Archive for the ‘Business Advice’ Category
What Makes a Great Salesman in the Modern Era?
What makes a great salesman? In today’s marketplace, you really have to stand out to be successful. The Internet has revolutionised the way people interact and especially the way people make purchases.
The Internet has ‘shrunk’ the world from a business standpoint. You now have to compete with businesses from all over the planet and of all different sizes, from the store across the street from you, to huge multinational firms and one-man operations. The Internet has also threatened the need for many salesmen.
Take air travel for instance. Before the Internet the only feasible way to book air travel was through a travel agent. Now you can book a flight around the world from your mobile phone. The development of technology is making direct consumer purchasing a very viable option for most people. What makes a great salesman relevant in this modern era?
Firstly, what makes a great salesman is the ability to relate well to customers. No matter how advanced computers get, they cannot simulate or replicate the experience of dealing directly with another human being. Therefore if this is the advantage which a salesman has over technology, that is what they will need to exploit. Relating well to another person makes it much easier as a salesman to help that person achieve what they set out to do.
A customer cannot develop that type of personal relationship with a computer. Also, in trying to develop a good relationship with a customer, a great salesman will adapt his style of selling depending on who he is dealing with. If the customer is of a technical nature, a good salesman will concentrate on the technical features of their product. Alternately, if the customer is more concerned with how their chosen product will look, a good salesman will pick up on this point and focus his attention on the visual appeal of the product. Again, this flexible style of selling is not really possible when selling something on the Internet.
Another thing that makes a great salesman is the ability to ask good questions. Again, that is something a computer cannot do to the extent that a human can. A computer can ask for inputs and then bring back a set of results. But a great salesman can feel out a customer and ask questions to find out what is truly important to them. This is crucial because sometimes customers themselves are not sure what is most important to them. A salesman can ask questions to help the customer find out what is important to them and then direct them to the product or service that best fits to what they are after.
Therefore, a great salesman does have a very big role to play in the in this modern era. They have significant advantages over technology in the way they can relate to a customer on a personal level. Furthermore, they are able to adopt a flexible approach to different customers and also ask searching questions which can identify the needs of their target audience. Exploiting all of these advantages is what makes a great salesman.
Franchisee Beware – The Drawbacks of Franchise Ownership
The buying and selling of franchises has boomed in recent years with becoming a franchisee the ever popular short-cut into being your own boss.
A franchise is simply a contract with an established firm, the franchisor, who has a well-branded product or service. This franchisor charges a fee to allow a business to operate under their name and sell their product. There will usually be restrictions applied and a franchisee will be expected to operate under the franchisor’s guidelines.
Depending on the franchise you are looking to purchase there will potentially be a high financial cost involved. No franchise is completely free, but if you want to be involved with a big brand you could be paying in excess of 100 grand just to be allowed to trade under their name. Although some franchisors include training and guidance with the package, this does of course mean that you are completely under-the-thumb of the governing company and your freedom to original thought is very much curtailed.
As well as the initial fee, some franchisors will charge a regular ‘management’ rate levied on your turnover, they are in essence taking a cut of everything you make. Percentages differ but expect anything up to 15% per annum. So becoming a franchisee is not necessarily the cheap route into business.
Franchisees do not escape the requirements of other types of business owners either, you will not only need to budget for running your franchise like any other business, but your franchisor may insist on you proving you have a certain figure before agreeing to grant you the franchise and could demand that your premises be equipped in a certain way in order to sell their product; all of this can make your business budget a little less flexible than it would be if you were trading differently.
You will also be bound by your geography; most franchisors, especially in the professional service industry, will strictly restrict where you can trade and/or market your services as they will usually have sold franchises for neighbouring areas to other franchisees. This type of restriction can cause major difficulties in times of economic downturn, when a business would usually start looking farther afield for custom.
If you are expecting to be your own boss, do remember that buying a franchise will usually come with a large amount of trading and administrative restrictions that you will be bound by; it is often more like working for a large corporation that being a true business owner and can result in plenty of frustration for someone new to business.
If you are determined that becoming a franchisee is the right option for you then do be certain to weigh-up the relative value very carefully, your outlay and the fees you pay must be backed-up by the worth of the brand.
Finally before committing to buy your chosen franchise digest the Ts & Cs extremely thoroughly and confirm to yourself that you are happy to work within the rules set out by the franchisor.
5 Attributes of a Good Employee
Many of us as business owners are faced with the decision at some point in time of whom best to take on as an employee. We may set them in-house tests and get them to carry out team tasks as part of our assessments. There will also be one or a series of interviews which prospective employees may have to go through. Therefore, before we begin these processes, it is vital to know exactly what we are looking for from a future employee. In this article I will just be looking at five common attributes that you should look for in an employee, however, you final choice will be based on specific job description attributes as well.
Firstly, they should be willing to contribute ideas. If they have a ‘wall flower mentality’ and do not respond to team tasks or interview questions with some well thought out ideas, then they will probably not be a good addition to your business. No matter what level an employee works at, they should be willing to contribute ideas on how to improve their role and also take part in discussions with their peers to make their department run more smoothly. There is no room for the ‘silent minority’ when hiring is concerned.
