Attention Technicians…. Slow Down and Do Not Act Like Salespeople

Relationship opens the door to revenue.  Plumbers, and technicians, who focus on the relationship as opposed to the transaction will have more transactions over time.  Technicians must identify with the role of trusted advisor in a relationship (not a salesperson), which means it is your job to ask questions, find pain, and help others make the best choice for themselves — like a doctor.  Sometimes the best choice for them is to say “no” to your recommendations.  We all have the right to ask questions of others and we all have the right to say “yes” or “no” to those requests. If you can advise people and lead them to say “yes” or “no,” many of them will say “yes” once you have established trust.

Trust is not established by controlling and eliminating the other’s right to say “no”. Traditional sales methods teach us to present and overcome stalls and objections and make people say “yes”.  I believe that if you open up a space for others to say “no,” it allows more room for them to say “yes”.

I own a life insurance policy that I purchased from a man whom I have known for a long time, a man I like and trust.  In fact, we are very close friends.  I purchased this policy from him because of our relationship.  However, the company that holds the policy has terrible customer service and communicates everything through direct mail.  I needed to notify the company about my change in bank accounts and it took three months and four phone calls for them to finally make the correct change. If it were not for my relationship with my friend I would change companies; however, my relationship with him is so strong I wouldn’t even consider it.