Behind the Facade: Check your Perceptions

A friend of mine, semi-retired and financially comfortable had been constructively using his time up a scaffolding tower and roof ladders repairing some loose roof tiles on his son’s house.

Task finished early and with the son still working he left his trailer and Range Rover on the drive and, wearing the clothes he had repaired the roof in he took his sons car to get dinner and also take the opportunity to look at a new Land Rover Defender 90.

He arrived at the dealership to see a showroom devoid of customers with three people behind a reception desk.

“I would like to look at the 90″

“We are operating by appointment only at present, I will see if someone can see you.”

30 seconds later

“No one is available”

Now, my friend considers that this might have been true, however unlikely, but:

  • He was not asked for a phone number so that they could contact him when someone was available;
  • He was not asked if he would like to make an appointment
  • He was not given a card so that he could phone and make an appointment.
  • He WAS given a look that said ‘Go Away’.

Having enjoyed a successful retail career in his own business, he found it comical and sad in equal measure saying

“I am sure she felt she had done a good job getting rid of a tyre kicker but a skilled salesman could have had a signature”

We know that in the world of 2021 people are working at and from home, they are shopping online in their pyjamas and apparently in some cases only dressing the parts of the body that can be seen on camera (and in the case of one Italian MP apparently forgetting even that!).

No business is going to survive, and no salesperson maintain their employment, unless they engage with the person in front of them (whether live or on line) find out who is behind the façade and how they can help them.

Assumptions about customers kill businesses.