On a recent trip to Texas, towards the end of a customer presentation, there was a problem. Our customer, a software company, had one of it's customers call in with a database issue. Since it was our database in question, and we had a System Consultant on site, we changed course midstream. That flexible SC who changed from midstream presentation mode to fully engaged technical support mode, saved my bacon.
Thanks Chris!
The sales focus of our meeting shifted to handling the crisis at hand. Their concerns became our concerns, and we actually stopped "selling", rolled up our sleeves, contacted more support folks at our head office, and dealt with the matter at hand.
While it's not necessarily the stuff one would put in a sales call report, there are indeed those times when successful sales professionals, know when not to sell, but to serve.
"There is no such thing as a "self-made" man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success." - George Burton Adams
