Unit 20: How did I lose a 100% Closure! (The Sales Learning’s of a HR)
Have you ever been there and then lost it?
Have you been through it and couldn’t do it?
Were you at the end of the tunnel and found that it was the beginning?
You were about to cross the path only to realize, you have already?
On the surface of it, it seems as if it was all ears to spring up the thumbs up and do a punch in the air. Suddenly, you feel like doing it on yourself. This is one such experience. Here I go….
A Good Beginning….
Romanced by the Covid economy, had to find my feet in selling homes. Did well to be defined as a “decent beginning” by selling 6000 sq. feet and generated Rs.2 crores to the Developer in a time of 45 days that earned a commission opportunity of Rs.6lakhs. Seems to be sailing on a happy note….don’t you think so. Felt the same until one Mr. Consciousness happened (name changed to ensure privacy).
The Fruit of Reference
One of my closures, has referred Mr. Consciousness who serves the nation who is to get settled in Hyderabad after 2 – years. It was all done the moment he called me. He has the world’s time to extend courtesies, share a smile on the joke exchanged, a series of questions pertaining to the geography, investment and returns on the proposed 2.5bhk at an approx. 0.3 crores. A conversation of 95 minutes ended with the sentence – “Please send me the booking form and the bank account details to cut the cheque. Also do send me the availability”. Thus I could sell the benefits, not the features to the investor in him.
An over enthusiasm that changed the shoulders
When you are so sure of sipping the coffee from the cup that is touching your lips, we don’t even expect that we shall be the cause for its spill. The same thing happened here. I updated the concerned sales manager, gave a background of the case and advised him to share the availability with the prospect. At that moment, I couldn’t realize it to be the “game changer of fortunes”.
The strength that turned to be a weakness
It was a sure shot closure and hardly anything to worry. And then, it happened…..the Sales Manager has shared the “Layout plan and highlighted the 2 bhk series unit number” that Mr. Consciousness could make a choice from. How I wish, we could have just given the list of availability rather than sharing the layout plan highlighting the colour of 2 bhk unit from which the customer can choose.
Unit No.20 - The horrifying 48th hour
After 48 – hours, he called the sales manager to confirm his choice as Unit No. 20. Interestingly this happens to be the “sought after unit series” as its balcony opens to the blue skies with whit patches and greenery to the length that our eye can experience.
For the chord has struck the misfortunes, the whole series of Unit No.20 was sold out (full payment made & agreements also done) in the towers that were opened for sales. The Sales Manager could only express the slightest of the possibilities only if any of the existing customers cancels the booking.
And then it was a “Hit Wicket”
By saying that we gave a brush stroke that spilled the bottle on the painting that just awaits a final touch up. Pursued the situation and provided the alternative of Unit No.5 series. He disconnected the call saying – “Unit No. 20 was an outcome after 2 full day deliberations back home and have to go through the grind again for Unit No.5. I shall revert in 48 – hours”. Didn’t realize it to be the moment of disconnect and results in a “spine chilling entry of Dracula into the castle town Transylvania”.
The connect weakened over the weekend
A couple of follow-ups over the whastsapp trying to seek if we can be of any value add in taking the discussion to the closure was my desperate effort of placing the fading connect on the ventilator. And on Wednesday evening (today), I received a call from the man who serves the nation and he extended the most courteous message –
“Hi Shankar….couldn’t respond to you in the last couple of days.
Our family’s heart was with Unit No.20.
The 1/4th series of Unit No.20 didn’t give us the comfort.
We were on the fence and finally decided to depark
I am sorry and let us keep in touch”.
What followed next is this post…..just to get out of the spine chilling thriller that I experience. And this is how I lost the 100% closure. Thus the Lt. Colonel left me a lesson to learn and helped me realize that I have lost the battle when I transferred the shoulder.
Where did I go wrong?
What could I have done better?
I just wish I knew that sooner.
Right now, I’m going to allow myself to feel bad.
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Going forward, I’m going to take my lessons and
Try to be a better Advisor and help people buy.
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Dr. Shankar Anappindi | [email protected] | 9849669966