John Graham

Living in the aftermath of Sept. 11

By John R. Graham

Whatever else the nation has learned from the September 11, 2001 attack on America, it is clear that American business was sent a loud wake-up call. Companies discovered their vulnerability, not from without but from within.

What happened to business since September 11 is revealing — and instructive. T.B. Boane, an experienced salesman from Texas, reported that small and mid-sized businesses were “hunkering down.”

The attack laid bare the utter dependence of American business on a growth economy for its success. Over the last half decade, what we thought was our business prowess was actually just plain old good luck at being in the right place at the right time.

Simply put, business is being put to the test, and coming up with a passing score is a challenge. Yet, if we look closely, the attack offers lessons for succeeding in 2002.

1. Looking for the next sale is the sign of serious trouble. The days following the attack underscored how dependent most companies are on “the next sale for their survival.” This is a symptom of the widespread disease known as the “sales-driven business.” The vulnerability of businesses when it comes to sales is frighteningly clear.

Expecting the next sale to come through the door at just the right moment doesn’t make sense. Too many companies insist on trying to short-circuit the selling process. All they want is the order. When there is a severe disconnect such as the attack or an economic downturn, sales hit the wall.

The fallout that followed the attack is instructive: “Before you can own the customer’s wallet, you must own the customer’s head.” Why do so many companies insist on trying to do it backwards? Why do they think that salesmanship is the solution? Why do they want to make a sale before they actually have a customer?

2. Focus on what you’re selling, not what you sell. What you’re selling is not the same as what you sell. Honda Motors has long recognized that customer trust is the key to selling cars. Honda vehicles are very good, but they are not great. They are, however, what millions of consumers want: a vehicle that’s incredibly trustworthy.

Even though the economy falters and new competitors have assaulted its market segment, Honda sales continue virtually unaffected. General Motors, Chrysler and Ford are not as fortunate.

The lesson is this: If you don’t deliver on trust, the customer won’t deliver the order.

3. Don’t try to pull the wool over the customer’s eyes. Customers are more sophisticated today than they were in the past. Few companies and even fewer politicians seem to understand the fundamental change that’s taken place in the customer’s psyche over the last few years. The events of September 11 were an exercise in consciousness-raising when it comes to truth. We now require it. The Firestone-Ford tire debacle in 2000 may have contributed to this change. We realized that our lives and those of our families were on the line and we wanted facts, not corporate PR puffery. The attack only escalated this demand for truth.

Those who try to mislead customers will be rewarded with a loss of their business. Reality has interposed itself into our lives in ways we never thought possible. Duplicity is out; customers demand the truth.

4. Customers are emboldened. A business executive visited a luggage store shortly after September 11. “With all the changes in baggage requirements, I wanted to buy a new carry-on,” he says. “In the past, I would never have asked a retailer for a discount, and I’m not sure why I did it this time. Not only did I get a generous price break, but the salesperson included a $35 shaving kit at no charge.”

Customers have become more aggressive in the last five years, coinciding perhaps with the arrival of the Internet. The attack, however, seems to have brought out the more serious side in all of us. We’ve all noted the signs — less small talk, a more no-nonsense attitude, and an even higher value placed on time, if that’s possible. We tend to be more direct than we were in the past.

This suggests that we need to be more probing in dealing with customers, letting them talk more than we have in the past. What is required is objective, helpful, and comprehensive information that assists the customer in becoming more productive and successful.

The message is clear: It takes collaborative salespeople to serve aggressive customers.

5. Take charge of the future. With the future the fuzziest it’s been in a long time, this may seem like a strange suggestion. But look at what is happening in business. Managing current issues is management’s number-one priority in most cases; thinking about the future is not even on the screen. Meeting expectations and trying to outdo the competition are the pressing concerns.

The future is what fuels the present. To ignore what lies ahead spells trouble. The fact that sales came to a halt on September 11 in so many industries and have been slow to bounce back is particularly challenging. But that’s not all. The fact that consumers and business buyers have been so slow to start spending is frustrating and confusing. They don’t dare verbalize their worst fears, but many wonder if the absence of a rebound signals some basic shift.

It’s quite possible that people are feeling vulnerable and exposed to forces beyond their control. To avoid the disruptions caused by economic contractions and other changes, the task is to create a constant, long-term flow of new customers. The message is clear: Having sales growth today results from making the investment and effort to plant the seeds long in advance of the harvest.

No matter what happens next, the attack of September 11 was the clearest wake-up call that American business has heard in more than half a century. While some company executives and business owners are panicked, the more astute are taking charge of their destiny.

John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm. He is an author of several books, writes for a variety of publications and speaks at and association meetings. He can be contacted by phone at (617) 328-0069 or by e-mail at j_graham@grahamcomm.com). The company's web site is www.grahamcomm.com.




