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Step 1: Prepare ........................................................................................................... 4

Step 2: Build Rapport .................................................................................................. 6

Step 3: Identify Needs ................................................................................................. 8

Step 4: Align Features, Advantages & Benefits .........................................................10

Step 5: Overcome Objections ....................................................................................12

Step 6: Close the Sale ...............................................................................................14

After the Sales Call ....................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION This playbook is based on the concept of needs-based selling. People buy what they need, but they don’t always know exactly what it is they need or what you have to offer them. The needs-based selling concept helps you identify the specific needs of each customer so you can customize your approach to their specific needs. This workbook will take you through the six steps of the ServiceMaster Sales System. For detailed information on how to sell specific services, such as carpet cleaning, wood floors, and tile, refer to the specific add-on sales manual for each service.

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In order to increase your chances of making the sale, knowing some key information about your target audience is absolutely essential. In this step, your goal is to do your homework to gain an understanding of your prospects and their needs, which gives you insight into how to build the relationship.

In our Residential business, we know the following about our customer base:

1. Purchasers are primarily women living in dual-income households.

2. More than 80% are homeowners.

3. About 60% have lived in their homes for more than five years.

4. The majority of buyers are over the age of 40.

5. More than 70% live in homes valued at $100,000+.

All prospects should be logged into Contact Manager on Marketing Connection. For instructions on logging customer and prospect info into Contact Manager, this can be found under the following path: Marketing Connection >> Marketing Assets >> Marketing Connection Training >> Contact Manager.

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Personal Appearance

When we as ServiceMaster Clean... Customers will...

Wear clean, pressed uniforms instead of jean, non ServiceMaster hats, or ill-fitting poplin shirts

Know we take pride in ourselves and our work

Set the standard in personal hygiene by having clean-cut haircuts, removing earring and body piercings

Not be influenced by preconceived prejudices

Have mouthwash, mints and deodorant in our trucks and utilize them when necessary

Receive a positive first impression with our initial greeting

Have our shirts neatly tucked in Recognize that we care about our personal appearance

Make sure our hands are clean See we pay attention to detail and cleanliness

Preparing Yourself and Your Vehicle- Appearance Counts! Customers quickly form opinions based on a technician’s appearance. This first impression has an impact on their overall customer experience. Here are some guidelines to making sure you are prepared to present yourself in a way that creates a favorable first impression.

Your vehicle also serves as a form of marketing to your customers. Here are some guidelines to creating a favorable first impression when you pull up to the house.

Vehicle Appearance

When we as ServiceMaster Clean... Customers will...

Leave for the jobsite with enough time Not see us speeding

Allow others the right of way Perceive us as friendly

Keep vehicle exterior clean and neat – windows included

See we value our equipment and will value their home

Keep dash boards clear See we are organized

Keep vehicle interior clean and neat Know we care about our company

Don’t play loud music anytime Not be offended by our actions

Have working air conditioning Not have to see sweat soaked crews

Keep our vehicles in good repair with no dents or leaking oil

Won’t be worried about staining their driveway with oil spots

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The goal when building rapport is to establish trust. People buy from people they trust and like. It begins with making a positive first impression. Before you ever open your mouth, the prospect will have already formed an opinion of you based on the way you look and present yourself. To make the best first impression, follow these simple guidelines when arriving at the customer’s home.

1) Be on time for customer jobs.

2) After ringing the bell or knocking, step back from the door, greet the customer by name and offer a handshake.

3) Always smile when addressing the customer.

4) Make sure the customer receives a business card.

5) Ask permission questions, such as:

Is it okay to leave my car parked there?

Would you please show me the areas that need to be cleaned?

Where would you like me to start?

6) Find some common ground and break the ice with the customer.

Compliment them on their home, decorations, or floor plan.

Get the customer’s attention by broaching a subject of mutual interest (lighthouses, Dalmatians, or anything you see displayed in the home).

You will quickly lose credibility if you sound too rehearsed, so tailor your approach to each individual customer. Be genuine and sincere in your approach. List some statements you might use to greet a customer and/or break the ice.

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What other actions will help build rapport?

Communications and Actions

Communications/Actions

When we as ServiceMaster Clean... Customers will...

