by Steve Conner

Building Franchisee Satisfaction is the number one key to long-term success as a Franchisor at The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems, but how is Franchisee Satisfaction achieved? Throughout this article I will outline some of most important key elements that I have found in building strong relationships with partner-like franchisees. One of my franchising business, The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems Corp., has committed to long-term success, maximizing the profit potentials which can only happen by establishing the highest level of Master Franchisee Satisfaction.

1. Extraordinary Culture

At The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems, culture is the number one defining reason potential franchisees are so attracted to our system. One thing that I’ve ingrained in my staff as a leader is the concept and requirement of a 100% positive attitude.  Three words we use to describe what we look for in Master Franchisee candidates in the first conversation is hunger, humility, and zeal.  We check those ideals first simply because if someone does not fit our culture they are not considered beyond that point.   We continue to check these criteria throughout the courtship process.  The beginning of relationship development is the most important step in the process simply because making the wrong choice recruiting a Master Franchisee can and will cost your business greatly, not only short-term but in the long-term. Studies show that franchisees who are not a cultural fit with their franchise system will produce in the bottom 5% of franchisees.

The Janitorial Agency Franchise System’s culture is the result of Carey & Conner’s passion to develop organizational clarity and cultural health in all of our business ventures.  From supporting Mobile Veterinarian Specialists to developing The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems, to supporting thousands of small businesses worldwide, Dan Carey and myself  have passionately instilled cohesive unity and vision among leadership, staff, and patrons alike.

2. Great Mission

I’ve said that if The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems’ mission does not reflect who you are, you are not a fit for our master franchise program.  Another staple to franchisee satisfaction is purpose.  Our mission establishes purpose and outlines something greater than one person or one’s self.  If a franchisee lacks purpose or the ability to achieve something greater than themselves they will simply underperform. In that sense I always look for queues to determining a candidate that has purpose while recruiting for master franchisees.

3. Recognize Strong Achievers

High performing franchisees stay satisfied when recognized for achieving their purpose and mission. I know of one regional franchisee who used to spend time with all of his franchisor’s potential recruits for on site visits. He did a phenomenal job in the recruiting process, he helped corporate become one of the fasted growing franchises in history.  Corporate failed to acknowledge his efforts in recruiting and that he was the most productive multi-location regional franchisee.  He ended up selling his master locations and started up his own franchising business.  I had the pleasure of spending several hours with him about 7 years ago, he is one of the most relational, well-hearted men in business I’ve met.  It’s a shame what some corporate franchisors lack in recognizing their great achievers for what they do.  On a last note, he wasn’t looking for a referral fee, he was only looking for recognition and appreciation.  Let me give you a few examples of recognition opportunities that The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems uses: newsletters, magazine print, reward ceremonies, speeches at annual conventions.

4. Franchisee Ratings

Ask your franchisees to rate your corporate office support and care center, or better yet hire an outside firm to do this as it will bring third-party “honesty” to the table.  Quite often your franchisees are most honest when completing surveys and ratings for your business. Once the surveying is complete, it is only worth while if you do something about it. Have you ever completed a survey after using a service that you were not satisfied with only to find that they did not respond to you?  Did you ever do business with them again? Not likely.   Recognize that surveying is only useful up to the point that you do something with the information.  You can make your franchisee your biggest fan, even if they have not been satisfied to date.  Take the opportunity to build up great relationships with your franchisees and you will see the blocks fall into place.

If you did not notice, half of the criteria for determining franchisee satisfaction happens before the franchisee has become a franchisee.  I compare this concept to marriage.  One of the most important factors in determining a healthy marriage is a healthy courtship process before hand.  These keys discussed are an initial roadmap to long-term franchisee satisfaction, and residual growth in your franchise system for years to come!

