Tips For Dealing With Awkward Customers

Delegates who attend sales training courses will often say how great life would be without customers! Every field salesperson has at least one particularly difficult customer whom they "would rather be rid of".

However, in today's competitive climate, only a few companies can really afford to simply avoid problem cases. If you do not belong to these lucky few, here are a few tips for you and your sales people about how to deal correctly with the eight most significant customer problem types:

The moving target

This customer is hyperactive and constantly busy. They prefer oral communication because they do not like to tie themselves down. They travel a great deal, particularly at times when crucial decisions have to be made

Handling: Send copies of all agreements with the 'moving target' in writing, in particular maintain all contracts with exact conditions as confirmation. Inform one of their employees or their deputy, if your customer is not personally obtainable

The lord of the manor

In the customer business they block you from all the important decision makers. The Lord of the Manor is driven by the fear that they could be passed over or even shut out. As far as possible all information should go via their desk.

Handling: You will not survive if you try to manoeuver yourself past a Lord of the Manor. Win this customer's trust by informing them in detail and feeding them with as many facts as possible. Mobilise the Lord of the Manor for joint meetings with the people who are important to you in the customer business.

The person who can do everything

This customer is able to do simply everything and would just prefer to do your work as well. They have a tried and tested solution for every problem and are mortally offended if you have a different opinion. The person who can do everything suffers a great deal from never heard of it syndrome.

Handing: The person who can do everything should always be listened to attentively.  Ignore them is the worst thing you can do. Try to incorporate their ideas into your solution. Make clear in front of their colleagues how good you think their ideas are and how the 'tailor made solution' has been built by you.

The hoarder of secrets

This customer provides you only very sparingly with information. They make you feel that you 'really ought to know everything yourself'. They put no trust in you at all and doubt that you can do anything.

Handling: Say clearly and openly to the hoarder of secrets what information you require to put together a reasonable offer. Until you know everything you want to know ask 'stupid questions' for as long as you need to. In this fight the words 'Knowledge is power' count! Bring the hoarder of secrets to the point where they openly acknowledge your proficiency: "We want to recommend the same product to you for the next contract as we did back then with ... You were very satisfied then were you not?"

The perfectionist

Often talked about on sales training courses are the perfectionists. They want to optimise everything to the finest detail and for that reason they are the source of enormous costs. The perfectionist loses sight of the larger strategic goal by sinking their teeth into unimportant details.

Handling: Give this customer a great deal of time to be able to evaluate your offer.  If a quick decision is required tell them the last possible date as soon as possible. Make it obvious that alterations always cost more money the later they are undertaken.

The devil's advocate

They have something to say about everything and will find at least one weak point with the best of ideas. If they cannot find anything technical they like to branch out into legal considerations - does the idea injure the rights of third parties, for example, those of competitors, retailers, customers or consumers? Or does it possibly breach environmental legislation...?

Handling: Given enough rope the devil's advocate will hang him or herself.  "Why should we take account of your opinion?  How does this aspect play such an important role for us?"  Will be asked until they are blue in the face. The more detailed the answer your opponent gives the more they give themselves over to looking ridiculous.

The controller

They always sit at the head of the table and settle the agenda for every meeting.  They determine the outline in which you have to submit your offer and how it must be set out. The steps for evaluating the tenders, delegates the responsibilities and sets deadlines are all settled by the Controller.

Handling: Try not to upset the Controller's plans if you have the feeling that they are against you. If the Controller is on your side keep exactly to their rules of the game. Prepare your own little agenda and a technically perfect presentation with charts, forms etc.

The pressuriser

They discuss their decisions with everyone whether or not they are interested. They do not want to decide anything and call a meeting on every tiny pretext. The pressuriser always wants to be in safe hands.

Handling: Instead ask them straight away to invite their colleagues along.  It is a waste of time to present them with an offer on your own.  Covering the product spectrum from the risk enjoying modern view to the conservative safe view, you present several alternatives for choice if possible. What do you suppose they are going to buy?

Applying these techniques to difficult customers will help maintain the ongoing relationship and they are covered on good sales training courses.

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