SKILL
When the Customer Isn’t Right LLOYD ALLARD
Here’s a valuable success principle I’m sure you haven’t heard before: The Customer Is Usually Wrong.
Surprised? You shouldn’t be. I’m sure you’ve thought the same thing hundreds of times – but seeing it pro- claimed so openly may be somewhat shocking. Well, let me explain why I’m including it as a success principle. Selling is like playing golf, fishing, or computing. If you learn the right prin- ciples and apply them correctly, you will be successful. If you learn and apply in- correct principles, you will fail. Then, frus- trated and discouraged, you will often learn and apply more incorrect principles and become even less effective. Much of what has been written and taught about selling, motivation, and positive mental attitude over the past 15 years is incorrect and counterproductive. After many years of study, I have discov- ered principles that, if applied, will make any salesperson successful. When I realized the customer is usually not right – and acted upon this principle’s various implications – my income skyrocketed. I have taught this and other principles to many sales-
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people with similar results. “The customer is always right” may apply to customer service, but it doesn’t apply to sales. All sales tactics based on this false presumption are harmful and will cause you to fail. The idea that, to make the sale, the salesperson should always agree with whatever the customer says or be- lieves is so illogical it’s silly. Think how ridiculous this idea would sound if it were applied to any other profession. What if your doctor looked you
over, rubbed his chin, and asked, “What do you think is wrong with you? What kind of medicine should I prescribe?” You would worry about his qualifications and what he might do to you.
How would you feel about an auto mechanic who said, “I don’t know what to do about your car. I’ve never heard a car sound like that! What do you think is wrong with it?” You’d undoubtedly feel much more confident if he said, “If I don’t know
how to fix your car, I won’t take the job.” The same principle applies in sell- ing. Customers are seldom right and usually don’t expect to be right. If they already knew all the answers, they probably wouldn’t spend their time talking with a salesperson. When you speak with your custom-
er, you share information about your area of expertise. You are a profes- sional – someone who has something to share that will improve the custom- er’s professional or personal life. You have an excellent chance of making any sale if you convince the customer that you know what is best and that you will do things the way they should be done.
Why not just accommodate your customers and do things their way? Many salespeople will jump at the chance to please customers by making any changes – even needless or coun- terproductive ones. The really good salesperson, however, will say, “No, that is not how it should be done. If I can’t do it right, it won’t help you; and, if it won’t help you, I don’t want to do it. My reputation is on the line here.” Customers want salespeople who know what is best to help them meet their needs, and have the integrity to do what is best. If you can communi- cate those two facts about yourself to your customers, you can sell them almost anything.
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