Contact me for more information by email: steve@steveconner.org or via phone 517.775.9991

Steve Conner is the President and co-founder of The Janitorial Agency Franchise Systems Corp, check out more information about the business here!

by Steve Conner

Over the past several weeks I’ve been working with and developing a group of professional business consultants in a concept of consultative selling.  The concept that I am teaching is one I call bonfire party!  Many salespeople have heard the concept of consultative selling but few combine the skill sets of consultative selling with logic in the close.  In this article I discuss consultative selling: bringing people to your fire as a game changer in sales development.

Far too often salespeople focus on one part of their profession and not their profession as a whole. Often  what I find is that a salesperson will: be a strong presenter,strong relationship builder, and others sales persons who are trying to close the un-closable. Without a careful blend of each, you will be weak and unable to close your deals.

The first step in any sale is to build a relationship with your customer.  Especially in large ticket item sales (franchise sales, real estate, commercial real estate) it is necessary that you approach developing a relationship with your client the same as you would meeting a new friend.  When I meet somebody I want to know who they are what they do and what their goals in life are.  This is the premise in friendships, find common ground, if you have things in common naturally you draw to each other and friendships take place.

You may have heard the old saying; people don’t care about how much your know until they know how much you care.  If you are a salesperson who begins a sale by talking about your products before understanding your potential clients problem, you are missing out.  Your clients don’t buy what they want or need, they buy solutions to problems!

Consultative selling is crucial to finding solutions for your clients.  When taking on consultative selling methods you do 4 necessary things for your client and your sale:

Register for Steve’s Entrepreneur Workshop in Lansing, Michigan on April 9th!

Consultative Selling Tips:

1. Find your clients problems

Are you familiar with my last posting where I discuss 5 Sales Rock Star Moves? I discuss the concept with emphasis on asking questions and listening. Remember, I’ve never seen a salesperson lose a deal by listening.

2. Understand your clients problems

When you listen to your client, you can begin to understand the problems your client needs a solution for.

3. Know how to solve your clients problems

Once you have identified the problem, you can apply products or services that solve your clients problems.

4. A new friend sits around your bonfire.

When a new friend sits around your bonfire, he or she will do so for life.  You have given solutions to their problems and have found a way to implement the right solutions.

Consultative selling is necessary and required for professional selling. Bring more friends to your bonfire, you will find when they sit around your fire you will have more opportunities than ever to convert them into a sale for the sake of both parties.  For more information or if you have questions contact me!

By Steve Conner

1. Ask Questions

2. Listen

3. Ask Questions

4. Listen

5. Write down customers problems

Above is the list of my top 5 sales rock star moves.  You get it? Ask questions and listen, and once you have done that do it some more! Sales people NEVER lose a deal because they listened to their prospects, they invariably lose deals from talking through and right past sales.

Ask questions so that you can get your prospects talking about their problems, why they have a need for the services that you offer. Sales superstars don’t limit questions to a few, they continue to ask question after question because they understand that the more they listen to their prospects, the more information they will gain while searching for problems to offer solutions to.   In addition when you ask questions it shows empathy or care.

Listen to your prospects, they will show all the problems and objections that exist so that you can show them solutions. Your prospects are searching for a person who can solve their problems, so the first one to solve their problem(s) win! Further when you listen to your prospect it shows empathy, and when a solution is given they have no choice but to buy.

I always write down my prospects concerns, I even tell them or do it in front of them so they can see my high level of care in solving their problems.  After the prospect explains all of their concerns and I write them down, it is at that moment that I begin to give them solutions to each problem.  Once all their initial problems have solutions, ask once more for any other concerns they may have to test your prospect’s closing temperature.

When you; ask questions, listen, and write down their problem(s) and then give them solutions to their problems, stalls are eliminated.  Your prospect logically understands that the solutions you have are exactly what they want/need and now it is your turn to customer service him/her through the close.  Remember, without closing your prospect there will be nobody to customer service.

By Steve Conner

The question is, why not take control of your economy? It is quite interesting, to see major employment gaps in the resumes of prospective employees. When looking through resumes I direct HR to remove those unwilling to work  (time gap) from the prospect pile. Our current government officials and lawmakers continue to encourage people to not work!

