Thirty years in the hotel business and 10+ years in my current utility auditing business, and I thought I knew all about sales and sales psychology. I was wrong. Very wrong.
Case study:
Together with an ECS Business Services associate, I presented the ECS utility cost reduction model to the President of a condominium association. The President was all in favor, and indeed he said that the BOD usually goes along with what he recommends.
At the next scheduled board meeting, without an ECS representative being present, and with no quorum, the Treasurer shot us down. I was extremely disappointed and befuddled as I was actually expecting to pick up a signed proposal of engagement the next day.
Assuming the President needed assistance to close the engagement, the associate and I embarked on a campaign to make the deal happen.
Although we believed we could save money for this client, we made a horrible error in judgement. That error of being way too aggressive with our client in closing the engagement, totally backfired. A huge mistake on our part.
As a result of this determined and aggressive approach, the President and the board now wants nothing to do with our company. We crossed the line. And this time there were severe consequences.
After much introspection, I now have learned to limit and eliminate this type of sales methodology. Controlled perseverance and patience are now the official ECS standard of sales.
I have learned from my mistake. I hope you learn from my mistake as well.