| It's September, also known as back to school time. My | | | | development process. Think about a sale that you lost, |
| neighbors and I escort our children to the bus stop for | | | | that you thought you were going to win. And, you |
| the first day of the new school year. However, we're | | | | thought you were going to win because you had a |
| puzzled about the location of the bus stop. It isn't in the | | | | great relationship with the administrator. You and the |
| same place that it was in prior years. Instead of the | | | | administrator had crafted the entire solution in such a |
| children walking down the street, just a few houses, | | | | way that he could march into his boss's office for the |
| they now had to cross two, very active streets to get | | | | proverbial rubber stamp. |
| to the bus stop. | | | | Many years ago, I learned, painfully, that there is no |
| Vigilant, we parents made calls to get the stop moved | | | | such thing as a rubber stamp. Many sales people hear |
| back to where it was before. It seemed to be a fairly | | | | "rubber stamp" and feel confident that they are |
| easy process. We called the administrator who | | | | working with the right person. "The sale is mine!" If |
| coordinates the bus stops and he easily acquiesced. | | | | anything, the rubber stamp is simply the fuse on a stick |
| The supervisor of the bus drivers visited the bus stop | | | | of dynamite. Better get under your desk, your deal is |
| and agreed with us about the safety concern. The | | | | about to implode! |
| administrator told us that the paperwork just needed | | | | Here is what happens behind the scenes as your |
| to get signed by his boss, but to let the driver know | | | | administrator visits with his boss. "Mr Jones, I've found |
| the decision was made to move the bus stop back to | | | | a new supplier for our widgets. The sales rep is terrific. |
| the old location. Victory was ours. Or was it? We left | | | | We've worked together and developed an ideal |
| someone out of the process and what occurred next | | | | solution that makes everyone's life easier and we'll |
| will sound painfully familiar to any sales person who | | | | save 10% on our spending." "Put it in my inbox," says, |
| works in a complex, multi-buyer, sale. | | | | Mr. Jones. Days become weeks as the administrator |
| After the conversation with the supervisor and | | | | pings Mr. Jones about his rubber stamp, but no |
| administrator, we went to what we thought was the | | | | signature is forthcoming. |
| new, old bus stop. The bus turned down our street, we | | | | Finally, Mr. Jones develops an interest in his widget |
| gave our kids a farewell kiss, and awaited their | | | | purchasing and surfs the web for potential suppliers. |
| boarding of the bus. Here comes the bus. There goes | | | | He meets with three of them and finds one to his liking. |
| the bus. The bus driver drove past us as if we weren't | | | | "This supplier is going to save the company 10.25%". |
| even there. Needless to say, we were furious and got | | | | Guess who got the deal? However, the sales person |
| on the horn. All roads led to Jack (name changed) who | | | | never knows about this because the administrator is |
| is the ultimate decision-maker on bus stops. He had not | | | | too embarrassed to call him. After all, the administrator |
| been consulted on any of these discussions or | | | | said this was just a rubber stamp, you had been |
| decisions and was blind-sided by this situation. "I see no | | | | awarded the business. Communication with the |
| reason to change the stop from where I assigned it, he | | | | administrator goes dark; he just stops responding to |
| barked." We immediately knew this was going to be | | | | your emails and voicemails. |
| problematic. With the urging of the school and the | | | | What sales people often forget is that as you go up |
| parents, he agreed to "re-assess" the bus stop. | | | | the corporate ladder, business leaders maintain |
| Following his re-assessment, he called each of the | | | | accountability for the lower rungs of their responsibility. |
| parents to inform them of his decision. "Well, I don't | | | | Thus, they want to feel as if they are involved in the |
| think the bus stop is unsafe, but I'm going to move it." | | | | solution development phase, or at least be offered the |
| Don't think for one second that he used this | | | | opportunity to participate. When administrators fly into |
| opportunity to say that the parents' solution was better | | | | their office with what they feel is a great decision, they |
| than his. Instead, he didn't move the stop to the | | | | are rebuffed. And, for one core reason, EGO! While |
| requested location. He moved it across the street | | | | the administrator's plan may very well be a great one, |
| from where we asked him to assign it. He even | | | | it is met with resistance for the simple reason that his |
| changed the entire bus route to accommodate for his | | | | manager was not invited to participate in the process. |
| solution, a tremendous amount of work for a small | | | | When he finally becomes interested enough to look at |
| issue. However, assigning bus stops is Jack's domain. | | | | this issue, his goal becomes proving that there is a |
| He owns it. He's responsible for it. He is in control. No | | | | better deal to be had. In essence, this approach |
| one is going to tell Jack how to run his business. He is | | | | creates a saboteur of your deal. |
| a thirty-year expert in bus safety. However, this wasn't | | | | If you are the sales person dealing with the |
| a decision on expertise, it was old-fashioned bravado, | | | | administrator, how do you have the conversation |
| ego. And, it is not limited to bus stops. It impacts every | | | | where you share the concern of their manager not |
| sales person who needs to engage multiple people in | | | | being involved in the process without offending? It |
| the buying process to get the account awarded to | | | | takes a tremendous amount of finesse and strategic |
| them. | | | | planning. However, if you truly have your client's best |
| As I hung up the phone with Jack, it dawned on me. I | | | | interests at heart, it is easy. This is the ultimate key. If |
| coach sales people on how to work strategically in an | | | | you are committed to ensuring that your clients |
| account and we failed miserably in this circumstance. | | | | achieve their goals, you can have this conversation. |
| One of the perils I share with sales people is leaving | | | | After all, you know that they won't get what they |
| the ultimate decision-maker out of the solution | | | | want if you continue down this path. |