I'm sitting in the service department at 9:17 on September 28, 2021. This exchange actually started with the same service department at 9:42 on September 20, 2019. Two years ago. Spooky coincidence.

9:42 on 9/20...

"Attention: Hi Richard, we emailed you a survey. It's my report card. I hope you had a 5 STAR SERVICE EXPERIENCE! Thank you! Mike, Service Advisor You can reach me via text message at_____, via email at_____ or phone at_____."

I replied at 10:34. 

"Mike, I did receive the request for review, but it suggested that I share my experience on Google or Facebook. I did not. I had a terrible experience with your coworker and there's not a way to fix it. You were there when I gave him my feedback. The look on his face indicated that he didn't care. When it was convenient for him, my car was not driveable, but when he couldn't get the part and didn't have a loaner, it became driveable. Unprofessional. Stuff happens. I get it. Suppliers send the wrong part. Loaners don't come back as expected. I just don't want to deal with your coworker again. I know that the message reads, "If you aren't completely satisfied with your service or if there is anything we can do to assist you further, please give us a call at ______.", but I don't know if your coworker has stuff happening in his life and I don't actually want to make waves. My first car was a new baby blue 1970 1/2 Falcon with a 351 Cleveland V-8.. I've had a Mustang, Taurus, Lincoln Continental. I've rented dozens of Tauruses from Hertz. Sunnyside Motors in Holden has set a high bar for customer service and I was very loyal. Now that I live here, my plan is to buy a car from your dealership and I don't want the reputation that I was the guy that complained about your coworker. My plan is to deal with you. If that's not acceptable and your coworker is my only option, I won't be back."

Mike called me back immediately and promised I would never have to deal with anybody but him. For the past two years, I call him. He takes care of me. He won't schedule me for a time when he's gonna be out, like when he went on his honeymoon or was at Disney last week. When I wanted to buy a car last December, I called him and I bought from the rep that he introduced me to. Today, is my first oil change. Mike booked it and is there for me, today.

How many of your reps have any sort of relationship with their customers? How many of their customers or prospects would call them problem solvers rather than salespeople? There are actually 22 components to the Sales Technology Competency, but big picture...

• Do your reps use your CRM to make sure that they're doing everything they can to close the sale or to solve the customer's problem?
• Do your reps use video effectively? Is it all about the rep presenting or the customer having a conversation with a person?
• Do your reps connect with their customers on social media? Do your reps customers connect your reps with their connections that need help?
• Did you notice that each of these was a choice between self-centered and other-centered? Are your reps only concerned with making the sale at all costs?

Just yesterday I heard someone say that even with all this technology, many people feel as though they are alone in a crowd because they don't know how to use technology effectively for the various types of social interactions.

I hope that you enjoyed the series. I know that I didn't cover everything, but it was 10 blog posts, not the encyclopedia of selling. If you have questions, contact me or book a call and...

watch for my special offer for 4Q21 and 2022 tomorrow!