A small story – Only for the people from SMS background …

Recently, I was dumbfound with some amazing reporting few of the clients receive in general  while they push SMS via Transactional route. 

 The story starts here.

 Many of the SMS Aggregators have the clients like Banks, Insurance companies and alike. When they do the SMS Push on the Transactional route, they show “More than 95% (Industry Standard) to 98% of SMS delivery to SIM”

 Sending Transactional messages to the clients is a normal practice most of the banks follow here.

 I am sure above point seems pretty simple and sweet.

 Thinking in Indian scenario, many of the clients keep changing their mobile number and are not very punctual updating it with Bank or Insurance companies. And that number becomes dead. Means not working.

 There is no particular statistics, but asking few industry veterans and colleagues, I found the ratio of dead number has to be between 5%  to 15% !!!

 That means only 85% to 95% of numbers can receive any messages sent by anyone, including the Banks, which receives the Delivery Report of more than 95% (?)!

 That means you have 5% to 15% numbers dead in your database and you receive the report which shows more than 95% (non delivery to mere 2 to 3%).   And many of the people still like to believe the statistics of the received reports.

 I am sure you also would go dumbfound reading this.  

 The story has ended.

 I don’t claim to prove anything in this entire story.  I don’t claim my figures are accurate.  I would suggest to get the database checked with HLR Lookup to believe it. 

The World Environment Day – Safeguarding environment has to be the culture not celebration

Many years ago when the Environment was not behaving unpredictably and Global Warming was under control,  a foreign scientist visited India (then a third world country or an Emerging Country).  Recycling was not famous even in the western culture then.

 

He was very curious how people live in India with little amenities even then people are happy here.

While his visit to a village, he saw one person giving (not donating) his clothes to his younger sibling.  Curious enough, he asked the mother of both about what is happening and why the clothes are given to the younger one ?  His dilemma is why there is no “Use and throw “?

 

The mother explained the clothes which are still in good condition are shared with the other members of the family.  The curiosity extended to the next level to understand when they throw the clothes. Mother explained further after sharing the clothes multiple times when the clothes are completely torn down, it is used for making quilts.  The homemade quilts are used for 5 to 10 years. After that it is given to the poor people or it is used for cleaning the house.  The same cloth worn 10 to 15 years before, is still in use!!

 

The scientist was stunned to hear so but that was not the end.  The mother added  and after a year or two when the cloth is completely useless, it is scrapped and mixed with the cowdung to surface the walls of the hut. 

 

The cloth manufactured once used for almost 15 to 17 years and then it is used for some unconventional way.

 

If the things are reused or recycled properly we can save the environment in a big way by eliminating the need of large production. Eventually leads to save the environment.

 

The scientist understood why India (then an Emerging country) does not need to celebrate “The World Environment Day”.  Here recycling or reusing is the part of life.

 

Safeguarding Environment has to be the culture not the celebration for a day.

 

We still have time to act and change our habits. Think twice before throwing anything assuming it is useless !!

 

Commons Objections in a Sales Process

There are 7 types of objections we come across while selling.

 

1. Price

 

Example: “Your services cost too much. I can get the ‘same’ service from someone cheaper.”

 

Hint : Don’t drop the price immediately. You would loose credibility. 

 

Suggestions :

• Try to justify your price by breaking down your total cost or proving your proposed price is = purchase cost + loading charges + your profit.
• Many a time we can differentiate between basic services and premium services
• Your USPs for such price which client cannot get from any other provider
• Show benefit to the client by buying at your price

 

2. Complacency

 

Example: “I’m okay with the way things work right now.”

 

Hint : Don’t say this is OK ending your proposition

 

Suggestions:

• Go with all the homework done about the prospect you are visiting to
• Elaborate on “IF the client does not use your product / services, then.. ”  with a small touch of fear
• Explain how the competitors of the prospect are using new services and benefits they are reaping with the advancement (against complacency)
• Show the cost/ benefit analysis of your product / services against the existing one

 

3. Fear of Change

 

Example: “I don’t want to change the way we’ve been doing things for 15 years. Too much can go wrong.”

 

Hint : Similar to complacency

 

4. Trust

 

Example: “It seems like you know what you’re doing, but how do I know you really have the necessary experience to do this?”

 

Hint : Never ever go without credentials like

                a. Membership of industry association

                b. Clients’ testimonials

                c. Case Studies

 

Suggestions:

• Don’t show aggression to take the order, be honest and humble
• Show your credentials
• Tell them what clients says about your product / services
• Share the reference to cross check

 

 

5. Personal Politics

 

Example: “I told my brother’s friend’s wife I’d use her company for my next project.”

 

Hint : This is the biggest hurdle. This also means the person is either under family pressure or needs some gifts

 

Suggestions:

• Explain if the project fails by his relative, he would not get work done and money is also lost following to loosing relationship and problems in the family
• He could also loose the face in the office due to the incomplete work and might face inq in case of bigger projects
• Motivate the person with some gifts as a courtesy

 

 

6. External Input

 

Example: “I need to run this by my wife/business partner/mentor before I do anything else.”

 

Hint : He is looking for third party help. The only point the third party has to be trusted one and commercially beneficial to him

 

Suggestions:

• Create the trust factor spending some time with him
• Work on the business plan
• Show him the benefits working with you

 

7. Timing

 

Example: “It’s too much for me to take on right now; I’m too busy; Call me again in 6 months.”

 

Hint :

1. Having no time is only the excuse.
2. He might not have time even after 6 months.

 

Suggestions:

• Make your proposition short and sweet
• Request the client for few mins to close the discussion
• Make him understand how easy is this to implement your proposition
• Show the potential upside of your proposition adding value to his career

 

Abovementioned are the basic objections for any Sales process. With every objection it confirms you are closer to close the deal. 

 

But objections don’t not end. You can make a list of the common objections and the points on how to overcome them.

 

Because for any client there might be 100 reason “Not to Buy” but “To Buy” there is only one reason – That is “To Buy”  !!!

Agile enemy better than dumb friend

A very old proverb in Gujarati and many other language 

મૂરખ મિત્ર કરતા ચાલાક દુશ્મન સારો  !!!

Seen at many places…

IF we consider in politics 

–  The smart supporter is better than the crowd of dumb people (though it is proving wrong now a days) 

In operations / business…..

– A team of dumb people does not generate result 

– A team of dumb support guys can mishandle so nicely can put the entire company in jeopardy on regular basis 

– A team of dumb sales people can easily make you miss the targets

– A lousy team of accountants without professional qualification can harm a company 

IN sports 

– A smart player in cricket can easily make the team of 12 to loose the game 

– A smart person at heading the committee can deny stepping down on the moral grounds 

In Life 

– A group of relatives without any affection or emotional value are as strangers as you find many people around you in the local fair 

– A set of friends interested in partying only are similar to connection on the social media 

 

Why not to have…

limited but the best ?

Small but significant ?

Less and challenging !

Quality and commanding !