Secondly, in my experience, all the best employees are generally good listeners. Indeed, you will only have to explain things once to them if they have listened properly. Also, their good listening skills are crucial when dealing with suppliers, their co-workers and most importantly your customers. For instance, for a customer compliant to be dealt with properly it is crucial that an employee fully understands what the ‘substance’ of that complaint is. Listening to the customer carefully will help them do this, whereas talking over the customer or taking a defensive stance, will not.
You will also need to make sure that you future employee can show some initiative. It is important that if they are given a task, that you do not end up spending all your time telling them what to do at every little stage. I am not saying give them a blank canvas and expect them to get on with it. But if you map out what you want them to do, assuming it is part of their skill set, then they should be able to work on it in a confident manner, without bothering you with questions every two minutes.
Good employees also tend to see the bigger picture. For example, they may work in a particular department but they are fully aware of how their actions can affect the rest of the business. Employees who have a good overall business grounding and education usually demonstrate this attribute. Also, this attribute tends to go arm in arm with common sense; in other words an employee who sees the bigger picture usually has a good degree of common sense as well.
Lastly, a good employee will usually ask for more responsibility and sometimes as a consequence assume a leadership role with his peers. They will not ‘crumble’ when assignments are demanding or have a tight deadline. However, not all employees need to be good leaders, but they must all be able to rise to a challenge from time to time and not just give up. Another way to describe this attribute in general could be ‘strength of character’.
These five common attributes which good employees should demonstrate should be tested thoroughly in the interview and tests that you set them. Remember, they will be representing your business so you need to make sure that they make you look good and get the job done.
How to deal with difficult customers
Most people have had the misfortune of having to deal with a difficult customer. It is not a pleasant experience at the time and can be very stressful. Dealing with difficult customers is almost a rite of passage in the work world. Everyone can remember their first difficult customer. You probably panicked and wondered at the time how to deal with such a difficult individual.
It is also likely that you wondered if that type of bad experience with a customer was going to be a frequent occurrence. However, relief probably set in when the next customer, and the one after that, came along and were very nice and appreciative of the help you provided them with. With the above in mind, we can have a brief look at the best ways to deal with difficult customers when they do rear their heads.
The first rule of customer service that everyone learns in their first job is that the customer is always right. What is the principle behind that and what can you learn about how to deal with difficult customers from this statement? Obviously the customer is not always right. Sometimes their request is unreasonable or simply impossible. Sometimes they do not understand the processes involved or other aspects of your business. However, the principle is that you never present things in a way that makes a customer feel like they are wrong. This is essential when dealing with all customers, but especially difficult ones; present them with other options when their request is unavailable or is simply undoable. Another simple thing that goes a long way in dealing with difficult customers is just trying to respond to them in a positive and cheerful way. Indeed, many employees often have difficulty with certain customers and overreact or deliver news in a negative way. Sometimes you will not be able to resolve difficult customers’ demands, but many will appreciate that you are trying your best to help them and are adopting the right attitude towards them.
Lastly, when dealing with some difficult customers, one fact will hold true sometimes. That is that some of them are just beyond help. Indeed, some customers are just determined that things will not work out for them. Therefore, no matter how pro-active you are, or how accommodating and positive you try to be, some people just refuse to be helped. All you can do is try your best and if that is not good enough then sometimes it might be best just to let them go.
Great Customer Service – Set Your Business Apart From The Competition
Many small businesses face some stiff competition in their chosen marketplaces. Due to the global economic downturn there are fewer customers to go around. Therefore, more than ever, it is important to offer your customers a great service. There are a number of simple things that you can do to ensure this happens. I will consider a few of them in more detail below.
Firstly, one simple but great customer service strategy is to give them a call out of the blue. In other words do not always wait for your customers to come to you, instead pro-actively go to them and ask them if there is anything you can do for them. It is surprising how few businesses do this, especially as it can sometimes lead to more sales being made.
Secondly, get your customers or clients to complete a ‘client satisfaction survey’. This is generally a questionnaire designed to ask customers what they think about your products and services. It can cover anything you want to know from them but the main areas usually cover the customers’ views as regards the quality and delivery times relating to your products and services. This satisfaction survey should also include a box where the customers can tell you how you could improve your service. Before you conduct these surveys make sure that you are prepared to take constructive criticism and also be prepared to make changes to you products and services which customers feel are necessary.
Thirdly, try to provide your customers with up to date information as regards your products, services and any industry developments, You can do this by way of a press release, online or offline, and by providing regular newsletters by post or e mail to them. These newsletters could include some regular tips as regards using your products or services, so as to make their life easier.
Lastly, appearances are very important. It may seem an obvious point but when your customers visit you, make sure you offer them a drink. The amount of times I have attended meetings and not be offered one is incredible. It is a very little gesture but goes a long way to making your customer feel welcome. Furthermore, for the same reasons, if they come to see you around lunchtime offer them a sandwich or some lunch. The meeting room you see them in should be tidy and a few nice pictures and flowers might also help create a welcoming atmosphere.