I recently began working at a new job as a bathroom designer at a design firm, I am also a salesperson because I have to sell my design and the products I propose. I recently met with a client who seemed to like the design and at the end when I asked him if we were on the right track, he said we are the most expensive so far. Well a few days later (today) he sends me an email asking me for the manufacturer and model # of all of the lighting, vanities, plumbing fixtures, etc. What do you think he is going to do with this information? My boss said we have to give it to him or he will be offended. I am worried he is going to take my hard work and give my choices to someone else to do. My boss thinks he is going to price shop us and told me to make him aware of the fact that not only is he buying the products, he is buying a well thought out design and a full service provided to him because we warranty our stuff for one year after installation and use only licenses plumbers and contractors. Could any experiences salespeople or designers give me any suggestions on how to handle a situation like this? I have only been doing this for about a month, since I graduated with my degree in design.
Bathroom Sconce
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A lesson learned. I totally disagree with your boss. I would tell the potential client that the design and the info he has requested is yours until he/she purchases the bathroom from you. I never give a potential client any more info than necessary because of this exact problem. As you know, it takes a lot of time and effort to do a design, research the fixtures, etc., and then do a bid. As far as I am concerned, the design is my proprietary property until the client signs the contract and writes that first down payment check.
Certainly agree with the first answer. Start defending yourself early in that game, since it is very competitive. Also, trust your instincts.
Bry,
After many years working in sales, mainly in the home furnishings industry, I have run into this issue more times than I can count. You really can’t blame someone for price shopping, especially in this economy, but it is frustrating when you spend hours–even sometimes DAYS–working with someone, and then lose them to a competitor.
Fortunately, there are a couple of things you can do to try to win them over.
My first question to the customer would be to nicely ask them why he or she thinks your company is the most expensive–especially since they don’t have all the model numbers of your products to give to the competitor for pricing. You do have to approach this carefully though. If stated the wrong way, you could sound defensive and this could work against you. Your boss actually brings up a good point about the service aspect of your business. You need to confidently let them know that your company prides itself in the exceptional service it provides. Basically, if they are going to price shop you, they need to compare "apples to apples"–and CHEAPER doesn’t mean BETTER.
Another way around this (and I’m not sure if your company will go for it, but it’s worth a try) is to ask the customer to bring in his price quote from another company, and as long as the products are the same, you could tell them you will match the quote because you really do want their business.
Time, experience, and product knowledge will eventually allow you to quickly counter these problems in the future. As you gain more confidence and deal with customers on a regular basis, you can start to view these objections as a challenge to win the customer over. What the customer is really saying (most of the time) is "What can your company do for me to solve my problems?".
Always remember, if someone is rejecting your offer–they are NOT rejecting you–so don’t take it personally. No matter how hard you try, some people just can’t be won over. BUT–there will be days when you "hit it out of the park" and make huge sales. This is what you shoot for. The ones you can’t win over–just let them go.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
David