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  > Articles > Carta Sicura > July 1998   Versione italiana

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                        The Objection? 
             A sales opportunity

At this step of our selling process we will talk about a very important aspect of communication between customers and sellers: objections. A large number of sales are lost because objections are not handled effectively. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand why customers raise objections and how to reply to them, to avoid falling into a dangerous situation of conflict. The following precious suggestions have been given to us by an expert, Vittorio Galgano, president of Ottantaventi, based in Milan and Perugia (+39 (02) 467.122.22 tel. +39 (075) 500.44.35), which organizes and delivers training courses on retail sales.

An objection can be real or unreal, but behind an unreal objection there is always a real one. Some objections are caused by the seller’s behaviour or attitude. A customer will never say: "I will not buy from you because I don’t like you, you don’t appeal to me, you are over familiar, you are pushy and what you are saying is not clear enough”. Often, he may simply not want to admit that he cannot afford it.

"Body language can help us to understand if the objection is unreal ” says Galgano. "When someone isn’t telling the truth, his gestures are remarkably reduced. Contact between his hands and head is more frequent: he rubs his cheek, touches his hair, rubs his chin, scratches his eyebrow, pulls his ear lobe, presses his lips together, covers his mouth and touches his nose". This behavior doesn’t always indicate a lie but possibly embarrassement that sales professionals must analize properly.

Why do customers raise objections?

A customer can raise objections for different reasons:

• the proposed item does not meet his requirements; 

• he is unsure if he really needs the item; 
• raising objections is his purchasing habit; 
• he wants to get a discount;
• he likes to be courted; 
• he wants to be reassured;
• he wants to gain more information about the product.

In any case, to prevent customer objections and to reply to them effectively, a salesman should keep his behavior under control and ask himself:

• "Did I make him oppose me because of my attitude?" 

• "Did I propose the wrong item?" 
• "Were my arguments wrong?" 
• "Was the way I stated my arguments poor, unpersuasive and incomplete?"

Always reply with tact and diplomacy

It is important to keep in mind that you have to reply to objections with tact and diplomacy. Objections are an inviolable customer right and salesmen must not show their irritation but instead, follow some very important rules when replying. It is dangerous to interrupt your customer: never break in when your customer raises objections. "Interruption indicates impatience, unkindness, uncertainty and poor listening skills. Besides irritating the customer, interruption can lead to a negative development in the negotiation" says Vittorio Galgano. "For instance, the customer says: In your opinion does the colour of this shirt..., (if the retailer doesn’t interrupt him, the customer may continue: ... match with the colour of my suit?) But the shop assistant interrupts him and says: Maybe you don’t like this color but it is very fashionable this year. Needless to say that at that point the negotiation has taken a dangerous turn since the shop assistant has reacted badly to the customer's doubt. He prevented the customer from explaining his motivation: a colour that matches with the suit". It is also important to be careful not to answer too hastily. An answer which is too fast, precise and victorious will convince the customer that his opinions are correct ("My objection is valid and everyone raises it, that’s why he replies so well"). Moreover, an answer that sounds like a standard wording, learnt by heart, is very unpleasant for the customer: the shop assistant must adapt his replies to every single situation and to every single objection. You should never give the impression of pushing (never say: "Believe me", "Take my word for it", "I am sure of what I am saying"). Respect any objection, even if it is completely mistaken. A very useful technique is the "apparent agreement" technique. "More than a technique it should be a life style" says Vittorio Galgano, "a sincere attitude towards your fellow men, a real desire to see and consider things from another person’s point of view". The “apparent agreement” technique does not irritate customers: "Yes, you are right, but...", "I agree with you, but ...", "It is true, but …". In this way you will avoid dangerous discussions: the customer will not be upset and his point of view receives a positive assessment. This will induce a positive, open reaction and at the same time give the retailer precious time to think before answering.

Answering techniques

Here are some methods suggested by Vittorio Galgano to reply to objections effectively

Weaken and compensate. 
Weakening an objection means to repeat it by using different words to reduce its importance. Compensating for an objection means to reply to disadvantages with advantages. The customer says: "This model is very uncomfortable to wear because of the fastening ". The retailer answers: "You are right regarding the fastening, it is not so comfortable, but you will appreciate it when walking on mountain trails because it protects and supports your ankle".

Solicit. 
Sometimes a salesman must elicit the objection to discover the real obstacle. The retailer: "Are you unsure about the colour?". The salesman is absolutely sure that the customer likes the colour, actually he noticed that he likes it very much but having posed this question the customer will probably answer: "No, I like the colour very much, but I wonder if it is suitable for a formal occasion". At this point the retailer knows the objection which he needs to overcome and gains more information on a specific requirement.

Throw Back. 
Throwing back the objection of a customer is another useful technique. By using this technique the salesman can reply without contradicting his customer. "Why is it not suitable?", "Why do you think it would be too heavy?', "Why do you think it is expensive?".

Exploit. 
Objections can be exploited as a support to the sales argument. The customer "I asked for a well ventilated and comfortable pair of shoes, but I do not like the lining". The shop assistant: "You are right, the leather lining is more beatiful, but a canvas lining is better for ventilation and you can wear them with or witout tights".

Obection on price

This is the most frequent objection because it is the easiest one. Often, the salesmen reacts with a guilty feeling to the question “How much does it cost?” However the best way to handle an objection on price is presenting the item effectively showing the features which are in line with the customer's requirements. After his presentation the salesman comunicates the price with the tone of someone who is announcing a piece of good news.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not show resentment toward your customer even if you feel that he is raising unreal objections. Try instead to understand what the real objection is.
  
• Do not just listen to your customer's objections, but also watch his body language: if he covers his mouth or rubs his nose, he is more likely to be telling a lie.
  
• Do not interrupt your customer while he is raising an objection. Besides upsetting the interlocutor, interruption can lead the negotiation to a negative result.
  
• Do not answer too hastily. An answer that is too fast and precise will convince the customer that the reason why the salesman replies so well is because everybody raises this objection.
  
• Do not give the impression of pushing when you reply to an objection.
  
• Do not argue with your customer. The salesman doesn’t work to be right but to sell.

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