Selling Product is Old Money

When was the last time you bought a product for the product? Customers buy tangible items for intangible solutions. There has also been high number of columns dedicated to how companies should sell solutions and not products. It is very prevalent in B2B industry. However, on the ground, companies still have a product approach.

Let's consider my experience with Godrej Interio a year back. We had planned to remodel our kitchen space. We wanted to maintain the basic platform and build modular storage around the structure. Among the vendors we contacted was the Godrej Interio center closest to our residence. After repeated calls, there was still not action or response from them. One day, Godrej Interio had an advert in the local newspaper asking for interests for franchisee setup. They had mentioned the franchise manager as the person to be contacted. My wife called up this person and blasted him on how his appointed franchisees show lack of response. The gentleman agreed to look into the matter and promised that someone would call back.

Sure enough, by the end of the day, we did receive a call from the nearest franchise outlet. They agreed to come visit the house and measure it. But they said I will need to pay them Rs. 500 for the visit. They said we will get a rebate of the same amount from the order, if given to Godrej Interio. We agreed to the payment.

That weekend a lady showed up representing Godrej Interio. After some basic discussion on our requirement, she proceeded to measure the kitchen. While we were finalizing the components of the storage cabinets, we realized that since the platform was to stay and was build not to the measurement of the modules, there were some areas where there were gaps or the space was slightly shorter. Also, in some cases, we needed some additional attachments. For example, near the overhead corner, we wanted two glass shelves instead of a closed cabinet. She said Godrej will not do it and we need to get it done with the local carpenter. Same answer was accorded for other areas where there was some gaps to be covered. She said that Godrej will not modify the pre-build modules. She mentioned that Godrej will provide the material and it will have to be measured and cut by the local carpenter. I wanted to cover the area beneath the wash basin with a matching cabinet door. Again, she said that is out of scope, but Godrej will give the panel and the local carpenter should be engaged to modify and build the cabinet door.

After the discussion, we realized that over 40% of the work was supposed to be done by the local carpenter. She said Godrej will only fit the standard modules and the final attachments and finishing will have to be done by the local carpenter. I told her that this does not solve my issue of having a functional modular kitchen. Anyways, I paid the Rs. 500 and decided to not speak to Godrej Interio again. Eventually, I got the kitchen done with the local carpenter. It has been over 15 months and I am very satisfied with the quality of work and the final kitchen.

In this case, Godrej Interio was so focussed on the catalogued items that they refused to see my need. Let me highlight another case, albeit one with a happy ending for the customer.

Our washing machine had lived past its life and one fine day stopped working. Since, we were contemplating purchasing a new one, we decided this event to be the best to get a new one. We exchanged the old washing machine for a new LG washing machine. Being a front loading machine requiring some installation, the retail outlet agent told us to wait for the technician to arrive at our house for setting up the machine. He picked up the old machine and promised us that the technician would visit us the same day. It was a Friday. We waited till 8 pm and nobody from LG showed up. My wife followed up with the retail outlet. The sales person informed us that the technician got delayed solving some problem and would be at our house first thing on Monday. Around 10 pm, my wife was getting very upset since there was a pile of clothes awaiting their wash. She called up the sales person and explained that she need to wash the clothes. The sales person said that he will try his best to help. After about half hour, the delivery person shows up at our door with the old machine. The sales person had got it temporarily fixed and sent it back to our house. He called up to say that we can use the old machine till the new machine is installed. He said he will take it back once we are satisfied with the new machine.

Now this person understood that we did not want a washing machine. We wanted a solution to wash our clothes when we want to at the convenience of our home. This sales person made us a loyal customer of the outlet. Eventually we bought our air conditioner, television, home theater from the same outlet. When he changed jobs to work for a competing electronics chain, we moved our purchase to the new outlet.

However, it is disappointing, that this event is a one-off rare case. It was probably a initiative or attitude of the sales person rather than the company or retail outlet chain.