The Ultimate
Compliment!

There's No Greater Compliment Than When A Customer Decides To Buy From You.  

A Tale Of Two Dealers...
Based On A True Story That Happened This Week

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It all depends on being a part of the times, I guess.  My friend Bob, a window fashions dealer called me today with an interesting story to tell.  He started by saying, "I received the ultimate compliment this week."  

Thinking he was fishing for a compliment from me, I said, "Bob, you know I think you're okay, but you're really not my type.."

"No," Bob said, "From a customer.  I received the best compliment you could possibly receive from a customer."

"Well, tell me more then." I said, "Did somebody really like your after shave?"

"No," Said Bob, losing patience with me, "They decided to buy from me.  That's the ultimate compliment.  And it's a whole houseful.  A combination of Duette® shades, Silhouette®, shadings and a couple of Alouette™ Light Louvers."

"That IS a good sale," I said, "But why do you consider it such a compliment?"

"Well, it's the way the decision was made."  Bob explained, "These customers had started with a competitor a few blocks away from me —and they expected to buy from them without ever talking to me."

"What made them change their minds, then?"

"Here's what happened.  First, this customer called my competitor and they came out and measured his windows.  The customer was in a hurry to get the windows covered, like a lot of people are.  My competitor told him he could get the most of the blinds in a pretty short time once they were ordered, but that was the catch."

"Wait a minute, I didn't hear a catch," I interrupted, "What was the catch?"

"Well, if you'll just let me continue, I'll tell you."  Bob said, knowing how much I like to irritate him.  "The catch was just getting them ordered.  After he measured the windows, my competitor said he would take all the measurements back to his shop, work up a quote and have it back tomorrow.  I love it when he does that."

"Why?"  I asked, "Isn't that just so he doesn't have to do any calculations in front of the customer."

"Yeah," Said Bob, "I hate doing calculations in front of customers, too.  It's too easy to make a mistake.  So I never do that."

"So, it sounds to me like he did everything okay up to now, right?  I still don't get why they called you."

"No! He did not do everything right," Bob insisted, "He should have never left."

"But didn't you just say you would have left, too?" I asked, "Because you don't like to do price calculations in front of customers?"

"I did NOT say that," Bob insisted. "I just said I don't like DOING the calculations."

"So then what happened?" I had to know.

"Nothing." Bob said. "The next day came and went with no price quote.  Then the next day, too. And the day after that. And the day after that. Finally, the day after that, the FIFTH day after seeing my competitor, they called me.  I guess they figured they had been forgotten.  I was able to arrange my schedule and go measure their windows for myself the same day, which was yesterday."

"So did you figure it up and get a quote back on time, today?"

"No way, man!"  Bob protested, "I would never leave a potential sale like that without giving a price quote."

"So, what did you do?" I asked, "Go figure up a price in your van?"

"No.  Heck, I don't even know where my calculator is," He told me, "All I had to do was print.  I entered everything he wanted into DBOSS (Designer Blinds Order Sales System -see below)  on my notebook computer.  I even upgraded him to Ultraglide™ for his Duette shades.  Then I printed the price quote right there on the spot with my trusty portable printer. Then I told them if they sign the order and I'll have the order in production at Designer Blinds today.  He signed it. That made my day, yesterday.  Then he called and made my day again this morning."

"How'd they do that?"  I had to know.

"Well, they called to tell me the quote from the other guy finally came —in the mail."

"So your prices must have been okay then, right? I take it they still wanted to order from you?"

"I don't even know if my price was competitive or not, and neither does my customer.  They tore it up and threw it away without even opening it.  I guess there are some ways to compete other than price."