Good Salespeople Can Close More Business with Some Basic Support

We moved recently and wanted to engage a lawn service for deeper maintenance, weed control and the like. Having just moved, we have been vetting and hiring all sorts of new service providers so we are experiencing a broad spectrum of service quality.
 
In this case, I was surprised and pleased with follow up. This was one of those bigger companies . . . probably a franchise . . . and the local folks have been very well trained. The consultant who showed up for the initial review was personable and knowledgeable. But what impressed me most, in terms of sales, was their appointment setting and follow up call system. Very systematic and persistent without crossing the line. And the calls were not being made by the consultant . . . she was busy making more in person sales visits.
 
This combination of a strong salesperson supported by good customer service reps can provide great results in certain situations and may be well worth looking into for your company.
 
The key is to have a consistent and well-managed follow up system and good people on the phone. They do not have to be as strong as the core salesperson but they need to be very good at managing the program and promoting action through steady, but not obnoxious, follow up.
 
This may sound basic, but I would say over half of the companies we have encountered blew appointment times, sent people who were not well trained/knowledgeable and never followed up after the first meeting. That is often the sign of limited resources which does not bode well in the buyer’s mind for service to follow.