Salesperson 101: The Scorpion and the Frog
One of the biggest mistakes a salesperson, or a dealership for that matter, can make is to make a bad decision based on short-term thinking and do something intentionally that creates an unhappy customer or even worse, a liability for the company. Sometimes they can’t help it, it’s just in their nature.
Some of you may be familiar with the story of the scorpion and the frog. It goes something like this. One day, a frog and a scorpion are next to each other on the side of a river. The scorpion looks over at the frog, who is quite nervous and keeping his distance and says, “Mr. Frog, since you can swim and I cannot, would you be so kind as to give me a ride to the other side of the river?”
The Frog, being naturally apprehensive, responds, “Definitely not! If I give you a ride, you will sting me and I will die.”
The scorpion responds, very sincerely, “Why would I do that? If I were to sting you while we were in the river, we would both die as I cannot swim.” The frog thought about that for a while, and figured the scorpion was right. Why would the scorpion sting him and then die? That would make no sense.
“Ok scorpion, I will give you a ride to the other side as long as you promise you will not sting me.” The scorpion accepted and made the promise. It was genuine.
The frog and the scorpion started out across the river, with the frog swimming graciously and the scorpion hanging on to his back. About halfway across the river the scorpion stung the frog. “Why would you sting me?” said the frog in disbelief.
The scorpion responded in a very matter of fact way, “Because it is in my nature.”
There are salespeople that defy common sense.
The scorpions are out there. Those are the salespeople that defy common sense. They will ask for favours and promise everything in return but give nothing. They talk a big game, about how much they care, but in the next moment they are wrecking your business with deceptive behaviour. They cannot see the future, they can only see the dollar sign right in front of them and if you’re in the way, down you go into the bottom of the river.
I had a salesperson not that long ago that performed at a very high level, but just struggled with bad decisions. He would be the regular subject of complaints from staff. Being a best friend one day, then skating you the next. He usually had a good excuse or story, but he was full of shit. No shortage of these types. Scorpions that just can’t help themselves.
He would also be the subject of many customer complaints. One day, I received an email complaint from a customer. The customer said that the salesperson had promised a second key for his used car purchase only to find out on delivery, when he was picking up his vehicle, that he could not have a second key. The salesperson had intentionally waited until the day of delivery to tell the client right at the very moment they were so excited to pick up their vehicle, that it would come with only one key. No big deal. Let’s face it, that key would probably cost two or three hundred dollars these days, if not more. And that money would come out of his gross, and then he would make less money. No brainer, “I’ll wait until the moment the customer’s ready, and they can’t cancel, after they’ve gotten insurance, told their friends they are getting a new vehicle, heck they probably put it on Facebook! They won’t walk away over a key!” He was right, they didn’t. They signed and accepted the vehicle without a second key. He held onto the gross and made more money. Win win. Well…win anyway.
He knew, but likely didn’t care, that he hurt the reputation of the business.
Here’s the thing, that salesperson is the scorpion. He couldn’t help himself. He knows the customer will be unhappy. He knows unhappy customers don’t send referrals. He also knows, but likely doesn’t care, that he has hurt the reputation of the business. If they didn’t announce their vehicle purchase on Facebook, they’ll certainly share the bad experience. All for the sake of not even a few hundred dollars, but a percentage commission of a few hundred dollars. Crazy. The few hundred dollars probably cost the business thousands in potential future business, and him a few referrals. Lose lose.
Making gross is great. Make as much money as you can, but when you promise a customer something as part of a deal, then you should do everything in your power to keep that promise. Otherwise, the last thing they remember will be getting stung at the very moment when they should have been the most excited. If you have that scorpion on your staff, as tough as it is to gun top performers, you have got to do it. Because one day that lying, cheating, deceptive salesperson is going to bite you and take you down with him, or her. They can't help it. It's in their nature. Good luck and good selling.
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