Our Opinion Sort of Counts

While visiting a wireless store I overheard the following conversation. A customer was looking at an entry-level phone and when the salesperson walked up to him they had the following encounter.

Salesperson: "Can I help you?" (Gee, that's original!)

Customer: "I was interested in this phone."

Salesperson: "The (brand removed)?"

Customer: "Yes. What can you tell me about it?"

Salesperson: "You don't want that phone."

Customer: "Why's that?"

Salesperson: "It doesn't have Bluetooth capabilities or a very big display for reading emails and surfing the net. The camera is also only 1.2 pixel."

Customer: "Hmm. I'm just going to look around then. Thanks."

Salesperson: "No problem. If you have any more questions or need any more help just let me know."

Two minutes later the customer was out the door. A lost sale and a lost customer because the salesperson "helped" them out and pushed his opinion on the customer.

Wouldn't it have been great if this had happened?

Salesperson: "It doesn't have Bluetooth capabilities or a very big display for reading emails and surfing the net. The camera is also only 1.2 pixel."

Customer: "Well I don't need Bluetooth capabilities or a big display for reading emails or surfing the net. I may or may not use the camera.  All I want is to make calls.  I really don't want to spend any more money than I have to for any more phone than I need but since you didn't bother to learn anything about my needs and only shared your opinion I'm going to look around for just a few more minutes and then hightail out of here and go buy a phone somewhere else." (Customer then catches breath!)

Salesperson: "No problem. If you have any more questions or need any more help just let me know."

A retail salesperson's professional opinion is extremely important to your customer.

The problem is that many salespeople, like this one, share their personal opinion.

While I'm sure the guy's heart was in the right place, his personal opinion doesn't add value to the customer's experience.  What does add value is his professional opinion, and the only way to form a professional opinion is to learn something about the customer to whom you are speaking.

In the instance above, if the salesperson had asked questions like "how do you think you'll use the phone?" and "Do you like to read email or use the internet?" and "Do you like to use a headset?" and "Does your current phone have a camera?"

After the customer provides enough information the salesperson can make a professional recommendation, but until you hear the answer to those questions you're just giving the customer your personal opinion.

Just because we like a certain look or want certain features doesn't mean the customer does.  We're not buying it!  We're helping the customer buy it, and our role is to help him/her buy the right thing.

So the next time you're giving a customer your opinion stop ask yourself, is it personal or professional?