Can you believe an unemployed person would reject an opportunity in the work force?  I can because our media and public officials encourage this kind of behavior. Take control of your economy, the longer the gap in your résumé without work, the less likely you are to even get an interview. Human resource departments in professional industries are looking for self motivated, driven people, and will not contact people with resumes that have a gap in work.

With the increase in taxes and the costs associated with living continuing to rise you have no option but to create the economy that you and your family need to not only survive but to flourish! I’ve always said that nobody controls my economy except me. The only way I can predict my economy is by staying in motion, generating it, dialing the next person in need of my solutions.  I don’t wonder why our national economy struggles because I see it every day as my HR department receives resumes full of holes and gaps from people unwilling to work!

Don’t contribute to the delinquent national economy, work, offer solutions to other people, solutions that people care about. Thomas Jefferson once said, “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” Contribute to not only your national economy but most importantly your personal and family’s economy.  

by Steve Conner

In reference to previous articles which refer to not wasting your customer’s time and customer servicing them through the close, “Customer Service in Closing the Deal 2″ will incorporate these topics into educating sales people that their confidence is required to help customers meet their objectives. After all, nobody goes to the dealership unless they are buying. Contrary to green or amateur salespeople’s beliefs, treat every customer like a buyer and he/she will be a buyer! I want to start by giving an example of a buyer and illustrate for you my main point that closing requires customer servicing people.

John is a surgeon who works endless hours each and everyday saving the lives of many. John has outdated computer software for keeping track of his surgical information from patient to patient. He realized that he needs to upgrade but feels he just does not have the time however he reluctantly agrees to do a 3 hour presentation with a salesperson who would like to show John how the software could save him time.  The salesperson, lacking confidence, takes him through the presentation and instead of fluidly helping John make the decision to move forward and buy the software, becomes nervous and blows the deal, does not ask for the sale and did not lead his customer.  Now John is left feeling doubt, not knowing what to do and procrastinated making a decision to buy simply because the salesperson’s lack of confidence rubbed off! Now John has wasted 3 hours of time and has ended more confused about what to do to solve the problem then he was to begin with.  It is no wonder John is reluctant to take these appointments, I’m sure he has had this happen to him in the past.

Be confident in the products you sell and your ability to deliver.  Like John, who is a professional surgeon which performs many surgeries a day without hesitation, you must perform your sales and closing without hesitation.  If John was not confident in his day-to-day surgeries he would end many lives.

The surgeon above did not receive the customer service in the close because the salesperson did not customer service him. Remember, don’t waste your customer’s time, realize that if you do not give the customer a practical solution and close on it you are wasting their time and a lot of money.  Don’t put off the close that you should get done today, it’s killing your customers more than most of you know!

by Steve Conner

In this article I talk about how to assume the sale, what statements and questions to use, and which questions not to use while selling your products.  Many sales people make mistakes and are unwilling to face the issues with poor quality questions and unintentional failures simply because they lack knowledge.  Once you have read this article and watched the video below, implement the tools provided and you will end the common mistakes made by most sales people today.

The first lesson to learn is the same lesson that lawyers learn in law-school. Never ask a yes/no questions you don’t know the answer to. It was not long ago that I was in a hearing where I was being cross-examined by an attorney who violated this rule.  The result of her violation of the rule was mass confusion and led to a recess whereby the attorney had to consult with her client about the inaccurate information that she thought she knew the answer to. If you violate this as a salesperson your reaction will likely be the same as this attorney, confused and feeling blind sided.  Make sure that you don’t ask a yes/no question that you don’t know the answer to!

Here are 5 Assumption Statements to use before commitment with your customer:

1. Okay this is the agreement

2. Okay this is the application

3. I’m putting you down for delivery at 11am

4. You should be congratulated for your great decision

5. I’ll have your package delivered immediately

Use these statements to assume that your customer is buying your products. When you use these statements you will test if your customer is ready to buy. Often a customer will tell you that they are not buying today when using these statements.  The rule is never argue with your customer about whether they will buy today because if you do, you will not close them because they will feel that they can’t buy as a matter of principle and their word. Rather, I always ignore the comment to not further validate the comment and create a situation where they can’t buy my product.  On the other end of the spectrum, your customer might be led right into buying your products as a matter of your assumption.  Either way you have an opportunity to close the customer today regardless of what your customer does or says.

