Article by Richard Stone

Sales training courses continually use case studies to aid understanding and development. Below you will see a case study about a made up sales situation between a sales person and a customer. The moment you’ve read through the case study jot down the answers to the three questions which have been posed at the conclusion of the case study. These will help you verify your awareness on the best way to address tricky selling situations. You will find some example ideas offered at the conclusion of the post to which you can evaluate your answers.

For some twelve months, Fred Green has long been looking to acquire an order from ABC Ltd but without any success. Just about every 2 months he calls on the business and the buyer, Sarah Brown, always receives him politely, listens to all his sales arguments thoroughly, looks through the papers in the quotation, and then purely repeats that she is satisfied with the performance of the 2 firms who supply her for the moment. At times she adds with a smile: “sometime or other these companies may fall down on the task and you’ll get your opportunity then Fred.”

Fred Green is sadly becoming impatient with this treatment and feels that he cannot wait forever for an order. He feels that Sarah is just playing tough to get, and isn’t serious about making use of his company in the future. He furthermore has yet another concern in that his supervisor, the sales director, would like to see the name of ABC Ltd, the foremost name in the current market, on the list of the company’s customers. He’s constantly asking Fred when they are going to see an order from ABC Limited. For Fred, ABC Ltd represents a standing challenge.

Just when it appeared that every thing was lost a chance appeared to come to Fred’s rescue. Fred was a keen tennis player, and as such represented his club side in the local knockout tournament. In the 2nd round of the tounament, he came up against Charles Lister, who was a member of the board for ABC Limited. To the surprise of people that knew how great he was, Fred lost the match. A happy Charles Lister invited Fred to join him to get a drink at the club bar following the game. Fred grabbed his opportunity with both hands. Over a beer he explained to Charles whom he worked for along with the problems he had experienced in seeking to secure ABC’s order. The evening ended with an agreement to participate in a return game at Lister’s tennis club, and that Fred ought to bring his quotation along with him.

Several days after the return game, Fred received a modest trial order from ABC Limited. He was particularly satisfied with this development, and thought that it would not be very long before he started to acquire frequent and larger orders.

However, when he next turned up at ABC Ltd for his usual two monthly meeting with Sarah, she sent a communication by means of the receptionist, declaring that she was rather busy and had no time for a meeting that day. The subsequent meeting was equally unsuccessful. Sarah simply told Fred (once again by means of the receptionist) that any quotations or offers must be put in writing and sent to her by means of e-mail.

Fred thought that he knew why Sarah was so off-hand with him. He phoned Charles Lister again and asked him to put in a good word for him with Sarah. Rather to his surprise, Charles refused saying: “I’ve said to Sarah that your products are ok and that she should take you into consideration as a provider when she is considering placing an order. Greater than that I won’t be able to do for you.”

Now contemplate the following three test questions. Make a note of your answers and then evaluate them aided by the comments about the case study, which you can find below.

1.Was Fred correct in taking advantage of his chance encounter with Charles Lister to push his products and additionally to try for a trial order?

2.What can Fred do now to be able to get back in favour with Sarah?

3.Ought Fred drop his relationship with Charles Lister? If yes, how should this be done?

Having looked at the case of the by-passed buyer described above, it might have looked that sales man Fred has dug himself right into a huge hole. Despite the fact that Fred has received a minor trial order from a potentially significant customer, ABC Limited, through a personal contact with a director, Charles Lister, at ABC Plc he has upset the buyer, Sarah. Sarah certainly suspects that she has been by-passed and has responded by preventing all direct contact with Fred. You were asked 3 questions concerning the case. These identical questions were asked of an experienced instructor who runs sales training courses. Listed here are his ideas and advice:

1. Was Fred correct in taking advantage of his chance encounter with Charles Lister? In principle, Fred was correct to take advantage of this opportunity. However, his error lay in not telling Sarah, the client, straight away about the chance meeting with Sarah’s manager Charles Lister and explaining the position to her. This might put Sarah in the picture, and Sarah would not have been left with the feeling that Fred had somehow managed to by-pass her.

2. What can Fred do right away to get back in favour with Sarah? Fred ought to seek to setup a meeting with Sarah to clarify the situation. He might, as an example, write Sarah an e mail inviting her to lunch so that they are able to discuss what appears to be a possible misunderstanding. In such a discussion, he must set out what occurred, and persuade Sarah that it absolutely was not a matter of seeking to go behind her back, but rather the result of a chance private meeting with Charles.

Fred should admit to Sarah that he had not handled the situation very well. Fred most definitely made yet another error in heading back to Charles Lister and asking him to “put a good word in for him”. It would have been far better if Fred had asked Charles to explain to Sarah how the circumstances had arisen and to stress that any decision about placing orders naturally lay with Sarah as the buyer. This might have given Sarah the chance to recover her loss of face, which she clearly thought she had suffered.

3. Should Fred drop his connection with Charles Lister and if so, how?

Fred ought to keep up contact with Charles, but on a personal basis, rather than at a business level. At first, however, he will have to convince Charles to make contact with Sarah and explain the background about the situation set out above. Having said that, after this the relationship with Charles must be kept strictly on a personal level. Certainly the next time Fred plays Charles at tennis, he should try to win!

Having read the example responses, how did your answers compare? If you want to develop into a more proficient and skilled sales man you may do this by attending regular sales training courses.

About the Author

Richard is an experienced trainer and presenter who is a specialist indeveloping sales peoples performance. He also writes many self-help articles aimed at sales people who want to improve their performance.

Richard Stone the Director of Spearhead Training Limited, an organization that provides management and sales training courses aimed at improving business and personal performance. It is possible to view extra articles at http://www.spearhead-training.co.uk

Tagged with: answers • CaseStudy • Existing • Level • Model • Sales • Skills • Test • Training

Filed under: Business Sales Training

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