REALITY: Every single person in every single company is either in sales or affects sales. Every single person in every single company is either in service or affects service.

There’s an old business adage that goes: “Everyone is in sales.” The reality is that only salespeople believe this. Even customer service people that touch customers daily and spend hours with them in what might be considered a gateway to the next sale don’t think of themselves as in sales, or don’t think of themselves as salespeople.

KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: Your customers are judging every aspect of every transaction and rating everything from friendliness of people, to ease of doing business, to quality of product, to service after the sale. They’re judging how easy it is to access someone on the phone. They’re judging how the package arrived. They’re judging what the instruction book is like. And they’re certainly judging service should they need it.

The dilemma is that leadership fails to communicate and teach the importance of customer’s interactions and perceptions as they relate to the success of the company. The reason everyone in the company doesn’t perceive or realize that they’re in sales is that no one has told them and no one has taught them.

Here are a few “teach tips” to get your team to the next level…

• Teach EVERYONE that attitude is the foundation of success, both personal and business – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE the importance of friendliness – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE that speed of response is not an option – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE how to respond to customer complaints – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE that service is as important as sales. – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE to ask for more business – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE to suggest more – Tweet This

• Teach EVERYONE to thank the customer for their business – Tweet This

The key word is “teach” because these are courses that no one ever learned in school. Yet they are vital to your success – especially in these times.

These elements may seem fundamental – almost rudimentary – to anyone’s job function. But more business is lost to apathy, rudeness, slow response, poor attitude, and lack of friendliness than is lost to low price – times a thousand.

CHALLENGE: If you tell your people everyone is in sales, why don’t you follow through and help them sell?

THOUGHT: If everyone in the company is in sales, why are only salespeople invited to sales meetings? – Tweet This

REALITY: You are overlooking HUGE sales opportunities at a time when sales are harder to come by, and every sale counts.

via Jeffrey Gitomer’s Sales Blog –. I loved this post and just had to share it with you.  I even tried to tell my wife, who is a community carer that she was in sales. She vehemently disagreed. I explained she was the face of the company and her cheerful attitude and willingness to help, results in a great customer experience and increased loyalty.

What role are you in and do you perceive your self as a sales person?