Here are 3 Assumption Questions to ask when selling:

1. Do you prefer delivery immediately following, later this afternoon, or at 11am tomorrow morning?

2. Do you want to handle this by credit card or check?

3. Do you want it in red or blue?

You may have seen other articles and videos where I discuss what I call a boxed choice.  You offer the customer options while assuming that they are buying your product. Many customers have a hard time making a decision to buy when they feel like the decision is only their’s.  In fact most customers prefer that the salesperson take part ownership in the decision especially if the customer is insecure with the decision possibly being a bad one. When you offer solutions and choices, the customer feels much more comfortable in deciding with you.  I’ve stated before, most people do not make hard decisions when they are stressed out, they ball up and even if they do make the decision, buyer’s remorse is ultimately likely to set in.  Use logic in the close with your customers and they will feel on top of the world when they take delivery of your products!

by Steve Conner

The truth is so valuable and so powerful that it cuts through customer objections. Something about the truth leaves people in a state of closure. The very best sales closers that I have seen (including myself) comfortably use the truth to cut complaints, stalls, and objections. Although our products offer solutions to many people, there are people who are not best suited with some of our products and often times the truth is given in a take away, which tests the customer’s commitment  to your products presented.  I use a take away on many, many closes to test my customer’s commitment. Do not use the take away early in the close. I use it only when I feel the customer is throwing tons of stalls my way, I even sometimes ask “Are you looking for reasons to buy my product, or reasons not to buy my product?”

The best sales people are willing to solve problems for their customers, when they solve problems they have a partner for life! However, when a sales person tries to stick a customer with a product that does not solve their problem, they will not trust that sales person again.  The very most important thing to a pro salesperson is to sell themselves and their ability to solve problems for their customer, the solution comes as part of the salesperson’s abilities (no matter what product or company they sell for).

The truth cuts through objections so powerfully because people simply draw to it. We have all heard or seen the slick salesperson who sounds too good to be true. People are turned off by this salesperson and ultimately don’t want to have anything to do with being sold because of the discomfort with being bull-shitted. There is a certain comfort with knowing that your salesperson is going to give you the truth and has no bones about it. I prefer to use the truth to close my deals and to win customers for life. Slick salespersons have not a clue how they will get to the next sale as they pillage through people all the way through their existence. Take the most powerful route, use the truth to cut through your customer’s objections!

by Steve Conner

It has been said for many years, by many sales trainers and managers, that the more time you spend with your customer, the more likely you will close them, this is a false idea today, don’t waste your customer’s time! Many things have changed when it comes to exchange and many things have stayed the same. The fact is your customer comes first, before any corporate process, and before the sales person. It is a detriment to your customer to waste their time through inefficient process or failure to solve your customer’s individual problem. Many sales people believe that their customer’s wish to “think about it” is an indicator to slow down and stall the process too (which is incorrect data). Who is leading who here? In the past I’ve discussed customer servicing your customer in the close, you may want to go back and refresh yourself on this topic.

Many households are such that both men and women work out of the house. They spend more time outside of the house with day-to-day tasks added to their work schedules. We know that our customers do not have the time they used to. The solutions to the problems of the modern-day buyer are to efficiently give them the information that they need (value through solutions), develop a trusting relationship, and customer service them on through the close.

We have a responsibility to follow this priority list:

1. Customer

2. Sales Person

3. Company

After all, the company does not buy the services or products the customer does.  No process or priority supersedes that which is most important to the buyer or customer. Satisfy your customer because when this happens then the sales person and the company are satisfied as a result.

