Sales are lost long before the customer walks away. Downtime, stockouts, and poor communication aren’t just operational issues; they are sales problems. While businesses work to address these sales problems, here’s what a salesperson in a small or growing business can do in the meantime to safeguard every sale.
Downtime is not an IT problem
Downtime is not an IT problem. It’s a sales problem. When the attendant at the petrol station, after swiping your debit card, exclaims in exasperation, “Arrgh! Hii machine yao huwa haifanyi..,” that bank the PDQ belongs to, has just lost a sale. And speaking of banks, when you see the Director of Retail obsess over how long it takes for the ATM to be replenished with cash, and generally how many times the ATM and all the increasing bank’s online platforms are down, he is not being petty. He is safeguarding sales.
The ones immediately lost in that instant of swiping, and the many others the accountholder will lose the bank when she vents thus: “I don’t use their app. It never works. I prefer (this other bank’s) ATM and app which I am happy to recommend.” Or, in the 21st C, When the hotel receptionist tells the late-arriving guest, “Sorry, the system is down, we can’t confirm your booking,” the hotel isn’t just risking a walk-out; it’s inviting a one-star Google review titled Avoid at All Costs.
What a salesperson can do:
- Have a Plan B ready. Always know the manual alternatives. For example, how to process cash payments quickly, how to offer mobile money options like Mpesa, or how to issue a manual receipt while reassuring the customer.
- Communicate Proactively: Instead of waiting for the customer to get frustrated, calmly explain, “Our card machine is slow today, but you can pay by (alternative option).”
- Stay Positive and Professional: Customers judge the reaction more than the problem. A smiling, solution-oriented salesperson can still save the sale and even deepen loyalty.
Stockouts are not a procurement problem. Address this sales problem.
Stockouts are not a procurement problem. They are a sales problem. When a parent walks into the supermarket after work to grab the one brand of milk their child drinks, and hears for the third time, “Hatujawahi pata delivery,” they don’t just walk out empty-handed. They rewire their habits. Next time, they drive straight to the competitor’s store, the one that never seems to disappoint.
And when a construction foreman tells a hardware, “If you don’t have these iron sheets now, I’ll buy from someone who does,” he isn’t threatening. He’s moving his thousands of shillings — and all future orders of cement, nails, and timber — elsewhere. Stockouts don’t just lose today’s sale; they break patterns of customer loyalty, permanently altering where wallets open.
What the salesperson should do to address these sales problems:
- Offer Alternatives Instantly: Know your stock well enough to immediately suggest close substitutes: “We don’t have Brand X milk today, but Brand Y is also long-life and is what most parents are picking now.”
- Capture the Lost Demand: Record what customers ask for but didn’t find, and send daily or weekly stockout reports to management. Simple lists of “what customers came looking for” drive smarter reordering.
- Pre-sell Future Stock: If stock is expected soon, offer to reserve it for the customer: “We’re expecting it Friday. Can I put aside a pack for you and call you when it arrives?”
- Manage Expectations Gently: Be honest without blaming others. Customers respect a salesperson who says, “We’re working hard to restock it quickly,” instead of shrugging indifferently.
Poor communication is not a marketing problem
Poor communication is not a marketing problem. It’s a sales problem. When a hotel promotes a Mother’s Day brunch with glossy posters and warm invites, but forgets to mention it’s “advance booking only,” the family that shows up excited, only to be turned away at the door, doesn’t just lose a meal. They lose face in front of mum, feel humiliated, and vow never to return. Worse, they tell their friends, post their disappointment online, and quietly cross that hotel off every future shortlist — weddings, conferences, weekend staycations. Poor communication doesn’t just cost an event. It poisons the well from which future sales would have drawn.
What the salesperson should do to address these sales problems:
- Overcommunicate the Fine Print: Always clarify any hidden terms before the customer asks. Example: “Just so you know, for the Mother’s Day brunch, bookings close by Friday at noon.”
- Pre-empt Confusion: Review all ongoing promotions and offers yourself before talking to customers. If anything sounds confusing, ask management for clarity — better safe than sorry.
- Confirm and Remind: Where possible, send a quick text, WhatsApp, or call to customers after they book or order, summarizing key details — dates, payment terms, pick-up instructions.
- Be the Customer’s Advocate: If you realize the business materials (posters, social media posts) are misleading or incomplete, raise it with management early and suggest simple fixes. A small correction early on can save a mountain of lost trust later.
Address these as sales, not operational. problems
In short. When technology fails, be resourceful. When shelves are empty, be proactive. And when information is unclear, be the voice of clarity. And no, I am not excusing the business. Downtime should be treated as a commercial emergency, not a technical inconvenience. Stockouts should trigger as much boardroom attention as declining revenue. And communication about products, events, and offers must be treated as a core part of the sales process, not a poster exercise.
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