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Hello and welcome. My name is Tavishima Ayede. I'm the host of the podcast and I'm making today's recording at home, so I expect to hear some noise in the background. Now, the goal of this podcast is business problems. So if you're struggling to get customers or if your marketing isn't working, or if your side hustle is suffering, or if something is holding your business back, then this is the show for you. So please subscribe on Spotify,
YouTube, Apple, or any player of your choice. And if you'd love to connect, you can call SMS or WhatsApp me on 08064662140. Today on the podcast, we're going to look at what to do when your customers are not picking your calls. Again today on the podcast, what to do when customers are picking your calls. Now this is a very specific situation and it goes like this. If you've been listening to the diary sessions that I've been making over the last 2-3 weeks,
you are aware that I've been doing some work with a solar company that is based out of Lagos and they have a three person sales team that handles inbound leads. Inbound just means you have settings up so that customers have to call you instead. So that the job of your sales people are basically just to sift through leads and try and figure out who is serious, who is curious, do we have a good deal here or not? And one person in the sales team is Shaun.
He's the youngest person in the team, well, not in age, but as per all I put is tenure with the company. So he's the youngest in the company. And for one particular customer, he called and there was no answer. And then the customer sent a text message saying where are you located? And of course, so he responded by saying our headquarters is in Lagos and we have operations in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Asaba. And he tried calling the customer again so you could talk some more because as a salesperson, what you're supposed to do is qualification and discovery.
What that means is when somebody calls into your company, you're trying to figure out who is this problem, sorry, who's this person? What problem do they have? What's the extent of the problem? You know all those sorts of things because that's what's going to determine how you will carry on the conversation and the relationship. So of course you tried calling and the person did not answer. The next thing the customer sent an SMS saying what is the cost implication for solar for a three bedroom bungalow in Leckie?
And if you've been following, you know, right now you can see that there's a pattern which is shown, calls the guy doesn't picks up and then the person sends a text message. And so essentially we're now wondering, or rather Sharon was wondering, what do I do in this situation? I would like to have a phone conversation with a customer so that we can do qualification and discovery. Because when it comes to solar, you know, solar is not like groundnut.
You have to ask lots of questions. You have to try and figure out, OK, well now we know 3 bedrooms, but we're not to try and figure out exactly what is it that is being powered. You know, how many AC units, how many deep freezers, how many fridges, how many fans, how many TV's do they have, gaming console, what else? You know, all kinds of things. OK, maybe gaming console is not that significant, but the other things that you have to look into before you deliver a quote,
You can't just deliver a quote through a text message just like that because, you know, like I said, it's not as if you're pricing groundnut. So that was the problem in this case. What to do when there's a customer who doesn't answer the phone call. All right, so let me put it this way. OK, before I go in to answer the question, there's one thing I want to point out. A lot of you who are in the sales or maybe you own the business, sometimes a customer asks a question and you guys just provide the answer.
That is not bad, but you actually should be taking things one step further because whenever people ask you questions, you need to know the reason behind the question because that will inform what it is you're going to do next. So like in this case where a customer reaches out to the business and says through a text message, where are you located? Please? If you just respond and say our headquarters is in Lagos and we have operations in Abuja, Port Arcot and Asaba, you don't know if you have adequately responded to what it is that they had in mind.
So you can provide that information by saying our headquarters is in here and we have operations in here, here, here and here. I hope you don't mind me asking, you know, why were you asking that question? The person might just say something like, well, I prefer not to deal with vendors who are out of state. And then of course, you can now continue the conversation by saying, oh, OK, so where are you located? And you know the the conversation will flow organically from there.
But if the person says, I prefer not to deal with vendors out of state and you ask another question like, OK, why? Is it because you're worried about the costs that are going to be involved? And the person says that you now know how to continue the conversation knowing that now you are out of state. Cost is a concern, but at least, you know, asking the question brings all these things to the fore and it helps determine how you're going to move the conversation because sometimes people are asking not because of costs, but just because of security and credibility.
They want to be sure that you're within arms reach and they can drive in and come and have a look. And if that's the case that well, the person just wants to deal with the company that's within arms reach and stuff like that. You can even move along the sales process by saying, oh fantastic, since you have that concern. This is our office address. Would you like to come in on Monday morning and then we can have the rest of the conversation there?
