good with one exception. As she sells, she never sells the highest quality. It is not that she always gets the cheapest customers, but she never tries to move people up in quality as they select merchandise. It is as if she has decided that they don't need to spend any more money than absolutely necessary. How do I solve this problem?" Here are the responses you have shared with us: You should start by asking her why she sells what she does, otherwise how can you even know if this is something you want to change, much less how to go about helping her make the change. Neil Wechsler
This should be very easy if you can show this salesperson how and why to sell from the top down.This will be a win win situation for the customer, the salesperson and the owner. Frank Barrett
It sounds like your salesperson is taking the path of least resistance. It is easier to sell lower end products because of price ( example Big Box stores). Perhaps by better qualifying her customer, increasing commissions on higher end products, and training her about the value, both inherent and perceived, of better looking and wearing floors will help her take customers to the next level. Although it may sound like a cliche, in most cases you really do get what you pay for. The secret is in educating your customer to the difference. I love to tell my customers who are trying to decide on a higher end floor that I've never had anyone come back after buying top quality products and saying " I wish I'd bought the cheap stuff ". And that's the truth. Wayne Winegar
Winegar & Sons Floorcovering
The analysis is correct: Her personal priority appears to be low price. She is allowing her personal bias to take center stage, and in the process disregard the customer's wants or needs. The solution is training. . . Teach her to uncover what the customer really came into the store to buy. I would recommend using real life examples that involve your product line. A generic example could be a dining experience; I recently took my wife to a very nice (and romantic) dinner to celebrate our anniversary. If price were my priority, we would have gone to McDonalds (or even White Castle lol). etc. If that training doesn't work, then consider training yourself to accept her as she is. If she won't change, and you can't accept it – then you can always train her to fill out job applications for your competitors. We have employees who do the same - always the lowest price. What I do if I meet up with a customer that is looking for quality and price I show them the name brand, the generic, and our store brand. We usually make more money on the store brand and I tell them honestly that I take store brand apposed to name brand or generic. That usually 'sells' them on the store brand, not the most expensive but a money-maker for us. Nancy Princing I don't have a solution, but I have a salesperson with exactly that problem. She herself is a bargain shopper, and she projects that mentality onto the customers. When we call her on it, her answer is "People don't want to buy expensive stuff." (This in spite of the Cadillac and Lexus SUV's sitting in the parking lot. Hmmm...) Lynn Ferda
Is your store merchandising setup as a Good Better Best scenario? No one buys Good. Most of us will buy Better. Few buy Best. If that is the case you may want to consider finding a new Best item and stocking more of your previous Best item and less of your previous Better item. I have also found that some employees get attached to certain items because they are used to selling them. Why would they sell something better when the good old standby has always worked? You may want to consider some different products. Maybe there is an incentive that would get them to start considering higher end items. I will agree that it is tough to implement these programs but it will be worth your time. Chad It may be that she feels the person cannot afford a more expensive item or that they will see through her think that she does not have their best interest at heart. Explain to her the benefits that a customer will get by buying a more expensive shirt or cashmere sweater and why the price is warranted. If it is not in the customers's price they will let her know and she can then sell them the cheaper shirt. Collin Wood Perdew
I have the same problem. I tend to sell what I think is a good value for the money instead of offering a full range of options and letting the customer's pocketbook dictate the price point. I'm trying to get around my own tendency to sell to the poor little girl I used to be growing up by having samples of "Good, Better, BEST" choices on hand for Show and Tell with the customer. Then sell the benefits of Best.
This are just a variety of thoughts on the subject of upselling the customer.
1) Sometimes the customer doesn't always need to be upsold. If the customer trusts her judgment that she will sell them what they need and not always go for the higher dollar, they will come back and buy more product from her because they trust her.
2) Insentives may also help with this area if she needs motivation to upsell and that is how you judge a successful transaction.
3) Check her background, maybe her history is one of financial struggles and she feels that all customers have the fsame inancial struggles so she thinks she is helping the customer.
4) Open her eyes to the long term benefits of quality products now and less fixing lower cost products later.
I hope that this helps. Jennifer Codding
Get rid of the low priced items she is selling. Only handle the better quality item. Suz and Bill
She reminds me of myself in my early years of selling. Your salesperson could be price focused, rather than feature/benefit focused. It is not our job to decide for a customer whether something is expensive or cheap. That is the customers’ prerogative. It is our responsibility to make them aware of all of the great features and benefits that are out there now. I used to consistently sale the $599.00 sofa sleeper until I started having people lay on a new sleeper that had a memory foam mattress rather than a cheap coil mattress. Time after time, my customers would pay the $1,300 price for the nicer mattress. Once the value has been discovered by showing the feature and helping them see the benefits, price becomes a secondary issue. Try having your salesperson leave price out of her presentation as much as possible and instead, focus on how this new feature will benefit her customers. Ben Kroff Boulevard Home Furnishings
The salesperson is afraid to quote a high price, she has to build the value of the item and she has to believe in that value, once she gets over the fear that customers will shy away of higher priced gear, she will develop a confidence and will be excited about selling high end products. Her customers are probally going elsewhere to buy thier high end gear because they don't have confidence in her knowledge of the product.
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