Determining your one sustainable advantage in the market place to drive new revenue and improve repeat sales.

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2. When the server is the player with the
advantage, the score may be stated by
him or her before the next point as
"advantage in."
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Are you the “Server?” Are you in control of the game?
How are you “in control” of the game?

3. What are the three standard components
of any sales comparison that a shopper
will typically make?
PRICE PRODUCT SERVICE
BENEFITS
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4.  Is PRICE a sustainable competitive
advantage for you? No, because sooner or later
other products will meet/beat your price or your
competitors will start selling the same product.
 Are the Product Benefits of the product or
your company a sustainable competitive
advantage? No, because other companies offer
the same product benefits, or they will at some
point.
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5.  SERVICE is the only sustainable advantage
that you can compete with.
But…
Service can only be an advantage if it is
PROACTIVE, because
everybody has great Reactive service.
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6.  Example:
 A company buys several fleet vehicles for their
sales reps and service techs. The local dealership
that got the sale was very happy to get a large sale
and showed their appreciation with some gifts and
a small luncheon for the key employees in the
company who made the decision. The dealership’s
next contact with the company was 3 years later
when they learned that the company had purchased
additional vehicles…from another dealership.
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7. Group Discussion:
 What could have been some strategies the
dealership could have used to maintain the
relationship and get repeat business:
◦ _________________________________________
◦ _________________________________________
◦ _________________________________________
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Some ideas to get the group started:
 Dealership sets up a maintenance schedule for the vehicles
that provides a low cost way for the company to get oil
changes, lubes, other minor maintenance. The dealership
initiates the email or phone call to remind them of service.
 Dealership provides a free car wash service once a year on
the anniversary of the vehicle’s purchase. They send a
mobile wash service to the company, displaying the dealer
logo.
 Dealership provides a free MVR check to the company once a
year for their fleet drivers.

9.  Example:
A commercial insurance client’s renewal occurs every
September 1. The Agent of Record’s routine is to
contact the client in June and ask for a list of
company vehicles and drivers, updated payroll, and a
list of any new equipment or acquisitions/sales of
property that could affect the insurance coverage.
When she calls this year on June 4, she learns that
they are in the process of changing companies and
Agents and the notification should be coming to her
this week. She is devastated as this is a fairly large
account ($7,000+ commission).
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10. Group Discussion:
 What could have been some strategies the
Insurance Agent could have used to
maintain the relationship and get repeat
business:
◦ _________________________________________
◦ _________________________________________
◦ _________________________________________
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Some ideas to start the discussion:
• Why does the client only get a review/update from their
insurance agent when their policy renews? Could
situations occur during the year that affect their
insurance coverage? Should some accounts be
contacted/reviewed more frequently?
• How about the Tax Accountant? What’s their busiest season? It
probably doesn’t coincide with September 1. So wouldn’t it make
sense to do a review with them prior to tax season, not 3 – 6
months later?
• How about the retail shop in the mall? What’s their busiest
season? Don’t jump on Black Friday or the Christmas Holiday.
What’s the biggest day for Godiva Chocolates? Valentine’s Day.
Shouldn’t their review be well before February 14?

13. What are the similarities in both examples?
Service could have been the deciding factor.
By not providing any proactive service, the
salesperson was relying on the client to contact them
for any service needs. But since the “client” (really
just a customer in these examples weren’t they?)
didn’t perceive that there was a relationship with
their agent, they went out on their own to shop.
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14. In both cases the people who made the original
buying decision might not even be part of the
company any longer. If the salesperson had stayed
in touch, developed some service processes to build
and sustain the relationship, the new company
decision-makers would be more aware of the Service
Advantage in place and might be more reluctant to
get new quotes from outside.
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Which outcome
do you want?

15.  SERVICE is the only sustainable advantage
you have in the market place.
 Your service advantage must be proactive
to actually be an advantage.
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