The power goes off in the middle of a computer demonstration

Module 5: Think you’ve had a Rough Day?

• For each situation listed:
• How would you respond?
• What could the seller have done to prevent getting into this situation?

1. The power goes off in the middle of a computer demonstration. As a result, you lose all of the data you have been inputting for the last eight minutes.

Answer:

If we are saving such data, which has significant importance due to any reason, then there should be such system, which can create backup files automatically. The duration t create a backup file is dependent upon the nature of data. If data is of complicated nature and has strategic importance for the company, in such circumstances the back up of these files should be created after every 5 minutes. So if there would be any power failure then there will be no loss of time and data.

2. The buyer says, “Look, I don’t want to see a bunch of pictures and charts! Just tell me how you’ll save me money.”

Answer:

In such circumstances, salesman should have expertise and skill to describe all the proposals briefly. Salesman should have ability to explain all the aspects of the proposal theoretically without using any technical languages that it can be understood by the layman easily without any problem.

3. You involve the prospect by having her help you calculate the savings she will experience with your machine. While putting the last number in the calculator, she apparently hit the wrong key. As a result, she calculates the time needed to recoup her investment as 258 years instead of the actual 14 years.

Answer:

While putting the last number in the calculator, she apparently hit the wrong key. As a result, she calculates the time needed to recoup her investment as 258 years instead of the actual 14 years .As the time period use in this calculation is 258 years, while the actual time required was only 14 years. This is an abnormal difference so in such circumstances it is better to perform calculations that accurate measures can be provided to buyers in term of potential savings, which can be availed by the buyers after buying our company’s machine. Wrong calculations may lead to wrong answers, which can be misleader and can become the cause of wrong decision making.

4. You hand the prospect a page from your price book. He takes it, looks at it, then opens his desk drawer and tosses it in. Because your industry has severe price competition, your company’s policy forbids you to hand out your price sheet to anyone.

As the price book is a secret document so it should not be hand out to anyone. The trice list of the company can have significant importance for a company, particularly m if the company is operating in hyper competitive environment. If a salesperson have handout the price book to the buyer then there us huge possibility that salesperson may be involved in the violation of policies of the company. There are many companies, which prepare their business strategies by using price as a tool so that competitive edge can be taken by lowering process of the products of the company as compare to the prices of the other competitors of the company.

5. You are showing your buyer some items in the portfolio, and you accidentally knock it off the desk. The rings open up, and the pages scatter all over the floor.

Answer:

If you are facing a situation like this when you are showing your buyer some items in the portfolio and you accidentally knock it off the desk and at the same time the rings of the file open up, and the pages scatter all over the floor.  In such situation the salesman should not panic. He should excuse the buyer. Then he should stand up from his seat without any hurry. Salesman should remain calm and should start collecting all the pieces from the floor and should place them in the file. Salesman should not arrange the pages. He should ask for some other time of meeting so that he can come with his complete and arranged portfolio because otherwise it can waste the time of the buyer which will not be appreciated by the buyer.

6. You offer the prospect a sample of your new food product. He tastes it, makes a face, and says, “That really pretty awful tastes!”

Answer:

If a salesman have to face such situation where buyers give comments after testing the samples of the company while saying “That really pretty awful tastes!” then salesman should remain patience and should apologies. Then with having a pleasant smile on face sales man should ask for reason due to which buyer has rejected the sample. Salesman should pretend that he is asking this question because he is keen to improve their quality so that buyers can like the taste.

7. You are in the middle of using a computer to demonstrate return on investments at various pricing points. Suddenly you forget how to call up the next screen. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t remember what to do next!

Answer:

In such circumstances where sales man don’t know what to do next! Then salesman should not panic. Salesman should remain calm and he should not show any sign that he just can’t remember what to do next! Salesman should try to change the focus of discussion so that he can be able to divert the attention of buyers to other issues and then he should wait for the time when meeting can be called off and should ask for time to show the buyer prototype next day.

8. You are in the middle of painting a word picture and the buyer is interrupted by a phone call. The call lasts about five minutes. The buyer turns and says, “Now, where were we?”

Answer:

If this is the case where the buyer says, “Now, where were we?”  Then salesman should tell a brief / short overview and should come to the point as soon as possible so that time can be saved.

9. When the salesperson offers his or her hand for a handshake, the prospect doesn’t offer his hand in return.

Answer:

If the salesperson offers his or her hand for a handshake, the prospect doesn’t offer his hand in return then salesman should not show any gesture that he has not liked it. He should say good bye with having a pleasant smile on face

10. As the seller is having a seat, the prospect informs the seller that some catastrophe has just occurred in his or her life. “My child was just hurt at school on the playground”; “My wife just learned she has a possible cancerous growth on her neck”; “I just found out that they are going to be lying off another 400 workers at this plant. I wonder how that is going to impact me!”).

Answer:

If buyer is changing the focus of discussion and he is trying to engage the salesman in some kind of discount on his personal matter or on his personal life then salesman should not ignore it. Salesman should give proper attention to the buyer and body language of the salesman should reflect that he is interested in the discussion initiated by the buyer.

Salesman should also chip in this discussion by adding his views so that buyer can feel that salesman is going respect to his views and he is concerned about buyers problem, either it is about his child, who was just hurt at school on the playground or it was about   his wife, who have just learned that she has a possible cancerous growth on her neck; or when the buyer says, “I just found out that they are going to be laying off another 400 workers at this plant. I wonder how that is going to impact me.”

11. the prospect asks the seller to have a seat, but then remains standing.

Answer:

Salesman should follow the instruction of buyer and should have seat as the buyer ask him.

12. The phone rings on the prospect’s desk. The prospect picks it up and starts carrying on a spirited conversation.

Answer:

Salesman should wait for completion of the call of prospect.

13. The buyer starts to nod or goes to sleep.

Answer:

If a salesman have to face a situation, where the buyer nods or sleep then the salesman should start discussing on the intersting points, which can be beneficial or attractive for the buyer so that interest of the buyers should remain at maximum level.