11 minute read
OLSEN ON SALES
CAN I HAVE THAT FIRM?
------------ BY JAMES OLSEN
WE ARE IN a highly competitive market. There is a lot of negotiation that goes on while buying and selling lumber. Asking for a “Firm Offer” is a big part of it.
Asking for The Firm
There are a couple different ways to ask for a Firm Offer.
Julie: “I might. What’s the price?”
Julie: “I like the stock and shipment, but I need a better price. Can you do any better?”
Us: “Give them to me firm at $705 and I’ll see what I can do.”
Julie: “You can have all three firm at $695.
Us: “Okay. Give me an hour and I’ll be back with something that will work.” ____________________
John: “I might. What’s the price?”
John: “I’m going to shop these around a bit more and I’ll let you know.”
Us: “You could shop them and maybe save a couple bucks, but we could also lose coverage and end up paying more. Can we put them on right now?”
John: “I’m just not ready yet.”
We can try to overcome the objection a couple times—per the book two times is max or we start to move into “pushy” territory. After a couple of tries and the answer is still no we say the following:
Us: “Okay, John, will you do me a favor?”
John: “Sure, what is it?”
Us: “Will you talk to me before you buy them?”
We can ask for a Firm Offer, but I like the “Will you talk to me?” question better. I think it sounds stronger than asking for a Firm.
John: “Sure.”
Us: “Okay. It’s 3:00 your time. I will call you in 90 minutes and we will put these together.”
It is important that we set a firm appointment for the call back!
Just Give Me Your Best Number Up Front
There are buyers who do not like to negotiate. They say things like, “I don’t play that game, just give me your best number up front.”
I could be wrong, but I generally don’t believe this statement. The Pareto Principle (The 80/20 rule) states that 20% of the people have 80% of the money; 20% of the players on any team score 80% of the points; 20% of the carpet in any room gets 80% of the wear. I believe buyers are the same. They are buying 80% of what they buy from 20% of the people talking to them. Buyers are giving this 20% some kind of advantage.
We say, “Pete, there are two prices and there always have been. The ‘Quote Price’ and the ‘Buy Price.’ I am giving you the best Quote Price up front, but to get to the best Buy Price we have to work together. Can you give me a Firm on these trucks, so we can get the best Buy Price?
The other option is to quote a price we think we will be able to do with a Firm Offer and quote that. When the customer says they will take it, we tell them we have to check and see if the stock is still available and ask for a half hour to verify.
Getting Firm Offers is the gateway to getting orders. Do not hesitate to ask for a Firm Offer.
JAMES OLSEN
James Olsen is principal of Reality Sales Training, Portland, Or. Call him at (503) 544-3572 or email james@realitysalestraining.com.
AND WHAT IT COULD ACTUALLY MEAN IN YOUR WORKPLACE
------------ BY PAIGE McALLISTER
“QUIET QUITTING” started as a TikTok video describing how one employee was finding work/life balance by changing how they approached their job without actually quitting. The now-viral video has generated numerous articles and news stories, many with different takes on what quiet quitting actually means.
Some of these theories include:
Employees are setting boundaries: The initial TikTok video defined “quiet quitting” as employees doing their jobs—no more, no less. They are good employees who do their jobs satisfactorily and maybe even above satisfactory. They work their scheduled hours, complete their job duties, fulfill work demands, attend meetings, and meet their goals and numbers. However, they do not do more than what is necessary to meet those expectations.
For them it’s about setting boundaries and not getting caught up in the unacceptable conditions some workplaces demand. It’s about doing their jobs, but not taking on or feeling obligated to take on more duties. It’s about working the scheduled hours but not working nights, weekends or over vacation. It’s about pursuing their own interests and development without confining themselves to only career or industry advancement. It’s about being satisfied in their current role and not striving to advance.
This is the next phase of the “Great Resignation”: Quiet quitting is seen by some as an alternative to joining the Great Resignation. An estimated 48 million employees quit their jobs in 2021 due to various reasons: repercussions from the pandemic, wanting or needing to spend more time with family, looking for personal or professional growth opportunities, choosing to switch careers or start their own business, or searching for more flexibility, remote work, higher pay, and/or better benefits. The trend has not ended in 2022 with more than 4 million people resigning their jobs each month so far with 40% of employees considering quitting their jobs in the next three to six months.
Instead of searching for a new company to provide the changes they want and need, these employees are staying in their current jobs while also taking opportunities outside of the workplace to meet these wants and needs. They may stop working extended hours or performing extra job duties to have the flexibility to spend more time with their family, focus on their health, take development courses, or, if they need more income, they may use the time to get a second job or “side hustle.”
