Can Your Staff Sell?

I mean really sell, not just take down orders or fix computers. If you are going to spend lots of money on stock, advertising, branding or even having a shop front to bring customers though the door, whats the point if your staff doesn’t sell to them?

All of your staff (at least those who work “out front”) should be able to recommend a product based on your customers needs. If they want to be able to do video editing but they don’t have S-Video or RCA plugs on their computer, your staff should be able to recommend an appropriate video card that has S-Video or be able to recommend the USB based option you sell.

Not only that, your staff should be able to upsell and spot the opportunities to do so. If the client is buying a DVD-Burner, why not recommend that they buy a 50 pack of blank DVDs to get them started? The McDonalds food chain who is the king of upselling increased their income by $200 Million a year by simply asking “would you like that as a combo?” when you just order a burger.

Spend a few dollars and enroll your staff in a sales course and give them the ability to sell your products to the best of their abilities. Saving a few dollars on untrained staff is a false economy and is a fast way to send you broke. The sales process begins when you put out advertising and ends when the clients money is in your hand. Don’t let your staff interrupt the process by not selling.

The computer business is really about the business of solving a clients problem. Their problem could be that their computer has failed and needs to be fixed, or it could be that their mouse cord drives them mad and you can fix it by selling them a wireless mouse.

In the end, your staff need to be able to identify the problem and sell them the appropriate solution.