Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

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  1

  roto32

  11/09/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  Good article. Thanks for selling scenarios and answers.
  
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  2

  Snukrd

  11/09/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  In my opinion none of the answers above are accurate. I
  would isolate each demand and find out what the driver for
  each demand is. Often times the driver is not about cost or
  about beating you into a better deal. Sometimes there are
  valid concerns that need to be addressed. During this
  discussion the invalid demands will simply be dropped and
  valid ones solved through the best outcome for both parties.
  Refuse to entertain a valid concern at your own peril...

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  3

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  11/09/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  Re Note 2:
  Read the first scenario more closely. Last minute demands are surfaced AFTER you've done everything that you've described. Then read the second scenario. The last minute demands in that scenario surfaced BEFORE you've done everything you described.
  
  If there are valid demands, then you were mistaken that it was time to close. If there are invalid demands at the end, after you've established differentiation, then you'd be silly to accede to them.

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  4

  Ian P

  11/10/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  Any serious rep would go into a closure with a list of last minute demands of his own and when confronted by the customers list would say something like...
  + Yes, we can agree to increased inspection if you can move on delivery.
  + Perhaps we can adjust the price down a little, if you will increase the size of your order.
  + Oh Yes we can package them in pink ribbons if you could supply 400metres in 12metre rolls
  
  It isn't necessary that your negotiations add real value to the deal, it is much more important that you show the customer that if he wants to re-open negotiations, then it works both ways. And if the customer escalates his demands then you escalate your responses.
  
  By taking this approach you keep the customer on-side and don't risk losing the sale. It can easily become a bit of business fun that you can use to bond further with your customer.
  
  As a buyer I keep this kind of list close to hand when the rep, usually pushed by his manager, tries to wheedle last minute concessions out of a deal.

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  5

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  11/10/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  Re Note 4:
  I've never heard of this technique before, but I suspect it would work rather well.

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  6

  Ian P

  11/11/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  Re note 5
  It surprises me that you haven't met this technique. It is a common ploy in the UK and both sides (vendor and purchaser) use it frequently, in my experience.
  Can we Brits teach you guys something useful?

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  7

  PeterJ42

  11/11/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  My high pressure sales training taught me to cover potential
  objections at the beginning so when they say "Must discuss it
  with my FD" you say "I thought you said you were the
  decision-maker". In the same way you should have covered
  off last minute demands and changed specs.
  
  So if you hit this a lot it is because your selling hasn't been
  professional enough.
  
  However, most people put up some objection at a late stage.
  It is really their way of saying "Is this really the best deal I
  can get?" and "Is this really the right company for me to do
  business with?". Even my wife did it to me before we went
  serious.
  The key is not to be confrontational, to tease out what the
  objection really is through questioning and to realise that
  reaching agreement on these new demands (not necessarily
  giving in to them) will cement your relationship and not only
  deliver this deal but build for the future.

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  8

  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine

  11/11/09 | Report as spam

  RE: Quiz: Can You Handle Last-Minute Demands?

  Re Note 7:
  Hmmm.. Did your wife really ask if you were the right company to do business with? That's harsh.