	This Issue Back Issues Classified Ads Dateline Resources Allied Trades Associations Instruction About Us Home
						Living in the aftermath of Sept. 11 By John R. Graham Whatever else the nation has learned from the September 11, 2001 attack on America, it is clear that American business was sent a loud wake-up call. Companies discovered their vulnerability, not from without but from within. What happened to business since September 11 is revealing — and instructive. T.B. Boane, an experienced salesman from Texas, reported that small and mid-sized businesses were “hunkering down.” The attack laid bare the utter dependence of American business on a growth economy for its success. Over the last half decade, what we thought was our business prowess was actually just plain old good luck at being in the right place at the right time. Simply put, business is being put to the test, and coming up with a passing score is a challenge. Yet, if we look closely, the attack offers lessons for succeeding in 2002. 1. Looking for the next sale is the sign of serious trouble. The days following the attack underscored how dependent most companies are on “the next sale for their survival.” This is a symptom of the widespread disease known as the “sales-driven business.” The vulnerability of businesses when it comes to sales is frighteningly clear. Expecting the next sale to come through the door at just the right moment doesn’t make sense. Too many companies insist on trying to short-circuit the selling process. All they want is the order. When there is a severe disconnect such as the attack or an economic downturn, sales hit the wall. The fallout that followed the attack is instructive: “Before you can own the customer’s wallet, you must own the customer’s head.” Why do so many companies insist on trying to do it backwards? Why do they think that salesmanship is the solution? Why do they want to make a sale before they actually have a customer? 2. Focus on what you’re selling, not what you sell. What you’re selling is not the same as what you sell. Honda Motors has long recognized that customer trust is the key to selling cars. Honda vehicles are very good, but they are not great. They are, however, what millions of consumers want: a vehicle that’s incredibly trustworthy. Even though the economy falters and new competitors have assaulted its market segment, Honda sales continue virtually unaffected. General Motors, Chrysler and Ford are not as fortunate. The lesson is this: If you don’t deliver on trust, the customer won’t deliver the order. 3. Don’t try to pull the wool over the customer’s eyes. Customers are more sophisticated today than they were in the past. Few companies and even fewer politicians seem to understand the fundamental change that’s taken place in the customer’s psyche over the last few years. The events of September 11 were an exercise in consciousness-raising when it comes to truth. We now require it. The Firestone-Ford tire debacle in 2000 may have contributed to this change. We realized that our lives and those of our families were on the line and we wanted facts, not corporate PR puffery. The attack only escalated this demand for truth. Those who try to mislead customers will be rewarded with a loss of their business. Reality has interposed itself into our lives in ways we never thought possible. Duplicity is out; customers demand the truth. 4. Customers are emboldened. A business executive visited a luggage store shortly after September 11. “With all the changes in baggage requirements, I wanted to buy a new carry-on,” he says. “In the past, I would never have asked a retailer for a discount, and I’m not sure why I did it this time. Not only did I get a generous price break, but the salesperson included a $35 shaving kit at no charge.” Customers have become more aggressive in the last five years, coinciding perhaps with the arrival of the Internet. The attack, however, seems to have brought out the more serious side in all of us. We’ve all noted the signs — less small talk, a more no-nonsense attitude, and an even higher value placed on time, if that’s possible. We tend to be more direct than we were in the past. This suggests that we need to be more probing in dealing with customers, letting them talk more than we have in the past. What is required is objective, helpful, and comprehensive information that assists the customer in becoming more productive and successful. The message is clear: It takes collaborative salespeople to serve aggressive customers. 5. Take charge of the future. With the future the fuzziest it’s been in a long time, this may seem like a strange suggestion. But look at what is happening in business. Managing current issues is management’s number-one priority in most cases; thinking about the future is not even on the screen. Meeting expectations and trying to outdo the competition are the pressing concerns. The future is what fuels the present. To ignore what lies ahead spells trouble. The fact that sales came to a halt on September 11 in so many industries and have been slow to bounce back is particularly challenging. But that’s not all. The fact that consumers and business buyers have been so slow to start spending is frustrating and confusing. They don’t dare verbalize their worst fears, but many wonder if the absence of a rebound signals some basic shift. It’s quite possible that people are feeling vulnerable and exposed to forces beyond their control. To avoid the disruptions caused by economic contractions and other changes, the task is to create a constant, long-term flow of new customers. The message is clear: Having sales growth today results from making the investment and effort to plant the seeds long in advance of the harvest. No matter what happens next, the attack of September 11 was the clearest wake-up call that American business has heard in more than half a century. While some company executives and business owners are panicked, the more astute are taking charge of their destiny. John R. Graham is president of Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm. He is an author of several books, writes for a variety of publications and speaks at and association meetings. He can be contacted by phone at (617) 328-0069 or by e-mail at j_graham@grahamcomm.com). The company's web site is www.grahamcomm.com.