The Declining Service-level Standards in Singapore Retail Outlets and What Retailers could do to remove Obstacles and Sales Friction

[3-min read] This story is about how Retailers could remove Obstacles and Friction for their Employees and Customers to improve Sales without spending any extra $$$ if they use common sense and do some strategic thinking and planning.

---------------------------------------------

My wife and I were out for a late Sunday lunch at 3:00 PM. After lunch, we walked around the shopping mall and she walked into an OSIM outlet to test the latest OSIM foot & shoulder massager to compare it with the model we bought 3 years ago before the COVID lockdown.

After about 3 to 5 mins of testing it, she said, "Woaaaahhh... darling, this foot and shoulder massager very shiok leh! It's definitely better than the one we bought 3 years ago.

Without hesitation, I asked the retailer…

Me: Does OSIM have a trade-in program?

Sales assistant: Yes we have a trade-in program provided you buy something from us. You get a $200 voucher for the trade-in and you could offset it for the new purchase immediately.

Me: I would like to buy 1 unit now, and do a cash and carry without the trade-in. (I want to keep the old unit for myself and buy this new unit for my wife as it fits her foot, calf and thigh better than the current model we have at home.)

Sales assistant: Ok, and she hurried to process the order and THEN she told me that the earliest delivery is within the next 2 to 3 weeks.

Me: Chloe, I did not ask for delivery 2 to 3 weeks later. I said I’ll pay now, and do a cash and carry. If you don’t have stock, you should NOT be selling it and you should NOT be promoting it to your walk-in customers and attempting to close the sale and collecting payment without first confirming with your customer will accept a delayed delivery up to 3 weeks later.

Sales assistant: …but sir, we don’t have any stock now.

Me: Then, why should I pay 100% of the price now only to collect my purchase 2 to 3 weeks later?

Sales assistant: It’s our policy.

Me: Ok then, if that's your stand, this is a no-deal.

I don’t "need" this foot massager and since you don’t have stock, this won’t work. I’ll keep my money, you keep your no-stock item.

If you want my sale, you need to start thinking. What could you do about it? What is it that is in your power, that you could do, to close this sale now?

I give you 10-mins to think and figure out a solution while my wife enjoys the foot massager. Once the massage timer ends, if you don’t have a solution, we will leave.

Sales assistant: We got no stock sir…

(...and then someone that looks like a senior salesperson or supervisor walks out from a small room inside the store. She spoke in Mandarin asking the sales assistant what is this about and before she could understand the context, she barge into the conversation saying "we got no stock.... see our store room... very small.)

To me, it totally sounds like an excuse filled with justifications instead of truly solving for a potential Buyer.

Me: Ok, I understand that you got no stock in your store. So, what could you do about it? Are you saying that with so many OSIM stores in Singapore, the whole of Singapore has no stock? If it is, then it is evident that your Managers are not thinking or planning.

With Christmas and New Year around the corner, you have no stock! Wow!

It also feels like your Management doesn’t care about removing friction between its Employees and Customers. Sales Managers expect their sales teams to sell and hit quota but they are not even thinking, planning, stocking up and removing frictions for their sales team? They expect Customers to pay 100% now and wait up to 3 weeks to receive their order?

How is this a WIN-WIN-WIN deal for the Customer, for the Employee, for OSIM?

Wow! I cannot accept this. No, thank you!

(Suddenly there was a loooooong pause….)

Me: So, Chloe, you seem like an intelligent, hungry, driven and passionate salesperson who wants this deal badly. I also know that as a salesperson, you earned a sales commission if you could convert this situation in your favour.

So, what could you do in your power, without breaking any rules, without doing anything illegal, unethical or immoral to win this deal?

Sales assistant: (paused for about 2 mins, thinking)

so... if I get the stock for you today, confirm it within the next 10-mins, and arranged for GrabExpress delivery today, will you buy and pay now?

Me: Aaaaaahhh… finally you’re thinking!

Yes, if you could confirm the availability of the stock within the next 10-mins, and schedule for GrabExpress to pick up the stock and deliver it to me this evening by 8:00 PM, I’ll buy and pay now.

My wife: (looked stunned at the whole negotiation and conversation in front of her...)

Sales assistant: (less than 10-mins later) Mr Moonshi, I’ve managed to get stock from another store. I also managed to arrange a GrabExpress delivery. Here's the screenshot of the GrabExpress. Shall we proceed to complete the purchase?

Me: Chloe, this is great! Thank you for thinking on your feet, for taking action, and for going above and beyond your normal sales procedure to close this sale.

Sales assistant: You’re welcome Mr Moonshi! Do you have a UOB credit card? You could get an additional discount and if you use Atome you get more discount.

Me: Yes, I do and yes I have an Atome account.

Sales assistant: (Smiling ear-to-ear for winning probably the most challenging sales transaction of the day/week or month!)

Me: (feeling good that I managed to stretch her beyond her limiting beliefs until she got a breakthrough to think and to be of service and to be truly Solving... and I got my wife a gift that helps her to enjoy foot and shoulder massage on-demand.)

-------------------------------------------------

Folks, what did you learn from this sales conversation I had today with this OSIM salesperson?

If you’re a business owner, or someone operating a retail outlet, what did you learn from this event?

If you want to implement Sales without selling, without being sales-sy and pushy, and guide your right-fit Prospects to buy from your business, check out our Scaling-Up! Marketing & Sales program for B2B selling https://scalingupventures.com/scaling-up-sales/

-------------------------------------------------

Happy wife!

????????????????????