strategy & tactics
Getting to “Yes”
WORDS BY ANDY WEHMEYER
Expert salespeople and the right props can quickly transform your business and your customers’ experiences. It’s 1995 and I’m sitting in my “Installation Manager” office in the retail store where I used to work. I notice a couple of the salespeople standing by the door waiting for the next customer as a guy gets out of his late model BMW and fiddles with his alarm remote as he walks to the front door. He keeps pressing the button to activate the alarm. Nothing happens. He presses again. Nothing happens. Just as he makes it to the front door, Carl, the newbie sales guy, says to Rich, the senior sales guy, “Hey, I have to use the restroom. This guy is yours.” Carl heads to the toilet, leaving Rich with what appears to be a worthless “up.” “Hi,” Rich says to the customer. “Looks like you’re having some trouble with your remote.” “Yeah, it isn’t working. The red light doesn’t come on and nothing happens.” The customer hands the remote and the keys to Rich. “Oh, a Clifford Avant Guard! Nice alarm. I think we installed this for you.
44 Mobile Electronics June 2019
Let me check.” Rich heads to the computer behind the sales counter. [For those of you who don’t remember an Avant Guard, this was the most advanced and expensive alarm at the time. We sold them for about $1,400 installed]. At the computer, Rich says, “Sir, what’s your name?” “Jesse [Something-or-other].” “I found you. Yes, we installed this about a year ago. It’s probably just the battery. We can take care of this for you right away.” Just then, Carl emerges from the restroom wearing a smirk. “Hey, Carl, do me a favor and put a battery in this remote.” Rich shoves the remote and keys into Carl’s chest. Sensing he’s been bested, Carl catches the keys and slithers away to find a screwdriver and a battery. “While Carl is replacing your battery, can I show you something really cool?” Rich asks the customer. “Sure!” “We just finished this system in my car. It’s so great. I can’t wait for you to hear
it.” Rich disappears into the parking lot with the customer. Ten minutes pass. Rich and the customer come back in and head to the sales counter where Rich grabs a work order. Carl hands Rich the remote and the keys. “It’s working now.” Rich scribbles on the work order while he says, “Hey, Carl, find Robert and let him know Jesse needs a ride to work.” Rich and Jesse shake hands. Robert comes to the counter, grabs the keys to the shop van and summons the customer. “Come on. I’ll give you a lift. Where are we going?” With Robert and the customer on the way out, Rich hops and skips into my office laughing and slaps the work order and the keys on my desk. There are no details. No description of anything—just a number at the bottom: $12,000. “Hey! What the hell is this?” I ask indignantly. “Do whatever you want. The customer doesn’t care. He just wants it to sound like my car. You can use half the trunk. I told him you were the expert. Figure it
