08.26.09
What to say, What Not to Say
Sitting in the McDonald’s drive-thru while waiting for my economically priced-nofrills-cheaper than Starbucks-McCafe iced coffee I saw a sign posted above the cashier. It read, What to Say & What Not to Say. Under the “What Not to Say” column- What kind of sauce do you want? What kind of drink? What size do you want? That’s it? That’s all?
Under the “What to Say column”- Would you like ranch or barbeque? Would you like a coke? Will that be a large? Will that be for here?
McDonald’s may not be your favorite eating establishment but here is a company that knows how to sell billions of burgers, McNuggets and drinks. And they don’t do it by waiting for the customer to tell them every detail. They anticipate what the customer is going to need. By using the right terminology they guide the customer in upgrading and completing their order. Most salespeople have heard the “would you like fries with that” mantra but are your sales and customer service people anticipating the customer’s needs. It requires being proactive and knowing which questions to ask. If a customer orders a hardwood floor, they are going to need moldings, possibly underlayment, adhesive or staples, floor prep materials, cleaners and perhaps other miscellaneous items. How prepared is your sales force and customer service group to guide the customer in finalizing and upgrading their order? The companies that enjoy above average performance have mastered this art. Here are a few ideas that can improve sales and add bottom line growth.
Create your own “What to Say” and “What Not to Say” list- make sure each sales and customer service person posts its, quotes it and uses it.
Reward customer service personnel for increased orders of accessory items.
At a time when every sales dollar is critical, this is just one more way to increase revenue and grow market share.
Happy Selling!
Brian Boek
