Sales professionals often find themselves deeply connected to the brands they represent, especially in the dynamic environment of startups. This attachment fuels enthusiasm as they leverage personal relationships to endorse these brands. However, what happens when the brand fails to fulfil its promises to customers? This article explores the delicate balance required to uphold personal brand integrity while selling a brand that falls short.
Salespeople are not tethered to a single company throughout their careers. Inevitably, they encounter clients repeatedly, necessitating thoughtful handling of situations where a previously endorsed brand did not meet expectations. The question arises: How can they face clients who were disappointed with their earlier recommendations?
[ Ex: – XYZ company has a partnership with a NBFC to distribute co-branded prepaid cards. XYZ sold such cards to various companies and as a policy requirement, they started to do eKYC of each card recipient. A few days later, the particular NBFC lost its eKYC licence permissions which forced XYZ company to reissue new cards to every recipient with a different co-branding partner resulting in chaos for their clients. Now, more than anyone, the salesperson who sold cards to clients is under fire from clients for the whole episode. Analysis reveals that, XYZ company is aware of such possible licence cancellations yet choose not to proactively reveal it to the salesperson or to the client in their SLA. ]
To navigate this challenge successfully, sales professionals must adopt strategies that build trust and maintain credibility:
1. Transparency and Avoiding Over commitment:
– Clearly communicate brand capabilities and challenges known to you as an employee from the outset.
– Avoid overcommitting to ensure promises align with the brand’s actual capabilities.
2. Effective Communication:
– Clearly define Service Level Agreements (SLA) to manage customer expectations.
– Share the Escalation Matrix to emphasize that the brand is a collective effort.
3. Proactive Customer Support:
– Be readily available to address client queries, even if it means going the extra mile.
– Demonstrate commitment by taking personal initiatives, such as late-night calls or in-person visits.
4. Guiding Customers to Success:
– Help customers achieve the success they anticipated by providing guidance and support based on recommendations.
5. Feedback and Continuous Improvement:
– Seek feedback from clients and actively support resolution of any service issues.
– In case of a service or delivery mishap, collaborate with clients to explore better approaches and implement feasible solutions.
Regardless of challenges faced, it is crucial for salespeople to refrain from casting the brand in a negative light. Simultaneously, they should convey to clients that a brand extends beyond an individual, and the failure of others within the brand cannot be singularly attributed.
Conclusion –
In navigating the delicate balance between personal brand and product loyalty, sales professionals can foster enduring relationships with clients by adhering to transparency, effective communication, and proactive problem-solving. This approach ensures that even in the face of brand challenges, personal brand integrity remains intact.
