Sales 101
Category None
I thought I'd share this event with you as I would like to get some feedback on what your thoughts are on this situation. This weekend Bruce and I went shopping for a kitchen table. We went to a pretty reputable furniture store (Oak Unlimited Inc. - Hayden Island branch - Portland, OR) where we've both purchased items from them in the past. They were having a sale on a table set that was being discontinued (or so we later found out). We were given a price and was told that they would have it made and ready in about 3 weeks or so. We paid 1/2 up front and walked out the door feeling pretty good about the purchase. The next day, (Sunday) I get a call from the sales representative stating that the price she quoted me was for the floor model and that if I didn't want the floor model and wanted to order one, then the price was about $130 more. (this was a message she left). She asked me to contact her boss. The next day we contacted her boss to find out what was exactly going on. Apparently, the salesperson had made a mistake in quoting us. He repeated that the quote was for the floor model and also said that the table was being discontinued. We asked him that if in fact the table was being discontinued, then why was she going to order a new table for us and never mentioned that it would cost more. (Bait and switch???) He back peddled a bit and tried to cover up the mistake of his sales person. We were willing to purchase the table if they would give us a new one for the same price they quoted us (since it was their mistake). He wouldn't budge and unfortunately it cost him a sale and some unsatisfied customers. (return customers at that)
So this is my question, was losing a sale for a $130 difference worth the price of losing a repeat customer and a guaranteed sale? As a salesperson myself, I guess I'm at a loss of where his mindset was/is. The cost of losing a customer and the long term affects of the bad-mouthing his company store will get, is far more detrimental than losing $130 upfront. He must think that there are plenty of other prospective customers out there that will buy his furniture.
Your thoughts?
I thought I'd share this event with you as I would like to get some feedback on what your thoughts are on this situation. This weekend Bruce and I went shopping for a kitchen table. We went to a pretty reputable furniture store (Oak Unlimited Inc. - Hayden Island branch - Portland, OR) where we've both purchased items from them in the past. They were having a sale on a table set that was being discontinued (or so we later found out). We were given a price and was told that they would have it made and ready in about 3 weeks or so. We paid 1/2 up front and walked out the door feeling pretty good about the purchase. The next day, (Sunday) I get a call from the sales representative stating that the price she quoted me was for the floor model and that if I didn't want the floor model and wanted to order one, then the price was about $130 more. (this was a message she left). She asked me to contact her boss. The next day we contacted her boss to find out what was exactly going on. Apparently, the salesperson had made a mistake in quoting us. He repeated that the quote was for the floor model and also said that the table was being discontinued. We asked him that if in fact the table was being discontinued, then why was she going to order a new table for us and never mentioned that it would cost more. (Bait and switch???) He back peddled a bit and tried to cover up the mistake of his sales person. We were willing to purchase the table if they would give us a new one for the same price they quoted us (since it was their mistake). He wouldn't budge and unfortunately it cost him a sale and some unsatisfied customers. (return customers at that)
So this is my question, was losing a sale for a $130 difference worth the price of losing a repeat customer and a guaranteed sale? As a salesperson myself, I guess I'm at a loss of where his mindset was/is. The cost of losing a customer and the long term affects of the bad-mouthing his company store will get, is far more detrimental than losing $130 upfront. He must think that there are plenty of other prospective customers out there that will buy his furniture.
Your thoughts?
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Comments
Posted by Ben Langhinrichs At 08:10:19 PM On 10/01/2003 | - Website - |
I agree with Ben - I would name the company (I would go so far as to edit the story itself, so the name appears on the front page), and then I would write a letter copying everyone above this manager (and the manager himself) explaining your displeasure, and pointing them to this site.
Good luck!
Rock
Posted by Rock At 09:33:28 AM On 10/02/2003 | - Website - |
Posted by Gayle At 11:09:14 AM On 10/02/2003 | - Website - |