So these are things you can do to move the sales process along. But basically what I'm trying to say is whenever customers ask you a question, just don't take it at face value and provide the answer. Yes, provide some sort of answer, but then always try and figure out why are they asking the question. It is going to help a lot in determining how you move the sales process along. So now let's go back to sharing on this situation.
The customer doesn't want to pick the call. But obviously in this case we need more information because solar pricing and solar solutions are complex solutions and they depend on several factors. So it will be nice to have a conversation, it will be nice, it would be ideal. But this in what to do next. We have to consider this thing now as a general business philosophy, we have to be multi modal in our approach. What multi modal just means is we have to meet people on whatever native field they like and we have to continue with them where comfortable.
For instance, I'm a phone call person and I'm a face to face person. So I would like to have a phone call with you and I would like to have a meeting with you either in your office or we'll meet in the general place. But not everybody is open for that. So I meet people wherever they're comfortable. If I try to phone, but it looks like you're a WhatsApp person, we will continue on WhatsApp. If I try WhatsApp, you're ignoring what you respond on Instagram, then we will continue on Instagram chat.
So it all depends, but we have to keep it multimodal. So it's not about what we prefer. It is what about what it's about what the contact or the potential customer prefers. Now some of you might think this is weird. Maybe I'm being unnecessarily like I'm just manufacturing stuff, but I'm not. Let me give you a real life example. There's a certain influencer that we did some work together. I can't remember her first name,
but her surname is Ida Hosa. And we were both resource people at the Coca-Cola events where we spoke about artificial intelligence and how that can improve your career choices, improve help you advancing your career and in your business. So for Madam Ida Hosa, I have a phone number, but she doesn't pick calls. Well, at least she doesn't pick my calls. She doesn't respond to my WhatsApp messages. But if I wake up at night at 2:54 AM and I send her an Instagram message, let's say,
you know, I woke up to go and use the toilet and then I finish, I send a message at 2:54. By the time I wash my hands and I get back to bed and let's say the time is now, you know, 256, she's responded. And I feel that kind of odd, you know, but that's just how some people are. Some people prefer what they prefer. There's some people who they e-mail people call them a million times, don't answer what's up, don't answer.
Go to their house, they won't open, but send e-mail at 12 O1. They will respond at 12 O 5. So have a multimodal approach, meet people where they are comfortable. Now if I'm going to look at things in this case now because this person is not picking up the phone and they're sending a text message asking for the price, does that mean we should just give them a price? Now there are two responses or rather 2 approaches that we can look at.
The first response and of some of you might find it tiring, but this is the reason why I say that we should all have Bluetooth keyboards attached to our phone. Because trying to engage in a text conversation with someone using your thumbs is going to be very stressful and it is hard to send text messages from your computer. Except if you're using a Mac and the Mac has been hooked up to your computer or if you're using an Android phone and you have a Google Chromebook, then you can send text messages from your computer other people who don't have these options available.
Thus, you don't have a Google Chromebook or you don't have an Apple Mac, then the next best thing actually is just to get a Bluetooth keyboard connected to your phone so you can have text conversations. So in this case, the person says give me a price. Approach number one is text conversation. Just know that you have this conversation, but you will have it by text and you will have to follow certain guidelines to make sure that you're having an effective text conversation because you're not everybody who knows how to text, how to have a conversation effectively over text.
Then another approach you can do is to send over a range of prices by text, but then use that to try and book an appointment for a phone conversation or an office visit or whatever. So let me repeat, these are the 2 approaches #1 continue the text, the person seems to like text and continue the text, text they go. But you have to follow certain principles to make sure that this text conversation is effective. Then option number 2 is you text a range of prices and then use that to try and book an appointment for a phone call,
for a Zoom call for an office visit or whatever. So let's look at text conversation. In this case, you can send a text message back saying good morning, Sir. I tried called early. I tried calling earlier. Couldn't get through to you. Yes, I would love to give you the text, the cost implications you've asked for, but I need more details so that I can give you an accurate cost. Will you be running air conditioners in all three bedrooms?
Full stop. And then you send. Now, the reason why I'm using this as one example is this. There are some sales people who would try and front load all the questions into one text message. That is bad, that is wrong. You're overwhelming the person if you respond and say good morning, Sir. I tried calling earlier, couldn't get through to you. I want to give you the cost implications, but we still need more information for an accurate cost.
