Assuming what?

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You Know What Happens When You Make Assumptions…

In the PhoneSmart Secret Shopping department, one of our goals is to help our clients avoid making assumptions. The reason is simple, it makes it harder to find easy opportunities to help the caller and get their business. It’s usually never a good idea to make assumptions about your potential customer or their situation.

Here are some of the common assumptions we run into and the reasons to avoid them.

• The date the product or service is needed
In our experience in the rental industry, many times, the client we’re shopping will assume that the caller has an immediate need. If what they are looking for is unavailable immediately, unfortunately, they’ve already told the caller that they don’t have anything available. It’s much more difficult to regain the caller’s interest and attention after this than it is to just ask when they need service in the first place.
• The convenience of the office or location
Usually the clients we shop will ask if the caller knows where the office or facility is located, but not if it’s convenient. This is important because it helps the manager determine what they need to do next. If the caller lives across town from where they’re located, our client has to do that much more to sell their product or service and encourage a visit.
• What product or service best suits the caller’s needs
In the storage industry, one of the most important things to do is determine the right size for the job. If the caller is vague or doesn’t really know, that’s not the time to guess. It’s better to keep asking questions to determine their needs. Another good way to get around this is to help them by comparing and giving visual aids to judge size. The manager could also offer a few choices if the caller isn’t sure.
• The budget
Sometimes during our secret shops, we hear a discouraging tone in the manager’s voice. They don’t give the caller a chance to decline the sale, they assume that they aren’t going to – so they don’t.
• Their hesitation
It might be easy to assume that a challenge or concern when asked for the business means “No Sale!” But again, it’s an assumption. If our client is presented with a challenge or more questions about the service, they simply have another chance to show pride in their service or product.

One assumption that is safe to make is “I’m going to make this sale!” If our clients answer their calls with the assumption that they are going to get business from every customer, they will give everyone the same opportunity and likely get more business. Assuming that everyone is a potential buyer will also help them be more consistent with their service and it will be better service to boot!

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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