With today’s costs of travel and gasoline, it is becoming rarer that a company representative actually calls on customers. In the computer software industry especially, the customer can be tens of thousands of miles away from the person who is giving them assistance either online or by phone. Rarely is there the opportunity to actually look the customer in the eyes and read his body language.
With that said, let’s assume for a moment that we actually have a company representative on site at the customer location. Maybe it’s a hardware problem, a sales call or just a “drop by” for follow up to a recent project. Regardless of the reason, please assume it is a pleasure to be in their place of work and get a first-hand look at their business from the inside. It has always been interesting to me to see where people work and what their business actually entails; maybe because I am just nosey, but I always seem to learn something by talking with them and am able to use it later when consulting with other customers.
I can relate to you the activities I like to pursue when visiting a customer site, and perhaps from those, you can choose a few of your own to make your visit more memorable.
1. I always ask for a tour of the facility. It seems that as I tour the facility with my customer contact, I always get a chance to meet some of the folks I have conversed over the phone with, as well as seeing first-hand some of the areas they are always talking about. This is particularly valuable if this has been a customer for some time and I am familiar with their problem areas – it means so much more to me to see them in person. A close-up look at their products helps me focus on packaging problems they have talked about, unusual sizes they contend with, warehouse stocking problems, picking issues and shipping fundamentals they have talked to me about in the past. It is always permissible for you to request seeing a specific area, talking to a certain person or discussing a problem in that particular area. I would advise you keep your comments and discussions between you and your escort unless he/she pulls someone in the visited department into the conversation. Remember, you don’t know about internal politics and or favorite subjects within their workforce – and believe me, there are some – so try to steer clear of them if discovered.
2. Ask to meet the decision makers. This one is optional based upon your standing in your own company, your assigned tasks for this visit, and the opinions of your own supervisors. Should they agree it is good for you to make this eye-to-eye contact with the top decision makers, they will be able to give you some hints, tips and clues about who they want you to meet and what their perspective is on the reason for your visit. Keep in mind that the company decision maker may or may not see you. Don’t be insulted if they decline your invitation unless you had called ahead and made an appointment. They are busy, too. They may not be able to take the time just then to spend some meeting with you. If you do get a chance to meet with them, make sure you make it brief –especially if it is only a drop-by meeting. Unless you have a specific agenda to discuss with them, keep it light. The only purpose for your visit is to put a face with the voice at the other end of the phone and to add some human contact with your company’s image. Remember – you are representing your entire company by visiting him. Be sure to thank him for his business on behalf of your company and ask if he has any particular questions he’d like to ask you. If not, keep your subjects light unless asked specific questions by the visited executive. Be as complementary as possible about his people and assure him that you are pleased to be working with his company. Then thank him for his time and leave. DON’Ts: It probably seems like common sense, but don’t get into too deep of a subject on the capabilities/efficiencies of his people unless he specifically asks about someone – then only keep it light. You don’t know any of the internal politics or current problems in his organization, so be careful or you may fall into a trap. He may be considering firing one of your contacts and is looking for more details on justifications as to that action. Don’t get blamed for sabotaging someone.
3. Now get to work. Set up your work area with your escort and get to work. Accomplish what you came to do for them. Try to work as efficiently and quietly as possible. If you are in amongst other workers, try to limit phone calls or conversations with them – they have work to do as well.
4. Clean up your work area and get out. When you’re done with what you came to accomplish, put everything back like you found it, clean up the area, make sure your trash is thrown away and pack up your stuff. Then seek out the person who arranged for your visit, thank them for having you out, explain to them what you did while you were there, answer any questions they have about what you’ve accomplished shake their hand and leave. It’s probably very obvious by now that I’ve fallen into some traps over the years while at a customer’s site.
Believe me, I’ve made a lot of mistakes and hope that by recovering and learning from them I can pass them along to you. Very frequently, by the time I got back to my office, the visited site has already contacted my office and played back what we did - - either that or one of my company reps has contacted them asking for follow up. It’s amazing at what a passing comment of yours while on site could make to the political atmosphere at their place of business. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Keep the conversations short, congenial, positive and friendly – if you can. You’ll suffer far less by NOT saying something rather than making a remark that could turn around to bit you in the butt before you ever get back to your office.
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