Occasionally, here at Support Analytics, we like to share an experience with you in an effort to pass on some valuable [hopefully] insights. This is a real story that actually happened a few weeks ago.
I answered the phone to find a sales person on the other end asking to speak with the head of household, which was my first clue there was going to be a sales pitch coming. I’m not sure what kept me on the phone because the only thing the caller usually hears at that point is the click of me hanging up. Reluctantly, I said this was the head of the household (my wife may disagree, but that’s for another post).
After that response, it all became a blur. The woman talked so fast and word-for-word from a script about how now was the best time to get replacement windows and their company was the best … blah, blah, blah. I tried to get a quick, “not interested” reply in, but she was so fast in talking, I couldn’t get a word in. I really wasn’t interested because I just purchased new windows six months ago. Finally, I tried to interrupt with a, “Miss”, but she wasn’t even fazed. She kept up at a blinding speed apparently in the “zone”. Getting annoyed, I said again and louder, “MISS”, which again went unanswered. Finally, I was really annoyed and just said “STOP” in the phone. She seemed to be taken back a bit and stopped her tirade. I informed her that I just bought new windows and was not interested. Click!
Here is where the lesson comes into play.
If this woman had been nice, spoke in conversation or just a polite manner, I may have shared with her that everyone on our street is probably in the market for new windows because of all the houses are 20 years old with poor initial windows installed. Also, I may have given her the names of probably five neighbors that I knew were interested in windows. At almost $20k each, I guess that one call was a missed $100k opportunity for that sales person.
If she merely asked nicely if I was interested and spoke in a civil manner, I may have shared this information with her. Those sales probably would have made her year’s quota or at least a nice bonus.
My guess is that she gets paid by the number of calls she makes or the amount of time she keeps someone on the line, which is a BIG mistake. Compensation should be based on value and not an arbitrary number that may promote bad behaviors such as this one. If all else fails, just be nice because it can go a long way.
