Random Thoughts : Extending Locus of Control and Influencing The Decision Making Capability of The Customer

We live in a world of rapid change, whether it is consumers, their tests or the environment in which we operate. In addition, the companies are facing stiff competition in market place. To succeed, businesses have to recognise that change is the new normal and strive to find a way to address it.

The rapidly changing times put an even higher premium on an organisation’s ability to embed consumer and customer centricity in everything that it does.

The single minded focus on constant customer engagement and better customer experience helps the brand deliver better consumer value and win the customer’s confidence, ultimately resulting in developing strong relationship with them.

Business is not about hitting the clients over the head with big stick and dragging them to your cave. It is a delicate act. To me one must romance and develop personal rapport – relationship with their clients. The reason being, it has extraordinary persuasive power and it will give you an unfair advantage in attacking more clients and retaining existing one. Because every successful business needs loyal customers.

When you have personal relationships with your clients, rather than just ‘strictly business ‘, you end up closing more deals.

Here comes the theory of ‘Locus of Control: What do we mean by Locus of Control? It is the extent to which one can exert influence decision making capability of the customer. In today’s scenario when there are many entities out there to ‘seduce ‘ your existing customer with killer price, it is all the more imperative that we ensure that we extend the locus of our control.

The locus of control can be extended by ensuring that you are meeting your customer on regular basis and that you are engaging him meaningfully. You also have to be an entertainer – you have to cuddle his thoughts with your ability to talk about any subject (beyond the scope of your natural expertise i.e. selling product or selling services).It demands an intellectual rigor.

Research says that while price plays an important factor in executing sales – customer buys from a sales person not because he gets impressed by the knowledge of the sales person but because he ‘likes ‘the sales person. You have to be likable and for that you would need to work on your soft skills .Those small courtesy gestures, those mannerisms – cumulatively play a vital role in cracking a deal.

I understand that a real sales person must not go to sleep without going on at least one call in a day – take it as a stubble message to sharpen your skills – If you shy away from it today, you may not have better change tomorrow and if you embrace it ,chances are you would be a better sales person tomorrow.

These are some random thoughts on Customer Service and I looking forward to have your feedback on what exactly you think on influencing the decision making capability of a customer by engaging them meaningfully.