“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all”
We asked our Sales Engineers which sales strategy is the most effective and timeless, especially given how many digital tools are now at their disposal. And, no surprise, what we heard was all about building and nurturing relationships. Whether they’re walking around downtown San Diego or Los Angeles, knocking on doors with a folder full of business cards and Duthie screwdrivers, or sitting at home typing up emails and making phone calls, the goal remains constant: make more contacts and close more sales. Because while a lot of things have changed in sales over the almost 60 years Duthie Power has been in business, the important things haven’t.
Understand Your Customer
We service an extremely broad spectrum of customers, so a critical aspect of the Sales Engineer’s job is to customize their maintenance plans or new generators to their own specific needs and applications. And not all customers are alike.
For example, a Sales Engineer in San Diego had a homeowner walk him over to what they thought was a generator when it was their A/C unit. On the other end of the spectrum, we encounter plenty of Building Engineers who know more about engines and generators than they do.
The first one, naturally, needs our technicians to service their generator four times a year (once we find it.) So we’ll let them know that. But the engineer who’s perfectly capable of doing certain maintenance themselves? An effective sales strategy means NOT trying to sell them on something they don’t need.
Focus on the Customer’s Needs
This is what helps our continually growing base of customers believe we’re the ones to stick with year after year. They know that our team will get them the information they need, and provide exactly what they need, without trying to hype them up in hopes of getting a bigger sale.
This is the exact opposite of how many larger corporations work. Sometimes salespeople in large, national corporations are encouraged to push sales on customers that the customers don’t always need, particularly when they have stringent quotas.
At Duthie Power, that mentality doesn’t work because generators aren’t a one-time buy. Duthie provides ongoing maintenance as well as sales, so our primary goal is to cultivate a positive, ongoing relationship with each customer.
Aim for Long-Term Relationships
So, instead of just focusing on the rush of short-term gains — the next big catch, the next big job — Duthie Power’s Sales Engineers continue to keep top of mind where we’re going as a company and how they can help the Duthie team grow and expand over the long-term.
We also know that emergencies are always emergencies. When a new customer reached out to one of our Sales Engineers for a generator rental – at 9:30 pm – he responded that same night. We understand how urgent the need for a generator is from the customer’s point of view.
The Key to a Successful Sales Strategy
So amid everything that’s changed, in our book the key to a successful sales strategy is not to focus on that “next big catch” sales instinct (most salespeople have it), but on creating long-term individual relationships with both our sales team and our customers. Find out what customers need, and give it to them — no more, no less.
If your business is in need of commercial backup power, give us a call at 800-899-3931 or request a quote.
