Distilling the Ingredients of Successful Account Management – Part 2

In last week’s article I started distilling the ingredients of successful account management! The word distilling is defined as separating or extracting the essential elements. To manage accounts successfully, we have to identify and extract the essential elements, the traits for success. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to “complete the distillation;” to key on the important points (to each individual account) while placing less emphasis on everything else. I’m reminded of the timeless classic, Fiddler on the Roof. The main character, Tevye, hits the nail right on the head when he talks about the rigors of maintaining tradition and joyfulness in a time of great uncertainty and imbalance. His simple words, “Sounds easy? No!”

Doesn’t sound easy in my world! In fact, I would counter that it’s simple, but not easy. It’s simple to want to approach our customers (and accounts) with common sense; to make the little things count in their worlds. We want to care about our customers and to forge relationships; however, it’s not easy to make that happen on a consistent basis. It’s not easy to extract the essential elements and success factors for each account. As I mentioned in last week’s article, I witnessed all kinds of sales approaches during my 25 plus years in the wine and spirit business. I saw what worked and what didn’t work. I experienced, first-hand, the dynamic wherein a retailer (me) chose to give someone business for reasons that stretched far beyond traditional economic variables.

Here are 3 additional traits for giving additional exceptional service to your customers and clients.

• Show Initiative – take the bull by the horns.

“We need that wine here by lunchtime!” That’s all we needed to say and poof, the wine would appear, usually from the back of a salesperson’s SUV. We didn’t care what it took; we just wanted to see results. The salespeople who earned most of our business showed great initiative. They identified, and more importantly, acted upon opportunities to roll their sleeves up and make a difference to their customers – us! They followed up without being reminded.

There are many ways to show initiative. Some offered to make deliveries for us. Others helped customers when they noticed we were a bit short handed. One time, a salesperson ran over to Kinko’s for us when we were in a bind. Other ways of helping included putting stock up, pricing items and helping us devise new and creative ways to market their products. It wasn’t necessarily what they did, but the fact that they genuinely wanted to help.

Always go the extra mile for your customers. Retailers abhor laziness (from sales people) , as they typically have enough lazy associates of their own. Find ways to differentiate yourself with your accounts. Separate yourself from the pack. Share your knowledge in ways your customers wouldn’t ordinarily expect. Educate them. Study other great salespeople from within your company (and industry), and from other vocations. Read sales books. Pick up ways to stand out and use those methods to show initiative with your customers.

• Don’t complain - to your customers.

Never, ever complain to your customers about anything. Don’t whine about the weather, politics or anything else. Not about your other customers and, certainly, not what your company goes through (or you go through) to serve your accounts properly. Keep your problems to yourself. Your customers have their own hassles and struggles. Think about it. It’s impossible to know what others go through on a daily basis. To think that the problems you face in your life (and job) are different from what others face is wrong, shortsighted and arrogant. You may think that someone has it easy but, rest assured, they don’t think so. The last thing they want is to hear about your misery. Don’t make that mistake and alienate your customers.

Salespeople would walk into our stores all the time with their stories of woe. Often, I would get roped into a conversation that turned awkward and uncomfortable for me. I wanted to help these people, but at the same time, I had my own issues to deal with. My first priority was to the hundreds of families working at my company. I took, very seriously, the responsibility of running a company that helped put food on dinner tables all over town.

Keep a professional outlook. Never, ever complain about your company or its management in front of your customers. It’s a small world. You never know when an off-handed comment will get you in trouble down the road. Show you enthusiasm! “You can’t inspire others, unless you are inspired yourself,” according to Carmine Gallo (2007), author of Fire Them Up! Stay positive, and your customers will enjoy doing business with you.

• Be interested in others - and not so enamored with yourself.

Bring out the best in others; it will help you too. It costs nothing, but can mean so much in the long run by building your reputation. In the book How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie (1937) says that “You can win more friends in 2 months by taking an interest in others than you can in 2 years by trying to get people interested in you!” Nothing could be truer. Give value to others before you ask for something in return. Build rapport, build friendship. As Jeffrey Gitomer says, “Be excited about the prospect of helping others. Help your customers solve their problems.”

Mentor the new sales person in the office. Give others permission to speak freely. Recognize their lives outside of work. Solicit your associates’ ideas. Engage them in decision-making. Respect confidentiality. Invest time in others. Relish in their successes and respond to their feelings. Compliment others as often as possible.

The great news is that, according to numerous studies, being likeable is actually good for our health. The Likeability Factor talks about this phenomenon. “When we’re likeable, we feel our likeability reciprocated, and that in turn increases our self esteem.” People with higher self-esteem have less stress (a good thing) as we know that undue pressure causes many serious ailments. Be happy and be healthy.

The idea is to cross the finish line with your accounts. To me, when a salesperson finished the race, I knew he genuinely cared about the success of our business and the associates who derived their livings from our collective efforts. Whether your foot hits the pavement in business, or in personal relationships, the traits mentioned in this article (and part 1 of this series) will help you succeed. Remember to be yourself. Be honest and likeable. Show initiative. Take a genuine interest in other people. Don’t complain to others. In the words of author and marathon competitor Zoe Koplowitz, “People run marathons every day of their lives in one way or another. We need to remember to give each other the finishers’ medal we deserve!” Be real. Let your customers see the genuine you. Be vulnerable. Admit when you don’t have the answer right away. Cheer for others, just like millions do for the runners on race day.

Author: Darryl Rosen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Wordpress plugin Guest Blogger

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