Have you been following the Wells Fargo sales debacle that is in the process of becoming a legendary failure?
It happened because top management led a culture that had little regard for the customer, to begin with. How do I know? Look at the result and it’s easy to see.
Wells Fargo sales teams created fraudulently opened thousands of accounts without clients knowledge and it’s still in the news as recently it was revealed that even on the investment side of Wells Fargo, sales teams were acting without integrity and with little regard for customers.
Are you or is your company pushing the sales team hard for results, with extra focus on the word results? Any sales program should begin with “what is it that we can do to add value for our customer? How can we help our customers buy more of what we sell? What is it we need to do to become a trusted advisor and have customers lining up because of what they hear about us? What is the reputation we desire? Starting with the end in mind, where do we see the company heading and what is our desired destination in five years? 10?
Do you think Wells Fargo said “let’s become the least trusted bank and sales organization in the US in five years…? The answer is no and it happened because management used the traditional “let’s push the sales team to our desired goal.”
My new book, tentatively titled “The Anti-Sales Person – how to become a Sales Superstar with today’s buyers,” starts with the end in mind. The “Anti-Sales” person is helping people buy. They act and look nothing like the salesperson of recent times. In fact, they are trained not to do anything that can be construed as such. Learning how to become the “Anti-Sales” Person goes against what traditional sales programs are still teaching. My program is principle based. The company has to embrace the principles first and then I teach it throughout the company, creating a principle-based company.
The principles are as follows;
1. Integrity is key – Keep your word no matter what.
2. Detach from outcomes – Your job always is to do your best and don’t worry about others.
3. You get what you give – manage what you put out into the world.
4. Do Good – Make a difference in the world.
5. What you think about and speak about you bring about.
6. Help your customers buy – even if it’s not going to be from you.
7. Be grateful – whatever the circumstance understand that everything works together for good.
Do you think Wells Fargo would have had the mess they have now if they started at the top with these principles? Would you want to do business with any company more concerned with their own sales goals than with your well being?
Gratefully yours, Steve
