What buyers aren’t telling you

Getting customers to open up is never an easy feat. However, my years in the HVAC industry have taught me two things: customers don’t always know what they want, and sales techs need to have the skills to help them figure it out.

Forget trying to figure out what they want, because often they don’t even know.

That’s right. Customers may think they know what they want, but they often really have no idea. For example, Malcom Gladwell gave a TED Talk. He said most people say they prefer a dark, rich, bold coffee because that’s what sounds nice. But in reality, only about 27 percent of people really prefer that type of coffee. In the same way, HVAC customers may assume they know what they want after doing a bit of Internet research. But don’t forget that you’re the HVAC expert. It’s a good idea to ask insightful questions to find out what the homeowner really needs.

Ask the right questions to find their real needs

Sales techs have to help customers figure out what it is they want and need. Ask them questions like how big their family is, whether they are at home or at work most of the day, how old their house is, if anyone has allergies, and whether being environmentally friendly is important to them. A lot of times, a customer will say being “green” is very important, but in reality paying the lowest cost is more important. Or another customer will say paying the lowest price is important, but in reality protecting their children from allergens is more important. You’ll never get this information from a customer without asking genuine questions. Hop on Twitter and tweet me the ways you get customers to open up @HVACLearning