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Recently, someone impacted my life. It was a virtual stranger I have never met. This wasn't a family member, a friend, business colleague, or spiritual advisor. It was probably someone who was the least likely person to change my perspective on things. It was a sales guy. But the impact this person has made on me has made me think about my influence on others.
When we launched our FreePromoTips SuccessTracks Online Education Experiences program we went through a couple of horrible services at first. We lost a few months in the process and had to postpone some great sessions. Phil Martin from Warwick has excellent content to share. An award-winning Toastmaster, Maurice DiMino, The Sicilian Mentor was going to talk about effectively communicating your message. Jeff Tobe, CSP, one of the most compelling presenters I've experienced was scheduled to talk about Coloring Outside the Lines. It's important that these come off right, so we chose to delay them. These innovative sessions are coming!
A focus for me is helping others as I was helped in this industry. Conveying relevant, useful, business-building content is not only part of my business, its part of my personality. Because of this, and the fact that SuccessTracks was a new element to FreePromoTips, I really needed to feel comfortable with our next technology choice. And after some shaky experiences, I was cautious and suspicious in moving ahead.
After further research we reached out to Go To Webinar from Citrix. The sales rep that contacted me, Steven, was personable and diligent in his follow up, never pressuring me to buy. His desire to meet my needs was clearly evident in our conversations, putting me at ease at every interaction. Steven actually cared about me and the importance of what I was doing. He extended the time I had for a free trial so we could complete our first session, The Trade Show Money Machine, presented by Ron Baron. In this 30-minute session Ron talks about the one "Trade Show Secret" that suppliers and Distributors should know. It's good stuff.
We were thrilled that Go To Webinar worked flawlessly! I was pleased and relieved that we found a solution, and felt very comfortable moving ahead with a contract. In part because our salesperson Steven was so great in helping us. I e-mailed Steven and he got back to me promptly, but told me he was sick. That happens of course, so I waited a bit and contacted him again. He replied a day later, but said he was in the hospital and wasn't sure when he would get out. I was concerned, and realized I found myself caring about this person because he had cared about me.
Steven's auto responder on my next e-mail provided a contact name, so I called and reached his supervisor. I told him how impressed I was with my salesperson Steven. When someone does such a great job, I like to pass that along when it's appropriate.
In the course of our business conversation, the supervisor confided that that the situation was rather grave with Steven, who was also his friend. Steven was born with a heart problem and at age 20 had a heart transplant. He's now 35 and needs another one. I was stunned. Suddenly, a simple, honest business transaction had transformed into something more.
Steven had an impact on me. While I don't actually "know" this person, I care about him and have been praying for his recovery. The way he treated me during our business interactions have had far reaching effects.
Strangely enough, Citrix competes against its sales force. Knowing I am on a free trial, they e-mailed me with a special discount offer. I wanted to make sure Steven got credit for my Go To Webinar contract, even though he was out on sick leave. I was informed that the sales team can't match the Citrix direct price. I felt strongly about Steven and I was willing to pay more just to give this sales rep the business. I was blown away that he took the time to contact me from his hospital bed and throughout the business process was a pleasure to work with. Personally, I doubt whether I would be so responsive if I was in his situation.
This experience got me thinking about the impact I have on my clients. Do people know that I truly care about meeting their needs? Do I show it in my actions? Are my clients happy to pay more because of the service and value that I bring to the business relationship? What kind of impact do I have on others?
It's certainly something we all should think about.
Jeff Solomon, MAS, MASI is affiliated with a large distributor company. The FreePromoTips.com website and e-newsletters he publishes are packed with beneficial information and exclusive FREE offers from a few forward-thinking supplier companies. Don't miss out on what's happening! Opt in to receive their e-newsletters! LIKE their page on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Jeff can also be found on Linkedin.
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