CHALLENGER INSIGHTS Vol. 25:
The Importance of Insight
An Insight on Insight
I attended a Spacesaver product training session a few years ago when I was a Spacesaver Group sales rep, and the product campaign was based on Storage Solved! The class instructor said the word “solved” so much that the class started cheering every time “solved” was spoken. I don’t think the instructor ever figured out that we were having fun with the overuse of the word, but it was all in good fun.
There’s a word I also catch myself overusing: Insight. The concept of Insight is vital to what we deliver to our customers. We have to enter into our customers’ worlds, understand industry trends, learn the processes and people. Being a part of their world is the only way to truly understand their challenges and create world class solutions to address those challenges. I want our team to be the advantage that government and public safety seek when addressing storage challenges.
Put it in Perspective
The best way to gain this knowledge is to put yourself in the customer’s position. My world changes when my perspective changes. Get to the customer site, ask questions, and observe. Visiting existing installations and talking to users can provide information you might not otherwise get. Talking to the sheriff’s deputy in the jail about what matters most can provide useful information on the next project. You hear not only the perspective, but the language used to express that perspective.
For example, hearing the federal agent referring to the cheap weapons storage cabinet securing $20,000 worth of rifles gives you perspective, but hearing about the importance of the “zero” on the optics is the insight. Optics on firearms are adjusted to the shooter. If the optic or mounting device gets bumped, the zero of the optic may be changed. When that firearm is deployed for duty, accuracy is essential. Demonstrate how a firearm storage system can minimize rifle-to-rifle contact to protect the firearm investment and support the greater mission. Gain the insight, gain their trust!
Ask Thoughtful Questions
You will gain more credibility through the questions you ask than through things you state. Rather than telling them, “We have a great contract purchase option,” you can ask an insightful question like, “How do you purchase items that exceed the $5000 purchase threshold?” When the customer tells you they have to bid certain purchases, another insightful question may be, “Are you familiar with cooperative purchasing?”
Observe
Henry Ford said, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
Take a visual scan of the area, watch how people work, listen to what things are said, and what happens while you are at the site. Look for inconsistencies in what you are told and what you observe. It amazes me how often I am told the system is busy all day long, yet while I am at the site, the system never moves. Recognize that sometimes the person with whom you are speaking doesn’t have the most accurate information.
Another helpful idea is to take site photographs. It’s impossible to grasp everything during a site visit. Photos capture a moment in time, but that moment in time can help you gain insight into the customer’s challenges.
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Getting feedback from principals, sales managers, and peers will help broaden your perspective. Many of our principals and sales managers started off selling and enjoy connecting with customers. Engage others and learn from their perspective.