I started my working life in the automotive industry as a mechanic and over time progressed into luxury automotive sales. During my time in the automotive industry, there has been an overriding philosophy that was instilled in me from the beginning of my sales career by both the company and the management I worked under. It’s a philosophy that resonated with me and one I have always remembered and tried to live by, "At all times be people centric rather than product centric".
After working in the Agri tech sector for a period and now in a technical sales role supporting the horticultural industry, time and time it has been revalidated to me that the focus of any good salesperson should be people centric as opposed to product centric. Customers, where they have a choice, will purchase off salespeople who are authentic, genuine, knowledgeable and above all, do what they say they are going to do. People who deliver when it counts are available and are easy to do business with, will always find customers wanting to deal with them.
Sure, you need a good product too, but a good product on its own doesn’t always equal a satisfied customer. If a customer isn’t dealing with a salesperson who can deliver what is required to support that product, then their experience of that product will often fall short of expectations.
I’ve always found it really rewarding when you form a relationship with a client, delivering what you say you’re going to and where you become the ongoing "go too” problem solver/solution provider.
To create an environment that’s easy to do business in makes good business sense for everyone. I continue to do my best to make this my focus in in dealing with clients and find that if this philosophy is adhered too, the business follows. It’s part of my sales DNA and one that I hope delivers tangible benefits to our customers.