These employees are disengaged: Some see it as employees being disengaged at work, meaning they come in late and leave early, have numerous absences, work slowly, lack interest in work, are easily distracted, do not communicate, and produce minimal or unacceptable results.
According to Gallup, 18% of the workforce is actively disengaged as compared to 32% who are actively engaged. The significant drop in engagement post-pandemic, especially for those that are younger than 35, is primarily due to the lack of having someone at work to care about them and their development, especially from their manager; the lack of opportunities to learn and grow; and the lack of a clear understanding of what is expected of them, especially in remote or hybrid work arrangements.
To back this up, the Harvard Business Review analyzed several surveys and responses about employee engagement and found that the managers who were the most “willing to go the extra mile” for their employees had 62% of their employees giving extra effort on the job while only 3% are “quietly quitting.”
Actions to consider: If “quiet quitting” is impacting your workplace, there are some actions to take and things to consider. • Review job descriptions and work expectations: What do you really need your employees to do? What are you paying them to do? What did you hire them to do? Ensure employees know the expectations, but also that you are not expecting more than what they were hired to do. Changing workforce size and operational demands requires employees to grow and stretch but, if they are not compensated for it or need to work more hours to get the job done without acknowledgement or balance, they may push back or leave. • Review compensation: Pay employees fairly for the job you want and need them to do. While not everything comes down to money, compensation and benefits are a
motivating factor behind employee commitment and engagement. Recent market factors have increased pay ranges and inflation has increased employee pay needs. • Develop effective communication and ways to connect: A key component of an effective working
Q. Now that we are back in the office, my dog is having separation anxiety. Can I bring him to work with me if I keep him in my office? A. While a lot of people enjoy having a dog around, there are several things to think about before starting to bring your dog to work. • Is another employee allergic to or afraid of dogs? If so, you would have to take precautions to not trigger a medical issue or anxiety. Not only could it become a Workers’ Comp issue, but it could expose the company to additional liability. The same consideration may need to be made if you have visitors such as vendors or customers to the worksite. • How will your dog respond to the new people and conditions? Dogs that are well-behaved at home can become aggressive or disruptive in new settings. There would be liability if your dog bites someone at work for whatever reason. • How would he impact your performance? If your dog will not lay down quietly for eight hours while you work, then you will have to take time to walk, feed, and play with him, reducing your overall productivity. • Will other employees be allowed to bring their dogs to work? Allowing one or two may create resentment in those who cannot. • How would this impact other pets? Employees may want to bring their cats, rabbits, birds, fish, etc. into work and may be disappointed if they are not able to.
With all of these factors, it may be easier to hire a dog walker than to open the flood gates of dogs at work.
One note: An accommodation may need to be made if an employee needs a legitimate support or therapy dog. Since these dogs must be highly trained and certified and are necessary for the employee to live or function, they do not pose the same risks for liability. However, just calling a dog an “emotional support” animal is not sufficient to be a required accommodation. Only with proper documentation of the critical and specialized need for a support animal should one be considered. relationship is communication, especially between employee and their manager. The evolving needs of both company and employee along with the changing workplace arrangements mean that ways employees and managers communicate need to change. Whether holding regular meetings (virtual or in-person) or frequent touch-base conversations or regular performance management conversations, employees need to know what is expected of them, how their contribution is valued, and that their concerns are being heard. • Encourage employees to learn and grow inside and outside the company: Along with offering employees opportunities to develop within the company and their roles, consider also encouraging employees to pursue personal interests. Bring in outside resources during work or give them time off to take classes or give them a stipend to pay for outside courses. • Avoid “quiet firing”: “Constructive discharge” is a term to describe when employers make the workplace hostile or unsupportive in order to drive employees away. “Quiet firing” may be less aggressive but have the same impact. Employees may be denied raises, development opportunities, or time off. Or perhaps they face intended or unintended bias. Whatever the situation, if employers are not giving employees what they need to thrive at work, then employees will not give the extra effort companies may want. • Encourage trust between employees and managers: The HBR article outlined the importance of trust in the employee-manager relationship. It suggested ways managers can create trust with their employees to make them feel valued so they are more engaged and therefore less likely to “quietly quit”: have a positive relationship; show consistency; and have expertise in the role. HBR also encouraged employers to work to deserve employee enthusiasm—by doing more for employees, employees are more likely to do more for them.
One Final Thought: Not every employee will have the 24/7 commitment that owners and executives need to make the business successful; nor should they be expected to. In fact, if you expect employees to “hustle” and “do more” to help grow your business, they may realize they can put in the same effort to grow their own business pursuing their passion while creating the work/life balance they want.
PAIGE McALLISTER
Paige McAllister, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is vice president for compliance with Affinity HR Group. Reach her at (877) 660-6400 or contact@affinityhrgroup.com.
