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Sales Techniques

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lamarcus_g
California, United States

I am in charge of the sales department at my company. We have a call tracking system set in place to listen to our employees sales techniques whilst on the phone with potential clients. I am having the hardest time getting through to them that when we dont have exactly the forklift the client is looking for that they should never immediately terminate the call. They need to figure out the customers needs and see if we have something that can accomodate them in stock. Or at the very least get a phone number so that if we do end up getting the part/lift truck their looking for in we can call back. Any thoughts on how I can motivate them to do this?

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LaMarcus http://www.forkliftsnationwide.com

Posted 20 Mar 2009 05:32 AM

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richard_y
Singapore, Singapore

I am not sure of your call tracking system, but the most important for your sales personnel to know is the products that you are handling. List out all calls in record and distribute these calls (enquires) to your respective sales person. Have at least a weekly meeting to go through all the sales enquiries and list out how many have actually go to the prospective customers' site to see the application. This is the best way to judge the prospective customers' requirements. The best if possible is to follow your salesmen and show them the techniques of selling a product. I have always told the salesmen to make contact with all the enquires. You may not have the exact unit that the customer requires, but a good salesman can always find something almost equivalent for their applications. My advise to my salesmen - the prospective customer had a material handling problem and you are there to solve their problems. I am not a salesman by profession, but I do training in sales application in the forklift industries. I am actually a service personnel and act as a trainer in both sales and service.

Posted 20 Mar 2009 06:36 PM

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philip_faller
Ohio, United States

I tried to look at your website, or should I say websites.
I got very confused. There is no phone numbers anywhere. When you click on anything it seems to take you in a big circle.
Im sorry to say that your company has a lot of coverage but you can't get to anything. Who are you guys?

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Transdoc

Posted 21 Mar 2009 01:13 AM

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johnr_j
Georgia, United States

Lamarcus,

With little information to go on about your company - which appears to be an organization that retails & wholesales equipment with certain alliances with local dealer throughout the US.  And little info on your sales folks and yourself, like how they are paid (straight commission or sales + commission or salary with bonus opportunities, etc, etc., experience levels, etc..  The following is offered:

1. I concur with Phillip Faller - your web site is a bit hard to navigate & get any useful information.  Make it easy for your prospective customers to do business with your company.  There is a lot of information on your web - but I would think that it is a bit elementary as it seems you are trying to attract dealers/users who kinda' know what they are looking for.

2.  Relative to your sales people issues - motivation to do any job starts with explaining the position expectations & responsibilities to those that work under your direction.  Then give them the tools to do the job and TRAIN them.  If you sales team is not experience in lift trucks & other goods you are trying to sell, they may not know what questions to ask - TRAIN, Review results, TRAIN,review results TRAIN, review results.  A positive reinforcement works wonders.  If not trainable someone made an incorrect decision in hiring.

The phone system seems to be used as a BIG BROTHER (from the book 1984) watchdog.  It seems it would be better used to help guide what the training needs are for your team and pinpoint the individual needs.

Try the PMA approach (Positive Mental Attitude) it is better than the PMS approach (Pretty Mean Secretary).  Remember practice does not make perfect but Perfect Practice makes Perfect.

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Have An Exceptional Day!

Posted 21 Mar 2009 09:54 PM

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