Heavy Hitter Sales Blog

Account Qualification: The Importance of Accurate Information

The internet and political talk shows were abuzz last week with a salacious rumor about Vice President Dick Cheney… The reason he was smiling in this photograph was because he was looking at a naked woman! However, after closer evaluation you can see that the image reflected in his glasses is not a naked woman, but his hand holding his fishing pole. In Heavy Hitter Selling, I wrote about how the mind misinterprets information. Here’s the excerpt:

Since the eyes contain more nerve endings than any other part of the body, they are not only the most sensitive but the most trusted sense. People will say, “I saw it with my own eyes!” and “I’ll believe it when I see it!” In reality, our sensory limitations negatively influence our judgments.

 

Some people will swear they have seen a flying saucer, when in reality the brain has added visual imagery in its attempt to distinguish an obscure object. The term for this is “pareidolia,” and everyone has experienced one. Perhaps the two most common pareidolias are the visualization of the face of the man on the moon and a mirage, the illusion of water in the desert. Pareidolais aren’t solely limited to images. When I was a youngster, I remember listening to the Beatles’ song “Strawberry Fields” over and over to hear what seemed to be “I buried Paul.”

   

Salespeople are not immune to similar ambiguities and delusions. Salespeople with “happy ears” tend to believe whatever they are told by the customer. Others view the world through rose-colored glasses and will always interpret information emanating from the customer in a favorable light.

   

Ambiguities and delusions are disastrous for salespeople. These conditions cause them to work the wrong deals and make mistakes. However, Heavy Hitters work their deals differently. They have a method and strategy for selecting their battles based upon the individuals they must persuade to buy.

Unhappy Customers: What to do When an Account Goes South

I have flown millions of miles on American Airlines over the course of my career. I am a loyal customer of theirs. However, this past week American Airlines cancelled thousands of flights which infuriated many loyal customers like me.  If you are in sales there’s no doubt you’ve faced your share of angry customers before. I received this e-mail from American Airlines and it provides valuable lessons for dealing with unhappy accounts. 

1. Be proactive in contacting the customer because bad news should always be told ASAP.

2. Apologize.

3. Explain what happened and why.

4.Tell them how you will get better and avoid the problem from happening again.

To: Steve Martin

Subject: An Apology from American Airlines

Dear Steve Martin,

As one of our most valued customers, please accept my apology on behalf of American Airlines^® to you, your family and your fellow AAdvantage^® customers for disrupting so many peoples' lives with the recent flight cancellations related to the inspection of our MD-80 aircraft fleet.

As you can imagine, American's decision to cancel thousands of flights this week was difficult, and it undoubtedly created concern among our best customers – even those who had no travel plans during the period.

If in your travels you were among the many who have been personally affected, I sincerely regret the inconvenience you have experienced. Our employees will continue to work around the clock to accommodate all who still need to reach their desired destinations. We anticipate returning to a full schedule by Monday.

While the media reports have documented the reasons why American took this action and the steps we're taking to re-accommodate and compensate affected customers, I've also attached an explanation of the events for your understanding. It's a bit complex, but at the end of it all, please know this:

First, your safety and the safety of our employees remains our number one priority.

Second, we will learn from this experience, and we will get better.

Finally, we wholeheartedly appreciate your loyalty to American Airlines, and we remain committed to earning your business each and every day.

Respectfully,

Dan Garton
Executive Vice President
Marketing

P.S. You may have already contacted us via AA.com^® or by writing directly to Customer Relations. Let me reassure you that we will respond directly to your contact just as quickly as practical.