Sunday, February 24, 2008

Checking your brain at the door...



Today's topic.....

Dumb sales people say the stupidest things to paying customers......

We are in the process of making some changes to a fitness membership that my husband and I have.

So let's be clear on the facts:

We have a joint membership to a gym
It expires in May 2008
We want to split the membership
keeping my husbands the same
deleting mine
we are paid current and have met the terms of the contract on our end

BUT and here's where it gets good...
The fitness center is being extremely difficult in assisting us with what we want to do. WHY? That I am not sure accept that I think that with the recent grand opening of a newer, bigger more advanced fitness center in town this place is scared to lose customers.

OH yeah...and then that's what a salesperson actually said to me over the phone...that they are not able to discuss letting contracts expire because they are losing too many people to the competition.

Nice.
This poor treatment also shows in how we have been treated and the run around we are getting. I often think in these situations, how can I handle this better? Is it me? Am I not communicating? Am I not seeking to understand the other side?

Well in this case I am confident in my answers...yes to all.
Is fear of competition a reason to get dumb in business? I don't think so. I hope that as business people we are better able and prepared to handle it when a little competition comes our way. If not I guess we are just left with checking our brains at the door.

In this case the brain is one muscle that is not getting a 360 degree work out with these employees!

2 comments:

Louise Kahle said...

A couple of years ago I was at a networking lunch and when a guest accross the table learned I sold Mary Kay, she leaned accross the table and with a gleem in her eye informed me that she was my competition. I said, "no you're not, there is no competition." She didn't get it and another woman at the table said, "there's enough to go around for everyone." Later, that woman said to me, "did she want to fight, or what?"
Worrying about your competition comes from fear. It is all or nothing thinking. Not worrying about it is having self-confidence. No one competes with me because what I have to offer is myself, and no one else can offer that!

Anonymous said...

Eloquently put, Louise.
BOTH of you: Eloquently put!