SAVING SALES! The Turnover - Part II

Part one, last week, defined the turnover and the positive effect it could have on results in a business. This week in Part II we will delve into the proper execution and the importance of the execution to the end results. Without a specific, almost transparent approach, the turnover process may seem threatening to the client and not have a revenue increasing result or be perceived as a customer service.

In the event the original associate attending to the customer realizes that the process had hit a brick wall, the employee must rationally contemplate the problem that exists between the associate and the customer. At that point, the associate must determine who would be most qualified to take over and successfully complete the transaction if there is more than one person available to take the turnover. In other words, is it a lack of authoritative position, a lack of product knowledge, a lack of experience or possible a sense of bigotry due to racial or generational differences. From that point the associate should gracefully excuse themselves and contact the person that is the most logical to transition into the transaction.

Secondly, the associate must explain to the associate embarking upon the transaction, the original request of the customer and if time permits, what has been suggested or shown to the customer. This must be done hastily as if too much time evolves, the customer may become agitated or worse yet, decide to leave.

Next the introduction must be brief, but be coupled with the reason the new person is being introduced. Some effective statements are, “he (or she) is the manager, he (or she) has vast knowledge of the inventory and benefits etc.

At that point the original associate should clean up any of the actual items that have been shown or suggested and lease the site of the transaction that is currently taking place. The process saves both the original associate and the customer frustration and time and hopefully will result in a sale as opposed to no sale or transaction and a dissatisfied customer that inevitably will choose to go elsewhere!

Depending on the proper execution as outlined, the customer in question will regard the process that took place, even if the sale is not the final result as a customer service and a veritable display that the business really cares about satisfying the customer. If the process is smooth and timely, it is highly unlikely that the customer will feel pressured and stressed! Management should make it a point to recognize not only the associate completing the transaction, but the original associate that properly executed the turnover as that is proof that they care more about the end result and the overall business that merely their own self centered results!

In closing the turnover process is an easy to enforce, easy to track, easy to train process for the staff of any business. The end results are manifold ranging from better customer service and ideally increased revenue due to a higher close rate with the customers entering the business with a purchase or transaction in mind!

Randy Snyder, the author has witnessed the results of the turnover process during his nearly 40 years in management and consulting and is a regular contributor to Salesheads.