Obviously I’m a person who cares about sales – more importantly, the hard-working, brave people who sell!
That’s why when I am on the receiving of irritating sales practices, I grumble. Case in point:
I answered the phone yesterday and was immediately told by an automated voice “Please do not hang up, an important message follows.” I didn’t hang up because the caller ID suggested it was possibly my credit card company and I know they stay on top of fraudulent activity. I wished it was them…instead I heard:
- Click
- Pause
- “Hello, hello?”
- My response: “Yes?”
- “Oh, Mrs. Bleak (pronounced very wrong) – I’m calling on behalf of ….blah blah blah financial.”
- My response, “Please take me off this list, this is a business line.”
- And then? (drumroll) Click
What? No, “Oh, we’re sorry, we’ll remove you from the list immediately.” No, I didn’t get that courtesy. And to top it off, the SAME company called again this morning!!!
How can you avoid irritating those you call? Be READY! Be succinct, make it about them. And if you get an objection – do NOT avoid it or hang up on them. Thank them for sharing the information and then turn the focus back on them with a question.
What kind of irritating sales practices have you recently been subject to? We can all learn what NOT to do!
