4 Keys to Delivering Bad News to Your B2B Customers

4 Keys to Delivering Bad News to Your B2B Customers

The ability to communicate the information in a professional way is a hallmark of a successful salesperson. In a selling environment that is business-to-business, the way you present terrible news must be conducted with an eye at preserving the trust relationship you’ve created with your customer. Two of the essential elements to building trust with the buyer are being flexible and responsive. Both of these are tested when dealing with problems.

Business decision-makers are most interested in the behavior of a salesperson after-sales, and responsiveness to problems is one of the main traits they are looking for when granting trust.

1. Exact information

If you’re really hoping to make your buyer angry, then let them know the information from someone else then you (especially when they learn from a person within their own company). If you reach out to your buyer to relay the information, show your determination and honesty by cutting straight to the core. You should prepare a checklist of all the details before you, describing the issue. Your buyer is likely to have many questions…and anticipates quick answers.

2. Options

If there’s “one fact” regarding buyers, it’s that they like options. Offer them as many choices as you can. Prior to making that important call, you should have an organized list of alternatives that have been approved by your boss. In spite of the fact that an unfortunate incident has occurred, this shows that you’re working hard to improve their business and working to resolve the issue rather than letting them hang in the breeze.

3. Be aware of the reason for the issue and what steps you can take to ensure that it doesn’t occur again.

Inform the customer that your business has taken the necessary steps to ensure that the error doesn’t occur again next time. Make it clear that you’ve thought about the circumstances. Provide your solution. Your company should demonstrate that it does its best to minimize the negative impact on the customer. Reduce or delay the cost of buying whenever possible. Also, obtain cost breaks, if necessary. Offer suggestions on the best way you can “position” this announcement to the other members of the organization.

4. Sincere apology and request for mercy

Speak of your regret. Then, you can keep your voice quiet. Do not go into detail; allow buyers time to process the truthfulness of your words. Finally, end your conversation by asking the buyer for his continued assistance.

“Jim, I’d like you to know if you can be sure that you will acknowledge my apology and to continue working together with me in order to maintain our relationship on the right track.”

Then, zip your lip. However difficult it may be to not talk until the customer has digested the information you’ve provided and gives the response.

What’s the point of it being what you say when you’re telling negative information? If you deliver it in the right, it will eventually lead to the point at which it’s hard to keep sputtering.

What buyers are looking for when faced with a problematic situation is honesty and a salesperson who is able to confront issues head-on. With a focus on being flexible and responsive, These tips are an excellent fit for the dependable business-to-business salesperson.

Mark Bishop is the President of WhatBuyersWant and the author of “The Trusted Seller.” Mark Bishop has a training method that teaches salespeople the traits buyers look for in salespeople. He focuses on strategies for building relationships as well as the longer sales cycles in selling to professionals from the business.