HTSS68 - How to work with upset and angry clients in sales - Scott Sylvan Bell

How to work with upset clients

Most salespeople and even companies are not prepared to work with upset clients. Most people try to speed through the help to get over helping the client with their issues.

Your ability to help upset or angry clients is your ability to be a better salesperson.

How to help upset or angry clients:

You can take this process and modify it to fit your needs. You want to make sure you are not just dealing with the problem but correcting it. This means you should be willing to help someone who has problems.

If you buyer is calling you that are asking for help to be fixed. They picked you and or your company for a reason. They are not asking to be put off and walked away from.  

Sales is about making promises, this is what you are paid commissions for. If you accept commissions then you are making an agreement to help if there are concerns. There are a few industries where this may not be the case.

Your buyer has low expectations for getting help   

When it comes down to it your buyer is nervous as to how they will get help. Previous experiences over time with other companies have proven that nothing will be done for them. Historically most salespeople try to handle the situation without helping or even by doing the bare minimum.

You will find most salespeople don’t work through with this well because they don’t know how. The real deal is they want to get away form the problem without helping.   

Procrastination hurts you in the long run when you get the call or the email and do nothing with it.  The longer you wait to fix the problem or the concern the more it will cost you.

How you can help upset clients:

Your client want to be heard for the problems they are having, invite them to tell the story. You may need to take some time for this. Fixing the problem is about speed, its about taking time to help.  This is the beginning where salespeople screw up, you have to be willing to be patient. The more you speed up the worse it gets since your client may not feel like they are getting help.   

1. One of the ways to work through the concerns is to make you client feel like they are the only person in the world. You do this by taking time with them. You may hear the story over and over again, be patient this is part of the process.  
2. Ask if it is ok to take notes so you can get to the bottom of things. When you take notes it proves to your client that they are important and you want to get to the bottom of their concerns.
3. Where most salespeople lose the client is they don’t pay attention to the pitch, tone and pace of the conversation.
4. Read the notes back to confirm that all of the concerns have been listed. If you miss something this is the point where you may be corrected and asked to add more to the notes.
5. Ask what the client wants in order to have their concern or problems fixed. Let the person come up with their ideas and you may need to modify this with them.   
6. Give a timetable for the fix or issues to be worked on.
7. Last of all ff you make a promise you better keep it

The team – build out (big deal)

For the problem or the concern you may have to get a team or group of people involved. You can scale this down depending upon the size of your organization. Modify this process to your needs

1. Get whoever you need to get involved whether 1 or 5 people
2. Explain the problem faced by the client and the expected outcome from them.
3. Create a plan of how to take care of the issues.
4. Ask what is needed from each member of the team. You may have to ask - What do you need form me?
5. Explain what is needed from each member of the team and give assignments.
6. Over communicate on who is gong to take care of what.

You are going to do this correct?

I am out of it?

7. Take the time to talk through Here is what success looks like, here is what failure looks like (paint the picture)
8. Implement the plan and check in for what has been done.

Follow though with your client

Your client has low hopes for you fixing their concern and that you will be like every other company. Think through what you can do to help the person out through follow up after your plan has been created.

Promises kept:  

1. Whatever promises you make do that
2. Make sure it is right
3. Check in and follow up consistently, look for ways to fix problems
4. Fix a problem if there is one, modify the plan and get people involved that need to be involved
5. Confirm you have worked out the problem

There is more for you to gain than just fixing the problem. This whole process seems like a bunch of work but it is easier than you think.  When you get known for dealing with upset or tough clients its bragging rights.

Reviews and testimonials

One of the things you can leverage when you do help clients out is the ability to gather real life testimonials and reviews that you can use. One of the best ways to use these testimonials and or reviews is to overcome objections as proof. This is proof you will take care of your clients and or buyers.  

Most salespeople never think of this step and when you use this process the right way you will come out a hero to your buyers.

Scott Sylvan Bell

@scottsbell

#sales #closer #success #Podcast #Howtosellshow #Sacramento

This episode was recorded in Sacramento California