Can you please supply answers to the following questions? Number one, your location #2 how many? AC #3 how many. Fridge #4 how many computer #5 how many TV? Number six, how many this. You can see that it's too much. You're overwhelming the customer. When it comes to text conversations, whether on WhatsApp or on SMS, it's a good principle to limit yourself to one question only per text. Do not send somebody a text. You're trying to move the conversation along and you're asking them 5-6 questions.
Which one will they answer? When you're talking to somebody face to face, it's OK. It's still not the best, but it's OK because at least you're face to face and somebody can kind of gauge by looking which one you are more interested in getting an answer to. So when it comes to text conversations, one question only. And remember this is a text conversation. That means you will be texting back and forth and the text will be plenty.
I am sorry, but as a salesperson, this is just the nature of the job. These are just some of the things that we do to be able to avoid the lifestyle that we have, which is the reason why I say if you have a MacBook and use an iPhone, take your iPhone, connect it to your MacBook. You'll be able to send iMessage on your MacBook that way. So you don't have to pick up your phone and use your thumbs. If you have an Android phone,
then hook up your Android phone to your Google Chromebook. No matter the make of the Chromebook, whether it is Lenovo or HP or whatever, so long as it's Google Chromebook and your phone is connected to the Internet, you'll be able to connect your phone to your computer so that you can send text messages from your computer. That way you don't have to be fiddling using your thumbs. If neither option is available to you, then please just go and buy a Bluetooth keyboard.
Unfortunately, with the economy, things have become more expensive. I bought mine at the time, my first one at the time when Bluetooth keyboards are 5K. So I don't know whether it's going to be 30K or 40K or 50K. But it's something you ought to invest in because to be honest, having text conversations by using your thumb and typing, typing back and forth is tiresome. And since I've been in this business or any of my businesses, I have only met one person who is very comfortable typing with thumbs.
And she types with her thumbs every day. In fact, she wrote her university thesis for her master's program on her phone using nothing but her thumbs. And for her, I will say I carry ash for her, but I'm not down for that kind of struggle. So those are the options. So now back to the example that I gave. Well, we're going to limit it to one question at a time. The first text message is going to be good morning, Sir. I tried calling earlier,
couldn't get in touch with you. I would love to give you the cost implications just like you requested, but I will need some more details for an accurate cost. Are you going to be running air conditioners in all three bedrooms? And then the customer will reply, well, the AC will run in my own room and Madam's room, but we don't have to run it all the time in the children's room. Then you now respond with another question.
OK, that's fine. I've made a note of that. What about other utilities that you have at home? How many fridges do you people have in the house? Question mark? That is only one question. And then he'll respond and you see that is how you continue with the question. Like that, like that and like that. So that's option one, text conversation. Now option 2 would be to send a text, give a range of figures, and then try and secure an appointment.
So the text message will now be something like this. Good morning, Sir. Tried calling earlier, couldn't get in touch with you. I'd love to give the cost implications, but in our experience, bungalows of that size to power them up for 24 hours, power could be anything between 12 million and 8 million. But either way, I would need to know some more about your property. Would you be open to a phone conversation or can I come see you in the office so that we can talk about this?
And then you send a text message and then you see, now in this case, I'm not going to recommend which is best, but you can see that there are options for when you want to have a phone call. A phone call is the best thing to do because in this case, actually a phone call is the best thing to do because I really think it's frustrating to be asking question after question. How many fridge, how many freezer, how many days, how many that you know over text.
But you know, it's not about me, it's about the other person. But we have to be flexible. We have to be multimodal, meet the people where they are comfortable. So option number one is text conversation. Limit yourself to only one question per text. Then option number 2 is send a text message with a range. But then the goal is you're trying to fix an appointment for when the person is free so that the person will have a phone call with you.
So in summary, for this particular situation, those are some of the options of what to do when your customer know the peak call. But either way, just know, like I tell the people that I'm currently training in the solar company, just know that no matter what the situation is, there is a solution. It doesn't mean it's going to be 100% effective, but just know that every single problem has a solution. With enough time, with enough thinking power, we can sit down,
we can brainstorm solutions and we can come up with solutions that are going to help us move the sale and move our businesses and move our careers forward one step at a time. So that's it and that's all. Remember, if you'd love to connect, you can call SMS or WhatsApp me on 08064662140. Thank you for your time and attention. I'll catch you next time. Same place in your headphones or in your speakers.