FOR MANAGERS: Sales Meeting Tool Kit
Dealing with difficult people
We’ve all run into buyers and sellers whose attitude and behavior make it tough to get the job done. Though it’s next to impossible to change their behavior, it’s possible to change how we respond.
REALTOR® Magazine has compiled the suggestions of several experts to give you some effective ways of dealing with five common types of difficult people.
1. Complainers. They find fault with everything: a big house is hard to heat, a small one is too cramped. No solution you offer is right.
Strategy: Don’t let them dwell on their complaints. Once you feel you know the real issue, interrupt them and ask them what they would do to change the situation. Keep things optimistic. And make sure you get them to participate in all decisions, or they’ll find fault with the decisions later.
2. Intimidators. These aggressive types use anger, rudeness, and abuse to get their way. Often, as a way to control the situation, they withhold information about their wants and needs. When something goes wrong, they blame you and expect you to fix it.
Strategy: They have a need to show the world they’re always right. Never show weakness or respond emotionally to them. It only gives them more ammunition. Maintain eye contact, and don’t argue. Let them vent. They sometimes become reasonable once their tantrum is over. If it goes on too long, quietly call a halt.
3. Clams. When they’re pressed, clams shut down, responding to questions with yes or no answers or even a shrug. To them, silence is an aggressive weapon, often accompanied by glares, frowns, or folded arms. They are often prompted by insecurity or fear of being wrong.
Strategy: Keep smiling and keep your confidence. Ask open-ended questions to get them to talk. If you sense fear on their part, reassure them that there are no bad questions and that everyone has concerns when making a major purchase.
4. Indecisives. They don’t know what they want and don’t have the confidence to make a decision. They feel the need to discuss decisions with others. They prefer oral information, because it can be changed at will.
Strategy: Encourage them to share their misgivings, then listen carefully to hear what the real problem is. Ask them to prioritize their objections so you can deal with the most important problem first. You could bring in a more decisive family member to get things moving, then continue to follow up to head off second thoughts.
5. Know-it-alls. They have just enough information to be dangerous. They often focus on minor issues to distract attention from important ones. Under it all, they want to be seen as important and want the respect of others.
Strategy: Never ignore them, and don’t correct them in front of others, or you could risk a major disagreement. Offer alternatives and ideas in private. Give them a way to save face, but don’t agree to act on their ideas.
9 tips to keep your cool
When a difficult person pushes your buttons, here are a few tips you can use to stay in charge.
1. Keep your voice tone and volume low and speak slowly.
2. Ask no threatening questions.
3. Listen to find out what the customer’s real reason is for being difficult.
Treat the objection as important even if what the person’s saying doesn’t seem important to you.
4. Acknowledge the problem, then repeat it to the person to make sure you under-stand the issue.
5. Don’t argue.
6. Apologize—even if you think the client is wrong.
7. Offer to rectify any problem. If you can’t, offer an alternative.
8. Act professionally at all times.
9. Afterwards, analyze the behavior that led to the problem so you can avoid repeating it.
realtormag.com
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