The Golden Rule - and Sales?!

Living life by The Golden Rule is almost universally taught to children at a young age, and hopefully continues on as an ingrained trait into adulthood. The thing is, a lot of sales training goes counter to this. So the question is, which is correct? And (some will say more to the point) which is most effective at creating a successful salesperson and thus a relationship that profits? 

I began my career as a print buyer, and then went into outside sales and account management on the print producing side, so I have lived life on both sides of the fence. When I sold, I practiced the Golden Rule with my clients. In my capacity now as Production Manager for a marketing firm, I am once again the client; and I am finding, more and more, that I wish I had Salesperson Me as a rep. I DO have a few trusted partners who have nailed The Golden Rule in doing business - and in so doing, have my business loyalty, and *more* of my business.

So... can this be? Is the Golden Rule as applied to sales actually profitable to those who practice it?

For those who need a refresher, The Golden Rule is Do unto Others as You would have done unto You ~ or, in modern terms, Treat Others as You would like to be treated.  So what does it look like when your sales rep is following this philosophy?

• They will listen to you. This is key - otherwise, they are working on their agenda - not on solving your problem or providing a service or product you need.
• They won't "sell" you. I don't know a single person who responds well to being sold ~ pressured, up-sold without providing a reason why the other is a better solution for YOUR needs. This is an immediate "No" for me.
• They will respond. Whenever you ask a question, reach out, need information, they will send you a "Got it On it" message. So you know they are working on it, that your message didn't go into the ether. It is a common courtesy. It is also good business.
• They do what they say they will do. If they say they will get back to you with an estimate on X date, they do. You shouldn't have to ask repeatedly for things, or follow up with them ~ they should be noting a need to follow up with you.
• And this goes together with its linked counterpart: If they can't do what they said they would do, you hear it from them. FIRST. You don't have to ask. They call, prior to your due time, and say "We ran into a delay due to hearing from a sub-vendor. I promised to have pricing to you by noon today - I will send on the pricing that I have, and follow up with the pricing on this element by EOD." And then... they DO THAT.
• If they have bad news ~ and this is inevitable, at some point, since we are all humans ~ they contact you with the news, and a proposed solution. No, this is absolutely no fun. Yes, it is absolutely necessary. You need to be informed ASAP, and you need a partner, help in your dilemma. You need someone who is in it with you, and who has your back. Bad news with a "and here are some things we can do about it" is digestible. It sustains the relationship. It actually builds trust.
• If things are going wrong in your world ~ an impossible deadline, a damaged part, a budget that has been cut ~ they say "How can we help?" And they mean it. And then, see the first bullet point... they listen, they respond, they help you, they solve.

How NOT to get my business? Don't do the above. I'll move on, guaranteed. Salespeople who are practicing the above? They have my ongoing business. And from speaking to others in our industry, they have their business, also. Why? Not because they are the lowest price (typically they are not, btw.) Not because their product is substantially different or better than their competition.

No - at the end of the day, they treat me as they would like to be treated. And in so doing, they profit.