Orange Juice
If there is anything most of us really hate to deal with it’s the difficult, angry, irate customer. They can test us, scare us, infuriate us. But they can also be the greatest potential for business. Let me tell you the story of Barbara (not her real name).
Barbara (about 5’ I” and 105 lb.) had just moved into sales from operations with her manufacturer’s rep company. She was to take over the accounts of a rep who had just left the firm. To her dismay Barbara discovered that she had in her client list one of the most notoriously difficult, bullying buyers in her company’s roster. She now had to tell this buyer, on her first call to him, that several arrangements were going to have to be renegotiated.
When she realized this she called her coach and they came up with a strategy for how to handle the call. Here is what happened.
After introducing herself to the buyer, she reviewed his needs and the account history and then she broke the news about having to renegotiate terms. Just as she anticipated, a Mount St. Helena scale eruption occurred. He screamed, he pounded his desk, veins bulged from his neck and forehead, his face turned bright red. He told her to get out of his office, that he never wanted to do business with her company again, etc., etc..
What did Barbara do? She sat there. She let him unload. She imagined, as she had been coached, that she was looking at the orange juice dispenser at the restaurant breakfast counter and someone had left the spigot open so all the juice was slowly draining out. And she waited for the juice to completely run out. She did not defend. She did not make excuses. She didn't retreat. She just let the guy unload. Finally, realizing that Barbara wasn't being blown out the door by his histrionics he stopped and said, “Why are you still here?”
Barbara, who was trembling inside but refused to let it show, said, “I didn't see how my leaving was going to solve the problem.”
What could he do? He had already run out of “juice.”
“I realize you're upset,” she continued. “Let’s talk about how we might make this work for you". Barbara was now in control and was able to lead the customer to a satisfactory resolution of the problem. And, I must add, gained his respect in the process.
Lessons:
- Don't justify or defend.
- Behind every bully is a coward.
- Let the negative prospect or customer unload — they only have so much juice to throw at you.
- Salespeople don't get thrown out, they “bail” out.
JUMProductions
po box 522
arlington, tx 76004
vox 817.261.2108 fax 801.881.2717
contact us via email
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