Communication tips

Communication is very important in any Business.

Recently a gentleman spoke to me and wanted an air-conditioner. He spoke late in the evening
and said "My company...".  He wanted a quotation to be sent and gave his (his personal) mail-id.

Subsequently he wanted me to send a Technician to inspect the site and suggest a suitable
air-conditioner. Though I rarely do this, I did send my Technician, feeling that I stood a fair
chance of bagging an order.

Later, I did get an order from him. He asked me to send the pro-forma Invoice which I did.

A day passed and nothing happened. Later he rang me up and said that the pro-forma Invoice
was not received!!

I then found out that he is an Executive in a Chinese company.  He had not seen his mail.

If only he had told me about his company in the beginning itself and given his official mail-id
the delay could have been avoided.

Information is lifeline in business. When we talk to customers we should try to get as much
relevant information as possible which is relevant to the transaction.

Go to Italy!!

Generally I do not believe in on-line leads from these lead generating companies.

Still I wanted to try it out and registered my company.

They will give a lead. And within seconds you will get a message that 49??? was trying to contact you.
Get in touch with them immediately to beat competition and so on.

I rang up a lead sent by them.

Customer: Do you deal in Electrolux products?

Me: What is the item you are looking for?

Customer: I am looking for an Electrolux potato peeler.

Me: Sorry. We are an air-conditioning company. We don't deal in peelers.

Customer: Please help me.

Me: (As I am always in the habit of helping customers). Why don't you look up the net. We don't deal
in peelers and have no knowledge about them. But so many peelers are available. Why don't you just
buy one.

Customer: I am speaking from XYZ company and our company has chosen the Electrolux one. I checked up the net but the call is going to Italy.

Me: Then why don't you ask your company to send you to Italy so that you can get one?

WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY !!

Tell me the price! Tell me the price!

A lady visited our showroom today.

Since the sales person had gone out for lunch, the Administrative Assistant telephoned me and
requested the customer to talk to me.

The customer said that she wanted an air-conditioner and wanted to know the price.

I asked her whether she wanted a window or split air-conditioner. She said "Window"

I told her that it is necessary to know what capacity of air-conditioner is required by her.

She said: I want a low budget model. Tell me the price.

After a minute or two talking to her she said that she is using a 1.5 ton window air-conditioner
which is out-of-order.

Tell me the price.

Again I told her that there are 2,3 and 5 star models and so on.

My husband is waiting outside. Can't you understand? Tell me the price.

I blurted out the prices of various 1.5 ton window air-conditioners. She said: Thanks.

( I told my office assistant to take down her name and number and that I would talk to her later
in the day)