(Don’t Say) “We Treat Everyone the Same”
Today we focus on customization when selling to women. When dealership personnel say that they “treat everyone the same,” what they really mean is that they greet prospects consistently and similarly with a sales process - whether in person or digitally. However, having the capacity and ability to treat each customer the same simply can’t be accomplished. It sounds nice as a concept, but after all we are humans, not robots. We can’t be shaped and programmed to treat everyone the same. And, who would want that anyway? Certainly not your customers. But, it’s more than semantics.
It Simply Isn’t True
Does a physician treat all her patients the same? Does your child’s teacher treat all his students the same? Of course not. They would have a pretty bad reputation if they did. Why? Each patient has his own well-being issues and each student performs at her own learning style that is personal to them. Why would it be any different for a client or customer purchasing a car? What brings them in, their finances, influencing factors, comfort and ability to negotiate are all personal and individual.
Don’t Let Past Experiences Interfere with Sales
It’s important to advise and remind your sales team not to let their past experiences interfere with their sales engagement. But that is much easier said than done! Folks who sell cars are just like all of us; sometimes those experiences from the past influence the way we behave in the present. It’s largely because each and every one of us has a neurological make-up filled with fright and flight responses. Let's take a closer look.
Sales advisors interact with numerous customers every day. The good, bad and ugly experiences, behaviors, reactions and emotions of previous situations are all stored in the human brain. When confronted with a similar situation, whether consciously or not, elicits reactions based on past recollections, right? A dealerships’ sales team undergoes the same level of training. How is it that some sales advisors are very engaged and sell to women with ease? Others, even seasoned ‘car guys’, may get through it, but have less comfort and success.
Today is about customization, both in offering tangible and intangible services. The same holds true in selling and approaching customers. Using the same opening line to sell customers equally isn’t going to work. Being ‘customer-focused’ means going the extra mile in delivering quality experience to each customer individually according to their preferences.This means dealerships must ensure that their team of experts on the sales floor and BDC don’t deliver cookie cutter lines, openers, or emails to customers; but rather understand each customer as well as possible. That’s what customers are now looking for. Not, just a sales exchange. Wow, it’s a tall order!
Understanding the customer is more crucial today because our industry is shifting from male to female-focused, leaving dealership management trying to truly understand this growing market segment. It's time to break away from some idea that you are ‘treating everyone the same’ and start to deliver tailored treatment to each customer.
For 7 Tips on How to Customize the Customer Experience, and more on this topic, Click here to read
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