Rude vs. Inconsiderate (2nd Obstacle)

Yesterday I wrote about the lack of trust and ability to develop relationships being the first obstacle to sales success. I intended to write about a short term mindset vs a long term mindset, but I had a conversation over the weekend that sent me down another path...

The conversation was about "Are the French Rude to American Tourists"? Now honestly, I'm not a world traveller, nor have I ever been to France, but I have heard rumors and the conversation caused me to ask Google. I don't know if the article that I read was close, biased or relevant, but it did get me thinking about the attitude and actions between a salesperson and their prospects.

Think about all the observations in the article that could also have been witnessed on a sales call.

 

French & Americans Salespeople & Prospects
What is the definition of being rude? Are salespeople or prospects rude or just inconsiderate of each other?
open-minded about another culture? Do salespeople learn how and why their prospects think and do what they think and do? 
because Paris is a busy city and people are always in a hurry? Do salespeople know how engage with busy prospects?
tourists (specifically from U.S.) expect French people to speak English because making an effort to speak French is too hard for them? Are salespeople able to discern and mirror their prospect's communication style?
French restaurants serve smaller dishes and there is no “all you can eat”? Can reps read and match their prospect's 'process pace'?
because French people are sarcastic and many people do not understand the word or that kind of humor? Can a salesperson deal with 'Type As', contrarians, influencers and changing moods, players and roles?
because French TV shows naked people, bare boobs, naked butt?  How does a rep handle surprises?
If anything Americans are rude. We leave the U.S. then expect things to be the same when we get to Paris. Does a salesperson realize that what they think doesn't matter? That not everybody does things the way they do?
French is one of the few languages which still regard proper address with tu and vous whereas in the U.S. it’s Bill, Bob or Suzy; a careless familiarity without regard Can a salesperson develop a professional relationship and earn 'trusted advisor' status rather than forced rapport?
If you don’t feel embarrassed by your headache when you go to the doctor to fix it, you shouldn’t feel embarrassed about your level of French in front of the “French language doctor” — me — when you try to learn it. And I’m sure this happens to other tutors and language coaches too. It's surprising how many salespeople look for new scripts, closing techniques, process tricks, qualifying tactics or cool tools rather than talking with someone that can help them change their attitude and perceptions that are affecting their reception.

never EXPECT OTHERS to RESPECT YOU if you do not try to ADAPT yourself to ANOTHER CULTURE different from yours.

 “You can change people’s behavior by changing your attitude towards them,”

Dale Carnegie


If you manage salespeople or are a salesperson, please ponder this. Who is rude and who is inconsiderate? You to your prospects? Your prospects to you? Or is everybody sickenly politically correct?

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