I realized that consistent follow-up after providing a quote is crucial in customer service, and it's important to seize the right timing for price negotiations.
Specifically, as a company employee, it's necessary to approach customers persistently with the mindset of a business owner, and it's important to have a 'sense' of what makes customers feel uncomfortable.
Sales is effectively learned through both theory and practical experience, and I will continue to grow through diverse experiences in the future.
This is a story of my experience. One day, I received an inquiry from a customer as an inbound lead. The customer said they wanted to know the price and that it was urgent. So, I provided them with a quote.
However, I don't think my follow-up was very proactive. After sending the quote, I didn't attempt a phone call the next day or take any other action. Honestly, I think I was filled with the notion that ‘they would internally decide after receiving the quote.’
There are both lessons learned and questions I have.
Lessons Learned: ✍️Instead of just sending a quote and waiting, I should have attempted a phone call the next day. ✍️I should have negotiated through persistent follow-up, even if it meant potentially bothering the customer. ✍️Otherwise, I would miss the opportunity for price negotiation. ✍️Don't give up even if the customer doesn't reveal their budget. ✍️Since I'm just an employee, not the product creator, I need to be persistent.
Questions: ❓Is it truly necessary to persistently follow up, even if it might bother the customer? ❓At what frequency of contact does follow-up become bothersome for a customer? ❓Could what some consider to be 'bothersome' be perceived by others as 'persistent attention'?
My personal takeaway is that consistently showing interest in the customer's issues is crucial. I believe this allows us to maintain momentum, keep the interaction warm, and seize opportunities without missing the opportune moment. It's like in soccer, where you maintain possession and try different attacking strategies to create scoring opportunities.
Another point is that I think my persistence was lacking because I'm not the owner. At the time, I felt that I wouldn't have acted this way if it were my own company. Now, I strive to persistently help customers, but back then, I prioritized my pride and dignity more.
My question, which overlaps with my lessons learned, is whether persistent follow-up might make customers uncomfortable. I believe this is a subjective area. Some may find it bothersome, while others might perceive it as genuine interest. Since I haven't met the customer in person or had a voice conversation, I don't believe I can read their minds, even if I could. I think 'intuition' is necessary in situations like these.
While learning sales through articles is valuable, I believe that practical experience is ultimately more effective. It's similar to dating and love. Like the saying goes, 'seeing is believing', I'm experiencing a lot. I still have much to learn, but I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to learn through experience.