More business English para Dummies Read Online Free Page A

salesperson’s hopes
with vague and
meaningless
phrases. Real pros
don’t let themselves be put off
by this sort of behaviour.
    “We’ll get back with you when we’ve made a decision.”
– Sales representatives, who
let themselves in for
such “arrangements,” might as well forget about closing the sale, Kevin G., a sales representative from Bonn makes clear. Even if the customer explains why he needs more time, Kevin G. knows that a lot can
crop up
during this period. It happened to him once during a phase of non-communication that a competitor aggressively
approached
the customer and
got the bid
,
“because he was virtually ubiquitous
.”
The danger in having time to think it over
    Kevin G. learned a great deal from this experience and took the necessary steps,
“It’s often a matter of misconceived politeness to restrain oneself and give the customer time to think about buying. Doing so is very dangerous; you should always try to be present when the customer makes his decision.”
    Although he may
come across as pushy
to some customers, Kevin G.
abides by
the motto,
“Better one contact too many than not enough.”
While the sales representative initially shows understanding for the customer’s request for time, he will
nevertheless
contact him during this phase,
“Then, it becomes obvious right away whether the customer really concerned himself with the decision or whether he hadn’t given it another thought.”
Stick to your guns
    It is useful in both cases to follow up consistently,
“I see it as a clear promise when a customer assures me that he will contact me within the next two weeks. If I call him at the beginning of the second week, he realises that I take him at his word. He feels more obligated and there is a greater chance that now he will really go into my offer,” says Kevin G. “On the other hand if you contact the customer after the two weeks are over, he may find excuses why he hasn’t looked into the offer. Now you have to take a new run at it , set a new deadline
,
etc.”
Offer support
    “I have to communicate with the customer exactly at the point when he’s right in the middle of the decision-making process, because this is a time when doubts may come up,”
explains Kevin G.
“During the first presentation, the customer usually has not reached the point where he realises the full extent of his decision. Actually, the most critical phase comes afterwards and that’s exactly when I need to be there for him to give him the best possible support.”
There is another reason why this phase is important: The customer
seeks advice from
a number of people who cannot, in every case, be influenced by the sales representative. “It’s relatively easy to identify the co-decision makers in the customer’s company. However, it gets difficult if he looks for guidance among his friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, for example at the ‘
notorious
’ golf club,” says Kevin G. “At such a place the customer is influenced by a variety of people and it is quite possible that he suddenly changes his mind or
drags out
the decision.”
    In this situation, the best way, too, is “
to hang on
,” as the sales representative calls it, in order not to allow the customer any “
way out
.” Kevin G. explains,
“If the customer tells me that he needs two days, I contact him at the end of the second day. If he still needs to clarify something, I inquire what it is and whom the customer will consult. It is my goal, of course,to help him realise that it’s best that I be present during that discussion.”
     
Palabras para recordar
to speed up: to accelerate, to hurry up
to feed someone’s hopes: to make empty promises to someone
meaningless: valueless, empty, futile
to not let oneself be put off: to not let oneself be turned away or brushed off
to let oneself in for something: to get involved or caught up in something
to crop up: to happen, to occur, to come to pass, to arise
to approach: to