Many dreamers are attracted to the sales business. Unrealistic customer expectations should be identified from the beginning and explained to prospective clients. How profitable would it be to sell this product or solution to the market? What we want and what we can do are two different things. You can sell anything, depending on how many resources and how much energy you use to achieve your task. But is selling every item or service worth it? That is a different story altogether.
In my life, I have often had discussions with people who had absolutely no idea if something was feasible or not. Their perception of sales was so super-simplified, self-focused, and unrealistic that I was stunned by their comments and statements. These same people, on occasion, have asked me to sell on a commission-based scheme only. Before you contact a sales coach make sure your expectations are realistic.
Unrealistic customer expectations show immaturity and incompetence.
Let me give you an example.
A Lebanese tourist agency contacted Vparagon to help them sell, on a commission-based scheme only, a CRM solution they developed through their industry experience.
Besides the fact that the CRM market is a mature, highly saturated market, how did they expect someone to work on that project on a commission-based only scheme? In a difficult market like this, if the universe aligns, and all goes well, through cold calling, you might be lucky to generate your first sale after two months (as an unknown company, in a red ocean market, with no specific value proposition). How much will you be able to sell a solution like this? Not much. So what will the salesperson’s commission be? How can you expect someone to work for you eight hours per day, for two, three, four months, to possibly make a sale? If at all? Wake up, get real, and think realistically.
The desire to get a project and start a job makes sales outsourcing companies accept proposals with unrealistic customer expectations. The result: the client, sooner or later, becomes disappointed and terminates the project. For an inside sales company, this is undesirable because the most challenging part of any project is to start it. With time and experience, things become straightforward, and the process becomes more effective. So is it worthwhile to start a project when clients are unrealistic? Alternatively, how much does a customer appreciate a direct, honest company that proposes a practical approach to sales instead of immediately promising to meet a customer’s expectations when they know they will not be able to? Not every project should be accepted, and that reality should be explained to the client. This directness will lead to a healthy relationship with him and realistic customer expectations, which, if exceeded, will boost their confidence in you and win their trust.
