I’ve visited a number of dealers, after being out of the hunt for a long time, and I’m still surprised by the way many deal with potential new customers. A number of things that don’t seem like good sales strategy with a potential customer. A few observations:
- Wouldn’t you ask about the kind of music they listen to first? Maybe establish some rapport and develop a sense of what to play to try out equipment? At least establish if it really is about the music or the equipment, and sell accordingly. Getting enthusiastic about a recording is a great way to build listening rapport. I came in with a group os sample tracks I know well (I think I inventoried them in another thread). This has happened only once so far, and only tepidly - "oh - I have that on LP!" (Karajan Beethoven Symphonies, 1963, remastered).
- Why crap on their equipment? If someone’s been happy listening to something, that may be a clue (and for god’s sake, make sure you know specifically which equipment before making a fool of yourself by describing the shortcomings some other piece of equipment, real or made-up). I have an Adcom 5802 amp driving Thiel CS 3.6. I’ve now been told by *everybody* how harsh and grainy it is, and, more amusingly, how it’s not powerful enough to drive most good speakers. It works in my setup, perhaps counterintuitively. Or maybe I have play-doh ears, but if I do, why would you tell me that?
- Why all the correcting and mansplaining? Even if a prospect is wrong, it seems more reasonable to say "that’s interesting, my experience is X"
- Why make broad assertions and shut down discussion? If a customer expresses doubt that, for instance, dollars invested in cables will make a big enough difference, why wouldn’t you smile and say "Ooh - I’d love to run a demonstration for you that might make you change your mind!" instead of just "cables make a huge difference, you just haven’t listened with good enough equipment".
I’m fully aware that one sales technique for high-ticket items is to challenge someone with money to not feel worthy of the snake oil. I worked at an audio store as a gopher when I was a kid (Atlantis Sound, Third Ave, NYC) in 1978, when I first got the bug. These types of techniques were prevalent then, and I was shocked at the behind-the-scenes cynicism of the salespeople. But over my lifetime, the marketplace has been rejecting it. I’m really surprised, while Lexus, BMW, etc. have beaten this kind of behavior out of their salespeople, to see it still going on in Audio.
I don’t mean to say I’ve found it uniformly true - I’ve encountered two individuals who avoided, in the main, this sort of thing, but the majority were still....jerks.
I’m in the money management (and before that lending) business - thirty years now. I never interrupt someone when they are making a mistake that might help me or give me information. I can usually tell when people are bluffing and can’t factually back up their claims, best revealed by simply letting them talk. I smile and nod, but I go back to the office and trade. I assume a lot of other people who can afford this stuff have probably learned similar life lessons. I just don’t think this behavior makes sense, and it may help explain the parlous state of the industry at this point.
end rant.
Actually (Columbo!) one more thing: If you act like that in the store, why would I EVER want you in my home helping set up my equipment and negotiating the everyday non-audio, cosmetic obstacles that will come up there?
