It’s important to remember your interactions with customers, but it can be hard to keep all the information organized. Keep track of all the touch points you have with your customers by using a spreadsheet, log or online CRM tool. This will help outline the invested time, next steps, and due dates associated with each customer. Documenting and reviewing this information with the customer shows that you’re committed to understanding them and their business.
I know many of our hotels do not have computer based sales programs to keep track of their customers, files, events, and traces. Those of you who do have Delphi, SalesPro, Catereze, or another sales database program know the value of using all the tools at your disposal. If you are technology savvy then perhaps you have already created a system in Excel or Outlook. If you are a bit “old school” like me, then perhaps you are using a combination of technology and hard files. Whatever works for you is great!
Using these tools reliably and completely is very important. What happens if you want to go on vacation, you get promoted to another job up the food chain, or heaven forbid – you have to be out of the hotel for long periods of time due to an illness? Could your GM, or another associate go into your office and pick up any one of your sales files and fill in for you at a moment’s notice? Are you organized, precise and detailed? Do you keep track of when you speak to customers, what you have spoken about and when you plan to be next in touch?
If you are not yet there…. then it is time to get there.
For those of you who are using a formal database such as Delphi – please pay attention to the tools within the program. Utilize the correct fields to put in the designated information. Keep good, precise notes. Use the trace date features. Have all information compete in the contact fields.
For those of you who use a manual system, make sure you keep your files organized. Do you use a Contact Log inside the folder? Do you use other various worksheets or forms that keep you on track?
Today’s quoted topic above reminds us to not only be organized in our own files, but to be organized during a sales calls. I hope that each of us is doing advance research about the companies we are calling on and keeping track of their updated information. Do you have Google alerts set up on all your top accounts? By doing this you get notifications in your emails when there is “news” about those companies. Wouldn’t it be nice to pick up the phone and call one of your customers when you see something newsworthy about them or their company, and call to congratulate or send them a card?
That is the sign of an organized and detailed sales person!
Preparing a simple agenda for calls or visits also shows respect for your customer’s time. The value is two-fold – it makes sure you tackle all the information/questions you have for your customer, their company and their event AND it respects your customer’s time by being brief and to the point.
Happy preparing!
Linda