Choosing the Lesser of Two Evils
Giving customers what they need or what they want?
It was one of the worst moments in my professional life.
My company sold equipment through a distributor network. Price wars shook the market. Discounts, discounts, discounts – this was the only word sales reps chanted like a mantra, the sole weapon in the competitive battle.
Tired of paper-thin margins, I decided to flip our approach to sales. Our new program for distributors called ‘Value For Money’ was meant to be a game-changer.
Our rationale was quite straightforward. We charged clients and partners more for more value.
One September morning, I was presenting the program to a significant distributor’s CEO.
I put my heart and soul into the presentation.
I showed the client the dizzying prospects. I emphasized how much his company would benefit from it.
I peppered my speech with numbers and facts to infect him with my enthusiasm.
When I finished, he kept silent for a minute and asked: “So, can I get a discount?”
The weapon of mass distraction
In this ala…