How can you discuss something you don't know about?
Listen children, all is not lost....
If you are in sales or marketing, you probably don't understand this blog post already.
I don't know where I'm a gonna go when the Volcano blows...
If you work at a major software company you probably never hear these 3 words said by your executives. OK, maybe if you also worked at a bank, auto manufacturer, AIG, Enron, Worldcom, NASA.
I read the news today oh boy...
You see the problem is you can't know everything. When you don't know something is when the FUD spews faster than Superman can circle the Earth.
When the world is running down....
So why not stop and pay attention to what you say in front of customers. Sure some people can spin anything, but you will go further and build a better confidence with your customer if you admit what you don't know, especially if you are an experienced individual.
You got to know when to hold em...
Folding in Poker is the hardest thing to teach someone. So.is.this. As much as I try to train admins and sales people that it's okay to not know everything, just look at some of my posts, one can't really know it all. Once you start spinning or lying about a product, a sale, or a price, you dig yourself far deeper than anyone can pull you out.
Don't pay the Ferryman until...
Stop the FUD, Lotus is not dead, Microsoft doesn't suck, Google is not a startup.If you never expand your mind or accept you really don't know if these are true or not, then you will become the FUD you produce and that is not fun.
From you I get opinions, from you I get the story.....
Speaker, Blogger, Author. Posts about HCL Digital Solutions, HCL Software, Lotus, Management, Collaboration, Competitive Intelligence and Strategy, Productivity, CRM and B2B Marketing.
Great post. We adopted a thinking long ago that we sell Solutions (even though we are a product company). It may not be our solution or it might be something you already own in Domino or Exchange, but we are there to help you fix your problems. Just trying to 'sell' you our software isn't always the best answer and isn't going to get us very far in the long run.
ReplyDeleteSitting in Snowy cold Pittsburgh, I'll leave you with this...
"Lately, newspapers mentioned cheap airfare, I gotta fly to St. Somewhere..."
Denny, Say hi to my sister, she lives in Pittsburgh.
ReplyDeleteYour quote from Boat Drinks reminds me of a Warren Zevon concert I have on disc where he is doing Werewolves of London and inthe middle says, drinking boat drinks, jimmy buffet style instead of a pina colada at trader vics.
Fix the problems is key and it's what I lived for over many years and it just kills me when someone messes everything up by fluffing.
I love the fudbuster posts! I cringe when I hear someone (often sales, sorry) say anything just to fill the void, even if it is wrong. I don't think it is on purpose because I have found IBMers to be pretty straight - one of our corporate values (paraphrasing) is "trust in all relationships". However, it can be awkward not to jump in and correct them, but sometimes it is inevitable to gently contradict with the facts.
ReplyDeletelater
Chris
Chris, Thanks for letting me know you enjoy these. I enjoy writing them, some more than others, but nothing like a deadline to make you get creative.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you have to let it go, but I try to limit it by saying we will get more info to them. Which reminds me I owe a client something.