The first and most obvious thing we ask a customer is what they plan to use their equipment for. This is a good place to start so I know where to go with my follow-up questions.
Early in the conversation, I like to ask where else they have shopped and what products they have looked at. From there I ask what brought them to us. Most of the time, it’s a friend who told them about their experience here.
Without really asking the question, I try to see where the customer stands financially and what they are thinking of spending. To find this out I look at what they drove in on. This doesn’t necessarily tell me everything, but helps me to get an indication of whether they are buying for quality or if price is a big issue. I don’t like directly asking about that.
I also like to find out who exactly will be using the equipment. We want to know if the wife or teenage kids are going to be running the equipment and try to connect them with something suitable size- and power-wise for the likely operators.
I try to get some idea of what they expect out of the machine as far as life. I usually do that by asking what machines they have operated before and what they are working with currently. That helps me understand what they expect—and I decide from there what I can offer. The challenge is getting the customer from where they are to where they ought to be. Many times, they are shopping for too little of a machine, or their idea of how much to spend is too low or in some cases too high. I have people who come in and think that in order to get a STIHL they have to spend $500. They are surprised when I tell them I can get them a STIHL for $300 that will do everything they want it to. We also have a sheet that we go through with them and let them take home. It introduces our store and the people we have working here as well as their experience levels. We outline all of that and the service we give. Very often, that is the customer’s deciding factor. Many times, they narrow it down to the equipment or brand they want and then look at a couple different dealers. What I need to point out to them is that our service is different from other stores.
Through it all, I’ve learned that the direct questions in most cases don’t really work well. They typically give you the answer they want to give. I find it’s best to arrive at many of these things indirectly by spending time really talking to and getting to know the customer.
Marvin Cowley
All Seasons Equipment in Eugene, OR
2003 Dealers in Excellence Award Winner
To learn more about selling “service after the sale” read Volume 18 of the STIHL-Sponsored Dealer Success Guide.