In your sales process consider your customer by surrendering all unnecessary processes.  If your customer wants more information offer it, if they would like less information because they are certain of the product they want, or they have already done ample research, then be sure to build rapport and customer service them through the close. Most importantly, do not go through the motions presenting your products/services to customers, find out their problems and offer them solutions!

by Steve Conner

Don’t believe the media, the negativity and overall reluctance for people to “do” is being fed by the media’s desire to tear down entire nations and families through crushing confidence.  In other related articles I have discussed how the greater population are can’t do people, they are not willing to solve problems, and they are un-empowered to do great things. It is no wonder since most people watch the news through a controlled media.  The greater population is led, directed and thereby controlled by the media.

Do you ever wonder why consumer buying confidence is at an all time low, or why the economy is in such shambles?  When people tune in to the negative gongs at the media news stations what would one expect. Several years ago I used to get so depressed by the news that I finally decided I did not even want to wake up and I never even wanted to turn it on anymore. At the point that I  turned off the media, many parts of my life became more positive. Being informed is essential in life, but being informed by a negative agenda in the media is death!

I was talking with a sales person today who told me that he finally figured out his problem in selling. He told me that he lacked confidence and proceeded to tell me all about why he felt that he lost it. I went further into explaining that when we miss the mark or lose more than we win, confidence fades and we continue to lose more.  The cycle is tragic, however this is the media’s agenda. Taking away confidence of the people is a key in control and the misnomer of needing someone in power to make your decisions. Turn off the media, tune out the political agendas and take control of a positive, can do, “let me get that handled” ideal.

You will not sell and close deals when you lack confidence in yourself, your business, and your company’s products or services. Remember also that you need to take a give first approach to your customers before exchange can happen.  People believe what they see not what they hear, so be sure to present what you are giving to your customer before you expect to close.

Another related concept here is that to do great things you have to sell with purpose not for profit. When we sell for a greater purpose then ourselves, we are selling for purpose. Purpose has to exceed paying your bills and be motivating. When the media decides how you should live your life, negativity, and can’t do perceptions do not drive you to success. Stay off of the negative media, shut down all negative factors surrounding you in your environment. You will see positive things happen around you!

 Other Related Articles: , Creating Exchange, Confidence Translates to your Customer, Visual Information To Close

by Steve Conner

Probably the most ridiculous thing that I see sales people do from time-to-time is not bring a pen and contract to the closing table. To see a sales person do this just infuriates me as this tells me that the sales person is not ready to do business. Not only does it tell me this, it also tells the customer the same thing.

I don’t care if I’m walking down town, eating dinner with my family, or going to a movie with my wife I am prepared to get somebody, anybody to agree to do business with me. Doesn’t it seem ridiculous for a sales person to even go to the closing table without a pen and contract?

I use the contract to close my deals. While closing, I don’t ask my customers “would you like to buy my program?”, I assume that they want to buy my program and I walk them through the contract, using verifiable information which is visually accessible to my clients in about 3-4 clicks of a mouse on a computer. As a note, if I’m in the close, the customer wants, and needs my product and I would never attempt to force the wrong product on a customer.

When I use closing material, I point my customer back to the agreement and make it convenient to do business. The use of visual information is essential as customers do not believe what they hear, rather they believe what they see. If you put information, articles, and third-party statistical sources on paper for a customer, they will become believers and you will establish credibility.

Establish trustworthiness and credibility with your customer by using visual information. Whatever product or service you are selling, make sure to list all benefits in your proposal or contract. Do not make any verbal promises to a customer, if you are expressing value verbally, include it in your agreement.

Many sales people lose their deals based on their inability to help the customer believe what they are selling. Diminish this inability by presenting your presentations and proposals visually using information packets and contracts.

Use the internet to easily access your information and contracts, be ready to close with the visual information in front of your customer! Realize that with all the crooked sales people who consumers have dealt with in the past, your customer is already skeptical and not likely to believe what you say. Establish your credibility with your customer, and remember that whatever decision your customer makes is a decision made because of you (close or not)!