Both may feel uncomfortable at first
By J.R. Zirkelbach, New Leaf Service Contracts
One thing I admire about my beautiful wife Holly is that she is as comfortable in an evening gown as she is in an old t-shirt and faded jeans.
In a social setting she can be “one of the guys,” talking sports, sipping a bourbon and occasionally puffing on a cigar. In a more formal setting, she is elegant, classy as always and a true lady. And she’ll select from one of her many pairs of stylish heels to wear for the evening.
I’m always amazed at how she can walk in heels and not scream in pain. To me they look like medieval torture devices. New pairs are even more uncomfortable and Holly knows it. Her feet will get sore and perhaps even blister. But the second time out they’ll be a little more comfortable and after several more evenings she can dance in them all night.
Holly’s footwear struggles are not unlike the biggest obstacle retail salespeople face when selling service plans: asking every customer to buy one. We can all agree that we should ask every shopper to consider purchasing a service plan, but if we’re honest with ourselves, we can also agree that we don’t. The question is, why not?
For most, the answer is simple: it’s not comfortable. Why isn’t it comfortable? For the same reason that a new pair of shoes isn’t always comfortable … you’re not used to it. How do you get more comfortable? Do it! The first time will probably feel forced and unnatural. The second time will feel a little less forced, a little more spontaneous. By the 10th time it will feel very comfortable and by the 100th time it’ll be second nature and hard to remember a time when you didn’t ask.
As a retail sales trainer, people ask me what the most difficult aspect is of helping salespeople sell service plans effectively. The answer might surprise you. It has nothing to do with the customer — neither gender, age nor economic status. Nor does it have anything to do with the product, be it brand, price point or reliability.
No, the biggest obstacle I have to overcome is the salespeople themselves. That’s right, the toughest challenge is making salespeople comfortable discussing service options with their customers. And there’s only one way to do it: wear the shoes.
J.R. Zirkelbach is VP of business development and training at New Leaf Service Contracts, which is dedicated to helping BrandSource members sell extended service plans successfully. New Leaf-administered service plans can provide an enhanced customer experience, earnings opportunities for salespeople and increased profitability for dealers. For more information on how your company can be more successful, contact J.R. at jzirkelbach@newleafsc.net or 603-714-3039.
