Suggesting a choice to a customer before they have a chance to speak can cost you business. At the very least it shows that you are not listening.
I went for my coffee and muffin this morning and I was greeted with the question, “Would I like to cool down with a cool smoothie this morning?” I told them that I wanted to warm up with a coffee. I knew what I wanted; but my server was not listening. They wanted to sell me what they wanted to sell.
I really was not too put out by this though. But it did provide for great blog idea for this morning. My question now to us is this… “Do we do this to our customers?” Are we more interested in “Selling” our customers than we are in “Serving” them?
Whether in social media, or in a face to face encounter, are we listening or are we trying to push our own agenda? Customers will feel the difference these days, and they may even walk away.
Would it not have been better if my server said…”Good morning, what can I get for you today?” I certainly would have known that they were listening to me then. So maybe we really don’t need to be upsold all the time?
Maybe we need to be unsold and upserved? I think of Scott Stratten’s book “Unmarketing“, when I think of “Unsold“. Maybe we should think less of selling and more on serving our customers. Customers will tell us what they want. If they don’t know, then we can suggest. What do you think?
