Lately I’ve noticed a trend that I’m frustrated and concerned by…….people not doing what they say they’re going to do in the time frame in which they said they would do it in.
This isn’t just a professional issue, like the company I’m trying to do business with that says they’re going to follow up and doesn’t. It’s also happening in my personal life like with the guy I’ve been getting my mulch from for over 15 years who said he’d be here Monday or Tuesday and now it’s Wednesday and he’s still not here.
After texting the mulch guy yesterday evening to hold him accountable to coming when he said he would I actually said out loud, “I don’t have time to be chasing people down so that I can GIVE THEM MONEY!” So, going forward I’m not. From now on, if you don’t call when you say you will, send the proposal when you said you would, or show up on Monday or Tuesday to deliver mulch DON’T expect to hear from me again and DO expect that I will go in search of someone else to help. I’m frustrated because it’s not just the two examples I gave you. It’s been happening a lot lately. So, it got me thinking, if this is happening to me then it has to be happening to others too. I teach sales reps that they can, and should, hold their prospects accountable. I also tell them that they can’t hold anyone accountable if they themselves don’t walk their talk. I started to wonder how many of my client’s prospects and customers were frustrated like I am because the SDR/AE/CSM didn’t do what they said they would by the day and time they committed to doing it. I hear a variety of excuses from those that have let me down lately:- I’ve been traveling
- I didn’t get a chance to speak with so and so
- I had an unexpected project land on my desk
- My child got sick
- My guy didn’t show up to work today
- Making time to prospect
- Keeping control of the sales cycle and not abdicating it to the prospect after the demo. (It sounds like this from your prospect, “We’ll get together internally to discuss and get back to you”)
- Not pitching your product or service, but actually being a caring consultative sales person
- Adding value with every conversation or email
- AND doing what they say they’re going to do when they say they’re going to do it