In-Home Sales Etiquette, Part I

When you are a home-improvement salesman, you are going to be visiting a lot of homes and getting your crotch smelled by a lot of dogs. If you are a potential customer getting a few bids, you are going to be inviting some pretty strange people into your home. There are some things to keep in mind during this procedure on both sides of the coin.

Let's start with the customers:

Ok, the first thing you're going to want to do is remember the appointment and answer the door fully clothed and sober. Once you've accomplished this, you're pretty much done. Seriously though, the most important thing to do as the customer is to know what you want. You need to be able to clearly communicate what it is you are looking for to the salesman. If you feel strongly about any particular point, you need to voice it from the beginning. The more information you give the salesman, the more accurate your estimate will be. Be honest and upfront with the salesman. If he is interested in going into some ridiculous sales soliloquy and you don't want to hear it, say so! Make sure your requests are heard. Ask for references and suggestions.

Seasoned salespeople have seen it all. Most times they know what you need better than you do. Take advantage of their experience. Another important thing to remember is to give your salesperson your complete attention. It is very rude to be doing 15 different things while trying to convey your home-improvement wishes. Your salesman is only going to care as much as you do about what you want done... not more.

Don't vanish. If the estimate is more than you thought it would be, say so. If you get a follow-up e-mail asking you if you are still interested or not, answer it. Most good salespeople will keep calling on you until you give a definate yes or no. Don't be wishy-washy or play opossum. Just be honest and up front.

Don't promise future work in exchange for a good price today. Customers think this is a good thing to say, but in reality it's a horrible thing to propose to a contractor. "I'd gladly pay you tomorrow for a burger today!" Customers who say this never follow through.

Now for the salespeople:

When the customer answers the door, be fully clothed and sober. The next most important thing is TO BE ON TIME. BE ON TIME. BE ON TIME. ON TIME, BE IT. DON'T BE LATE. BE ON TIME.

If you can't be on time, than call to let the customer know. Ok, so you're on time, fully clothed and sober... what's next?

If the customer asks you if you'd like a glass of water or Coca-Cola, the correct answer is always "yes." People like to be polite hosts. Allow them to be polite hosts. Take a quick look around at the house and try to get a feeling for who you are dealing with. If you can eat off the floors and yet the customer tells you how ashamed they are of the "mess," you need to keep that in mind when it comes time to estimate final cleaning costs on your estimate. Another thing that many people don't think about is shoes. If you walk into someone's home and there are 16 pairs of shoes piled up in the foyer, it's probably a good idea for you to discard yours as well. Take measurements... Customers can't stand someone who just looks at a room and immediately comes up with a price to renovate it. Wear a tape measure... use it. Write some numbers down on a clipboard. A customer will give as much respect to an estimate as you do.

Don't answer your phone if it rings. It's cool to have it ring, but don't answer it.

Acknowledge the jumping, barking, sniffing dog. If you take 20 seconds and offer your hand for the mutt to smell, you will be in like Flynn. If you stroll past Spot like he isn't there, you will be dealing with him in your lap for the entire visit.

If you are meeting with a couple, talk to both of them. Nothing makes people more upset than being ignored. Don't try to decifer who the decision maker is or anything... that is a ridiculous and horrible technique. Look everyone in the eye and listen closely to what everyone has to say.

Park in the street, not the driveway. This seems like a silly point, but there's always some aunt or basement-dwelling son who needs to leave the house while you're there. Nothing is more annoying than having to run outside and move your truck out of the way. Just park in the street... Driveways are for family and UPS only.

Be complimentary, be cordial, be social. Remember that in addition to being a salesman, you are a guest in someone's home. Act like it.

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