The Verdict is In

Who knows more about furniture or appliances than you?

By J.R. Zirkelbach, New Leaf Service Contracts

There are certain movies my wife Holly and I can watch over and over again. You may also have some favorites that you never tire of.

Ours include classics like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “A Few Good Men” and “Lethal Weapon.” But the top spot is held by “My Cousin Vinny,” starring Joe Pesci and Marissa Tomei.

As you may recall, Pesci plays Vincent “Vinny” Gambini, a newly-licensed lawyer from New York, and Tomei plays his fiancé Lisa Vito. Vinny’s young cousin (Ralph Macchio) and his buddy (“Two yoots” … watch the movie, trust me) were falsely accused of murdering a convenience store clerk while driving through rural Alabama. The cousin, having few financial resources, turns to Vinny for help, and Vinny and Lisa head to Alabama to defend the boys.

The crux of the case is what witnesses believe they saw and heard. [Spoiler alert!] Vinny struggles at first in court, then hits his stride picking apart the “eyewitness” accounts. A key piece of evidence is the tire tracks left outside the convenience store as the real killers fled.  

Vinny calls Lisa to the stand to testify as an expert witness on the tire tracks. The prosecution vigorously objects, questioning Lisa’s qualifications as an automotive expert. He begins by asking what she does for a living. “I’m an out-of-work hairdresser,” she says. The prosecutor immediately moves to have Lisa dismissed as clearly unqualified.

Pesci encourages the prosecutor to ask Lisa any automotive question to establish her bona fides. When he does, Lisa turns the tables by pointing out the baselessness of the question, corrects his query, and then answers it accurately. She goes on to prove that the tracks couldn’t possibly have been produced by the boys’ car. They are therefore innocent and the case is won.

So what does any of this have to do with retail sales? In short, everything.

You or your salespeople may similarly think of yourselves as “out-of-work hairdressers” or “just this” or “only that,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Like Lisa, you are experts. You are the people customers seek when they need real answers to hard questions, to ensure they pick the products and services that will best serve their needs.

How do you demonstrate your expertise? By asking good questions, listening carefully, confirming what you heard from the customer, processing that information before making a recommendation and then asking the customer to buy. It might sound something like this:

“Mrs. Customer, remember when you told me [about your situation]? That’s why I recommend [this product], which has [the features and benefits] that will solve [your need]. We have the model in stock and can deliver it tomorrow. May I write up the order?”

Speak to your customers with that level of confidence and authority.  Doing so will ensure your shoppers reach a favorable verdict!

J.R. Zirkelbach is vice president of business development and training at New Leaf Service Contracts with over 30 years’ experience in retail. New Leaf-administered service contracts can provide an enhanced customer experience, earnings opportunities for salespeople, and increased profitability for BrandSource members. Contact J.R. at jzirkelbach@newleafsc.net. 

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