Selling is dead. Long live help!I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject and have come to the consensus that "no one likes salespeople." If you just said, "Duh!" bear with me. No one likes salespeople because of the implied confrontation. You KNOW they want you to make a purchase. The whole reason they are talking to you is BECAUSE they want you to make a purchase. Now, I have no problems with people making money. I have quotas too. HOWEVER, if someone is going to make a profit off me, they better be providing a real service.
For example; I do NOT count a store clerk checking the warehouse for stock as a service. If the shelves don't contain the right size, color, etc.. well that's the locations fault and I'm not going to feel any sort of obligation to purchase just because "you had to go in the back." Nor do I consider a salesperson "knowledgeable' when they simply read the product details off the label. However, if a commission-based agent knows where to find the exact product I looking for; EVEN IF IT IS IN A COMPETITORS store, that is service. Contrary to popular belief; I will be more likely to become a regular customer of a company that is obsessed with solving my problems.
As the saying goes, "you can't fool an ol' fooler" and I can spot BS a mile away. I'm not alone. The public is becoming more and more skeptical. Persuading a customer to buy a product that doesn't meet their needs is like shooting yourself in the foot. Once the customer gets home, realizes they were sold upriver and experience the pang of buyers remorse; you've lost. It doesn't matter if they return the product or not. You've lost them. They don't trust you. Engendering trust it what it comes down to. It is much better to lose out on a purchase today then lose a profit stream for life.
I'm not expecting to win you for the "help" team overnight. I'm sure there will be mobile salesmen and car dealers for many years to come; but do we really want them? Think about it.
