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VOITH INDIA

From: Rc Reddy

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Date: 1999-03-25

Cc:

Sub: Expectations of a buyer in a supplier to be equipped with while selling -an observation and some tips

With the experience I had with the sales force of my suppliers, I am bringing forward a few points here with good intention. One may be well acquainted with all of them; still it may help to recapitulate the same at a glance.

These points are equally applicable to purchasers to look for what to expect from a supplier and sales personnel, what a customer expects from him.

Qualities expected of a sales person ó The primary task of any sales person is selling himself, not his goods! First of all he should be confident, trim, agile and get the feeling instilled in the person he is meeting that he means business and can deliver the goods he expects. Well-aimed communication skills will do 40% of the job, 60% is for product and its qualities.

[For example, some sales personnel destined to be rejected, resigned to their fate in the beginning itself, more than content to have a visiting card into their hand (to appease their bosses and sometimes may not get that also) and vanishes within no time. All as a result of a poor projection of self.]

You should believe in the product you represent. How much more talk you will make, without having the confidence by yourself in the product you represent, will only show off any time during the discussion and will be the ‘hara-kiri’. When you are convinced that you can make it, you will make it.

Profile of the customer ó Have a profile of the company you meet. If possible learn the background of the company you meet and its avocations, priorities beforehand. Collect the identity of the representative personnel who will do most of the purchase talk. In most cases the recommendation, comparison and evaluation of this personnel will go for higher ups for decision making.

First meeting ó Have appointments prefixed. And keep it up if once fixed. Some people are very much particular about this, especially when they are buying. The keep up in this will show that you are interested and concerned for him and his organisation. As they say first impression is best impression, this will be the first impression you are making to your customer.

In the beginning of the talk, after you enquire about his organisation and background, briefly describe the company of whose product you represent. Customer will evaluate that you are geared up to deliver the goods. This evaluation may be your market share, quality of the product, goodwill, turnover, etc., Well made out brochures for general introduction will be useful.

Product introduction – Benefits to the customer ó remember that the customer is constantly looking for improving the productivity of his organisation. While coming to specific talk on the product, start with how your product will be useful for furthering the productivity of customer. Whatever features are there in your bag, unless it reaches him there is no communication. These points to be driven into the consciousness of the customer. Make a listing of all such points with needed explanations, charts, graphs and present to him. (After all, the customer has also to satisfy his superiors that he is doing a good job). If possible make comparative chart of any regular customer’s company before and after using the product, whereby he derived benefit. This comparison should be in tabular form with representative figures converted into money terms, otherwise in comparable measurement units.

Specifics of Benefits ó Generally, there are three kinds of benefit aspect to customer. One is the general qualities of the products (you deal with) available in the market. Second are the qualities about all products of the company you represent. Thirdly the specific product you represent now. This is like advantages of all soaps in general; advantages of all soaps of HLL, and advantages of ‘Cinthol’ soap you are representing. Listing of these to be made separately and given to the customer if needed by him.

Limitations of the Competitor ó Like the above the listing of limitations and draw backs of the competitor’s products in general and secondly the specific product in question of competitor’s, to be made and highlighted. There is no unethical in this regard. What we aim is fair representation to customer and let him select among wide choices. All he requires to do is Conscious Decision. In the long run, anyway, better product will endure. Towards this the sales man should have a detailed listing of all competitors’ products and their drawbacks and loopholes.

When you project your particular product, find out the nearest competitor to you from customer and proceed accordingly.

Durability of your Product ó Expected life of your product with known examples and your ability to serve the product till such time [service force strength and ability, MTBF (Meantime between Failure), MTBR( Meantime before restoration), Preventive maintenance schedules, how you are geared up to breakdown maintenance). The aim is to show him that he is happy and satisfied not only while buying but also after buying.

Frequently Asked Questions ó Have a listing made of Frequently Asked Questions and be ready to explain them. Have another listing of Frequently Confused Questions and ready to explain them, even uncalled for, to make the customer clear about it.

Pricing ó Pricing is a multi-faceted strategic decision and depends on company’s policy.

Product Technical Details ó Technical explanation may require further meeting and involvement with technical personnel of customer. Depending upon interest shown by customer this can go through. If needed call your technical personnel also. Detailed papers should have tabular model wise listing of various features.

Facilities and infrastructure of Selling Company ó Explain the facilities you have to bring the product to its present shape. Machinery used, R&D, QC of incoming and finished goods, suppliers and their standing in the market. Make a detailed listing of these aspects. At least this will show that you are well prepared.

Follow up ó Ready to follow up the talk with further schedules. If date is not fixed for next meeting, obtain a probable date to call-back. This normally depends on evaluation time required.

Follow up the offer to its logical end, win or lose. If necessary let the senior person take over at some point of time.

Parting meeting ó If the offer withers away to another, have a parting meeting and try to obtain the reason for what went wrong. If the reply from the customer is not convincing, try other sources and get it. Have a format made for last offers and have column of reasons of losing the order in it. The different reasons can be grouped suitably and analysed periodically by top management.

Contacts to keep up ó Cultivate the contacts of customer organisation’s personnel and have a record of all details. Keep up the intimacy with scheduled phone calls and visits. Even you win the order and closed the matter; you have to keep up the contacts on schedule. Who knows the same buyer may bring another customer voluntarily into your fold, secondly it is easy to negotiate the next time.

Identifying the prospective buyers ó Have a look around for prospective buyers. Trade journals and market research will help. Meet them, acquaint them about your product even he is not at that time interested, obtain a probable date of getting offer and schedule your next visit or phone call accordingly. Obtain and record the procedures to be followed at that place. In the long run, listing of each organisation’s profile will be useful for the organisation you work, as the system will run irrespective of manpower used.

The database you build up is a comprehensive one with details like probable prospective customers, the product interested, when contacted, outcome, probable date of follow up, whom to contact, the mode of offer they may make. The database includes the inferior product they are using, if they use and probable date of going for upgrade or revamp.

In brief, in addition to basic communication skills, a sales man visiting a customer should take care about the following aspects, in fact he should have all this in his kit (a note here is that dynamic information in this and additions to this is to be promptly updated):

List of profiles of related information of the organisation he is meeting with the address and phone no’s of contact persons and other details.

Diary with scheduled calls to prospective customers, running customers and old customers.

Brochure for general information about your organisation and products- a profile.

Advantages and benefits of your product in general. This is irrespective of make.

Advantages and benefits of products in general of your organisation.

Advantages and benefits of specific product you deal with.

Disadvantages and limitations of competitor’s products, in general. This should be for all major competitors separately or as a comparative chart of all of them with you.

Disadvantages and limitations of your competitor’s specific product in question. This should be for all major competitors’ products.

Facilities available at your organisation, a detailed note about each sub-aspect.

Technical information about your products. Tabular and model wise listing will have better clarity.

Frequently asked questions and its answers.

Frequently confused questions and its explanations.

After sales service aspect with preventive maintenance, breakdown maintenance, MTBF, MTBR.

Lost order list with details.

Database of prospective buyers.

Rc Reddy

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