The “in-store” presentation in kitchen and bath showrooms used to put real fire in my stomach. I would be watching for everything when the customers walked in. Where did they park? I always felt that the closer they parked to the showroom, the more comfortable they were. What do they have in their hands? If the keys go on the desk when they sit down, but the wallet or pocketbook stay concealed, I knew I had some selling to do. If the wallet or pocketbook got put on the desk with the keys, I knew they were almost ready to pay.
If the customers looked relaxed, I knew they had agreed on everything and were happy. If there was any sort of stress on their faces, I could be dealing with some sort of conflict over choice. Not only did I have to work out whether that was the reason for the unrest, but I also had to try and figure out what was causing the conflict and what I needed to do to get an agreement. Perhaps one person wanted stone worktops, and one wanted wood. Maybe a coffee machine was being negotiated.
Disaster Strikes
Then COVID hit. Suddenly, the customer is no longer walking into the showroom. If the customer doesn’t like an element of the design, it’s easy to see when they are physically sitting in front of you, but how about when you can only see them via a screen, or via the telephone or the most difficult of all, email? When the customer covers their mouth while they are listening to you, they generally want to say something, but they are stopping themselves. Easy enough to spot usually, but how about when they are wearing a mask?
Some people say that remote selling will be the new way of working. Others say customers will flock back to the kitchen and bath showrooms once everything is back open. Either way, there will always be an element of remote selling that will not be going away.
Dealing with the Punches
Preparation is the key. More than ever, you need to make sure all elements are in place. Has the customer been sent the appointment time? Have they accepted? Will all decision makers be there? Do they have the apps downloaded, the login details and telephone numbers to be able to access the call?
There is nothing worse than dealing with a flustered customer. Whether they are running late due to traffic or got lost on their way to the showroom or experienced a road rage incident on the journey, it isn’t conducive to a successful sale.
And it’s the same with technology. If the customer arrives late to the meeting because of technical difficulties, they won’t be relaxed, and they won’t be totally focused on you and your process.
Room With a View
You also need to make sure that everybody in your kitchen and bath showroom is aware you are presenting. There needs to be no distractions for you or the customer when you are dealing with them – no interruptions – and try to position the camera so there is a plain wall behind you. The last thing you need is the customer being preoccupied by a busy sales counter in the background.
Knowing Your IT
Also, how are you going to pass the images and details to the customer? Are you proficient in Zoom or Teams? And is the customer? Have you put together an information pack of images and links to suppliers’ websites for the customer to refer to during the meeting?
Again, a seamless transfer of files from you to the customer is vital for a successful sale. If the customer is spending more time getting frustrated trying to open files rather than listening to you, this again will make the whole journey a lot tougher.
Business As Usual
Now the customer is ready, and so are you. You have refilled your water bottle, had your snack and you are ready to go. Providing you have done your preparation correctly, the sale should not be too different from a face-to-face interaction. Once you start, you are still looking for the same signs you would look for when the customer is in front of you. Body language, tone of voice and interaction will tell you a lot about how the process is going. Ultimately, the customer still wants truth, trust and authenticity.
-Paul Da Silva, Paul Da Silva Associates
Image auremar/Adobe Stock
