Sometimes I think... "Buyers and sellers deserve each other."

Last week 9 salespeople committed to do 1 thing by Friday and two more things by Sunday. So that they could do the 4th thing at their leisure during the next two weeks.

• All nine of them did the first thing by Friday.
• 7 of them did the second thing by Sunday, 1 on Monday, the ninth.... nothing.
• 5 of them did the third thing by Sunday, one on Monday, the other 3.... nothing.

The problem is that 3 of these people won't be able to "do the 4th thing at their leisure during the next two weeks". So they will start 2021 playing catch up.

I have two questions.

1. Do they break their commitments to their clients and prospects? Does it affect their relationship with their prospect? Does the client really want help from someone that won't live up to their commitments? If your salesperson isn't involved after the sale, do you really think that matters? Don't you think that the salesperson's unreliability will be interpreted as representative of the company?
2. If a prospect doesn't live up to their commitment, does your salesperson have the right to hold them accountable? Will it delay closing? Will it delay project progress? Will it affect profitability and/or customer success and satisfaction?

True story: Local supermarket chain advertises tenderloin at $13.99/pound. Woman calls store #1. "Do you have them?" "Yes, but they have a layer of fat that needs to be removed. So, you wind up paying for something that you don't want. However, we can remove the fat and wrap them pretty for $19.99/pound." "No thanks. I can trim it myself." Lady goes to the store, doesn't see the roasts, finds a clerk and asks. Clerk says "I've been instructed not to sell them to you." Lady says, "Butcher jsut told me that he has plenty." Clerk goes in the back, returns and says, "Between the time you called and now, we sold them all." Lady says, "This is not acceptable." and leaves. (Sound like bait and switch to you? Talk about unfair and deceptive trade practices!)

Lady goes to same chain store #2. Finds a roast. Two cashiers working with long lines. Goes to self check out. Puts the $100 roast on the scale and it rings up $87. Presses the help button. Flashing white light. Waits 5 minutes. Nobody comes. Screw this. Finish and pay. Buys a $100 roast for $87. Gives $13 to the Salvation Army lady outside the entrance.

I'm just gonna let that settle.

Merry Christmas!