Relationships Add Value
4.1 Explain how partnering relationships add value
Ron Willingham, author of Integrity Selling for the 21st Century, says there is a relationship between the salesperson’s achievement drive and his view of personal selling. Salespeople who feel a professional responsibility to create as much value for customers as possible exhibit more energy, a stronger work ethic, and a greater eagerness to ask customers for decisions.1
The manner in which salespeople establish, build, and manage relationships is not an incidental aspect of personal selling; in the information age, it is the key to success. In the information economy, business is defined by customer relationships, and sales success depends on adding value. Daniel Pink, author of To Sell Is Human and A Whole New Mind, says we are moving from the information age to the conceptual age. He predicts that one of the major players in the conceptual age will be the empathizer. Empathizers have the ability to imagine themselves in someone else’s position and understand what that person is feeling. They are able to understand the subtleties of human interaction.2
Daniel Pink, well-known author of the best-selling To Sell Is Human and A Whole New Mind, predicts that one of the major players in the future will be the empathizer. Empathizers have the ability to imagine themselves in someone else’s position and understand what the person is feeling. They are able to understand the subtleties of human interaction.
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We have defined value-added selling as a series of creative improvements in the sales process that enhance the customer experience. Customers perceive that value is added when they feel comfortable with the relationship they have with a salesperson. A good relationship causes customers to feel that, if a problem arises, they will receive a just and fair solution. A good relationship creates a clearer channel of communication about issues that might surface during each step of the sales process. Len Rodman, CEO from 1998 to 2013 at Black & Veatch, a large engineering and construction company, recalled a problem operation on the West Coast. Earnings were minimal and the person in charge could not sell to high-tier clients. Rodman put a salesperson in charge whose strength was building relationships. Within an 18-month period, that region became one of the most profitable.3
The salesperson who is honest, accountable, and sincerely concerned about the customer’s welfare brings added value to the sale. These characteristics give the salesperson a competitive advantage—an advantage that is becoming increasingly important in a world of “look-alike” products and similar prices.
Partnering—The Highest-Quality Selling Relationship
Salespeople today are encouraged to think of everything they say or do in the context of their relationship with the customer. They should constantly strive to build a long-term partnership. In a marketplace characterized by increased levels of competition and greater product complexity, we see the need to adopt a relationship strategy that emphasizes the “lifetime” customer. High-quality relationships result in repeat business and those important referrals. A growing number of salespeople recognize that the quality of the partnerships they create is as important as the quality of the products they sell. Today’s customer wants a quality product and a quality relationship. One example of this trend is the J.D. Power and Associates customer satisfaction studies. For example, the North American Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study measures guest satisfaction among frequent business travelers. J.D. Power conducts customer satisfaction research in several different industries.4
In Chapter 2 we defined “partnering”as a strategically developed, high-quality, long-term relationship that focuses on solving the customer’s buying problems.5 This definition is used in the sales training video titled “Partnering—The Heart of Selling Today.” Traditional industrial age sales training programs emphasized the importance of creating a good first impression and then “pushing” your product. Partnering emphasizes building a strong relationship during every aspect of the sale and working hard to maintain a quality relationship with the customer after the sale. Today, personal selling must be viewed as a process, not an event.6
Larry Wilson, noted author and founder of Wilson Learning Worldwide, identified partnering as one of the most important strategic thought processes needed by salespeople. He points out that the salesperson who is selling a “one-shot” solution cannot compete against the one who has developed and nurtured a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership. Wilson believed there are three keys to a partnering relationship:
The relationship is built on shared values. If your client believes that you both share the same ideas and values, it goes a long way toward creating a powerful relationship.
Everyone needs to clearly understand the purpose of the partnership and be committed to the vision. Both the salesperson and the client must agree on what they are trying to do together.
The role of the salesperson must move from selling to supporting. The salesperson in a partnership is actively concerned with the growth, health, and satisfaction of the company to which he or she is selling.7
Salespeople willing to abandon short-term thinking and invest the time and energy needed to develop a high-quality, long-term relationship with customers are rewarded with greater earnings and the satisfaction of working with repeat customers. Sales resulting from referrals also increase.