Rapport in selling - creating impact in Corona times

Lockdowns, Shelter in place, Janata curfew, Social distancing- all bywords of these corona times. With upward spiraling Covid-19 positive cases across the world, organisations and particularly retail sales are grappling with equally perilous downward spirals in sales. Instead of jargons like L2L and MTD numbers, I hear retailers now talk in terms of percentage achievement of pre-covid sales figures - 40%, 50%....

As the world grapples with a new way of living, people are slowing coming to terms with a new normal, a new way of living. And selling needs to quickly adapt to a new way of consumer buying. Of course, as online sales surely establishes itself as a preferred 'safe' means of purchase, retailers scramble to assure customers of 'safety' in purchase experience in order to drive footfalls to the fast diminishing numbers of viable brick and mortar stores. 

While customers will surely tend to limit spending to what they perceive as essential needs in uncertain times rather than what they'd desire or aspire for, it becomes crucial for every store to maximise every hard earned walk-in. So what becomes important in sales interactions in these times? Creating covid sensitive rapport becomes all important - that which helps create lasting impact and relationships . 

Some outstanding elements I'd observed recently in service interactions, which I feel contribute to rapport creation with customers in these times:

1. Emoting with the Eye - 

It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. In these covid times, wearing of masks becomes mandatory. In the absence therefore of visibility of other facial expressions, the eyes emote. Learn to smile with your eyes & talk with your eyes with customers. Soft eye contact remains all important. Recently, as I was quarantined at a hotel on my return from international travel, I was deeply impressed by the ability of staffer at the front desk to do this. She was so adept at communicating with her eyes, that it gave her an innate ability to connect with the guests as compared to others who couldn't. 

- Did her eyes leave an impact on me? Yes. 

- Did I mention her name in my reviews on social media and feedback to the hotel? A big definite yes.

Our eyes convey emotions.

2. Energising voice - 

In the absence of complete visibility of facial expressions, the voice becomes all important in establishing rapport. Add the twin factors of social distancing and mask - and your customers will hear muffled sounds if you speak to yourself. You can convey energy only through your voice. Let me share an outstanding example of this. In the said hotel where I was in quarantine, the Chef made a mandatory daily call to the rooms to understand our needs. It used to be the high point of my day. Sight unseen, the Chef's voice conveyed hope, optimism, care, energy and a zest for life. 

- Do I remember his voice? Yes. 

- Did I mention his name in my reviews on social media and feedback to the hotel? A big definite yes.

Our voice leaves impressions.  

3. Giving space -

Forget the one arm distance rule & the handshake - they are a thing of the past for as long as covid shall last. The only comfort we can give is the comfort of space, and plenty of it - yet being around to assist when required. Forget crowding around and/or the favourite old pastime of walking behind and hounding a customer. Learn to juggle space with stepping in when required.  Again in said hotel, food used to be served on a table outside our room door at specified times. The server would keep the food, ring the doorbell and stand 6 feet aside respectfully as we took in the food. Yet, his smiling eyes were ready to step in and assist if required, once i stepped back of course. 

- Do I remember his deportment now? Yes. 

- Did I mention his name in my reviews on social media and feedback to the hotel? A big definite yes.

"Service with Space" is the new mantra.

4. Listen to what is unsaid & exceed expectations - 

Conversations are difficult to have with customers, particularly keeping in mind social distancing and the need to have short conversations. Forget about striking a conversation to understand needs. As a customer, I'd rather not have a person transmit the virus to me through talk. Listen - & observe (the ears & eyes) to pick up cues of interest. We made a simple call to the Chef to understand if  we could have lunch from the dine-in restaurant at the hotel the next day. He said yes, of course. Said day came and we were blown away by the fact that the staff had dug deeper to find reason for our request - a birthday spent in quarantine and they went all out to make it a memorable one. Another case in point - On one of our daily phone conversations I complimented the Chef  on a couple of dishes he made, also casually inquiring about the ingredients used. The next day I was asked if I would like to have the written recipes of those dishes! I said yes of course. And I did get it about 2 weeks after I got home. No follow up done. 

Pick up from what is left unsaid - you only need to be curious. Look to exceed expectations.

The customer will buy what is needed. What we need to focus on now is to create lasting impressions and impact through rapport building - the ties of which remain through thick and thin, through normal life and the new normal.

Note: (I had written about rapport in sales eons ago. You can still read it here http://rapportinrelationships.blogspot.com/2012/05/selling-skills-of-successful.html)

Retail selling: Three things that elevate a buying experience to the extraordinary

Over the last one week, I have had occasion to observe three wonderful and unique salespersons in action; each selling a different product and each ensuring that the buying experience was extra ordinary. I have been immensely impressed with each of them. As the products were being sold to the person I was with, I had the unique opportunity to completely observe and imbibe their selling strategies. If I were to analyse each of these three experiences, three lessons have been driven home to me.

1.  Story telling as a way of customer engagement:

The first pit stop - A branded store renowned for its premium and luxury writing pens.

The requirement - A fountain pen

I almost gave this store a miss, and was egged into the store by my companion. I cry myself hoarse in retail training sessions that story telling is a means of capturing the customer’s interest. I saw it in action and made me a firm believer. Little known stories of brands that I can scarce pronounce, let alone afford. However it got me interested enough to take a tour of the store for myself. The best part: the stories of the luxury/ premium brands did not stop when it was clear that our intention to purchase stopped with pens of very nominal value i.e. nominal for the store, not for us. 

Do those stories have drawing power to take me back to the store? Definitely yes. This master story teller cast a sensory spell around the experience of something as mundane as purchasing a writing pen, elevating the buying experience to a few notches above the ordinary to the extra ordinary.

2. Patience:

The second pit stop - a regular footwear store

The requirement - A pair of formal shoes

Having been disillusioned by the choices available and the salespersons in some of the branded stores offering formal shoes, we decided to take a chance in this store. What we received was painstaking patience on the part of the salesperson. Pair after pair of shoes brought out to try on, till the right comfort, fit and looks were obtained. He never gave up in the face of the customer’s exacting requirements. Always offering more choices, even if it meant getting them from the backroom. Only to be rewarded by the smile of a satisfied customer who has finally got the product of his desires. 

Would I return to the store? A resounding yes: I felt a valued customer.

3. Understanding customer needs & communicating product benefits to suit the needs:

The third pit stop – a leading branded sports footwear store  

The requirement - A pair of running/ walking shoes

This master salesperson sold us a pair of premium running shoes, at a price which was double of what we had in mind. How did he do this? 

• First he understood the customer’s requirements for the shoe. Then he offered a vast range of choices: about 5-6 at least.
• Secondly, he took just one shoe design, explained 3 unique features and their benefits. He linked these benefits to the customer’s requirement for the shoe.T
• Thirdly, he never downgraded any of the other shoe designs. Only pointed out different benefits of each, ultimately ending in how this particular shoe design is so unique and so suited to the customer.

Needless to say, we were sold. Never mind that we had just exceeded our budgeted price by double. 

Would I want to return to this store? Yes, since I know that the salesperson is confident and knowledge about his products and is not selling for selling sake, he is selling what the customer needs.

Three different stores, three different salesperson, three different learning’s to take home. Each with the potential to elevate a regular purchase to the level of an extraordinary sensory experience for the customer.