Get out of the vehicle immediately once at the jobsite so as not to make the customer uncomfortable by remaining in the vehicle

Know we are purposeful in our actions and ready to serve them

Stand three feet away from the door, make eye contact and SMILE when the customer opens the door

Feel comfortable within their personal space and not be intimidated

Greet the customer by name and extend our hand for a handshake to introduce both ourselves and our helper

Know you know their name and have self confidence in the job to be accomplished

Thank the customer for the opportunity to serve them and give them a yellow rose or cupcake

Feel they are valued

Present the customer with our business card Feel at ease that they are working with a professional company

Put down a walk off mat inside the door Care about tracking dirt and debris into their home

Slip on booties once in the home Begin to feel ServiceMaster Clean is not just another cleaning company

Put corner guards on to protect against damage

Care about their home and value their investment

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Identifying needs is a critical step in the selling process. If performed correctly, you can effectively reduce objections through targeted questioning and listening. As a member of the ServiceMaster Clean/Restore selling team, you are expected to understand your audience and make suggestions on the specific services that will best fit the customer’s needs. This can only be done effectively if you ask probing questions and identify the customer’s buying motives. A buying motive is the rationale a person uses to make a purchase. Examples include:

Ask open-ended questions to help identify needs.

Listen 70% of the time, talk 30% of the time.

Put away your smart phone, iPad, and laptop, and give the speaker your undivided attention.

Maintain eye contact.

Don’t plan your response while the customer is speaking.

Avoid passing judgment on what your customer is saying.

Pay attention to the person’s body language and non-verbal cues.

Summarize to confirm understanding.

Improve safety of the home Save time and labor Convenience

Less mess and interruption Removal of dirt and allergens Clean, fresh feel of a home

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Example: So what I hear you

say is that XYZ is a concern of yours and you would view it as a benefit if we can address it. Correct?

Focus in on the process to derive their needs:

The issues that need addressed

The cost The time frame

Steer the conversation where YOU want it to go.

Focus the questions on their current process.

Identifying Needs Process Flow

Repeat the process until you have two to three confirmed needs. When you have at least two needs and you feel that the client has covered their bases, restate the needs and gain a final confirmation. See page 17 for specific questions you can ask to identify needs.

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Once you have identified your prospect’s needs, focus on making the connection between what they need and what you can offer them. This is the point at which you clearly demonstrate why your service is the best option. This is also your opportunity to distinguish yourself from the competition.

Too often, sales people bombard customers with features without giving any advantages or benefits. No matter how many features you give a customers, it’s unlikely you will make a sale without the customer understanding the benefits or “value” the service brings to them. Just because you as the salesperson understand the benefits of your service doesn’t mean the customer does. The feature of a product or service are great for explaining what it is, but it doesn't create enthusiasm. It just answers the question of what the service does. Aligning those features with advantages and benefits gives your customer the “why” and helps generate enthusiasm. The benefits sell the service because they solve a problem.

Features Tell, Benefits Sell

What’s the difference?

Feature Advantage Benefit

Attributes of a service Why it matters The value in it for the customer

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Feature Advantage Benefit

Examples

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At some point during your presentation, the prospect will raise objections. Objections are an important element of the sales process because they are a way for prospects to express their needs and concerns and provide an opportunity for you to address them. Objections indicate that prospects are interested in what you are presenting. If they were not at all interested, they would not give you the opportunity to address their concerns. Objections are also an indication that there may be a misunderstanding between you and the prospect. It is your job to explore what they mean by disagreeing with you. Since you are listening here, not selling, this process is purely for you to understand what he or she disagrees with.

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Example Objection Example Response

Common Objections Being aware of the most common objections and having prepared responses before the sales meeting can help you provide clear and complete responses that leave the customer satisfied and more likely to agree to send business your way. Here are some common objections and sample responses.

Write Your Own Objection Responses Think about the objections you have heard in the past. Write them down, and then write a response you can use on future sales calls.

Objection Response

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Your goal is to help ServiceMaster Clean’s potential and existing customers make informed buying decisions. Once you have learned about your prospect’s needs and wants, related our products and services to those needs and wants, and overcome the prospect’s objections, it is now your job to ask for the business.

Traits of a Successful Closer According to Hal Becker, author of Can I Have 5 Minutes of Your Time?, many sales representatives base a decision on when to close on the answers to two questions:

1. Do I have all of the information to make a suitable recommendation on pricing and services?

2. Have I been able to establish sufficient value and need in the customer’s mind? If you receive a positive response to these questions, move forward with the close.

Listens effectively Is skilled in a variety of closing techniques

Closes often, whenever there is an opening Is knowledgeable about services and competition

Continually checks customer’s level of understanding

Continually seeks agreement on key issues

Is always professional Brings customer to a logical business decision

Is perceptive, has good people skills, can read people

Makes a smooth transition from conversation into selling

Displays enthusiasm and confidence Is aware of buying signals

Different Types of Closing

ASSUMPTIVE CLOSE - Briefly summarize your conversation with the customer and keep the conversations customer focused.

- “You would like us to service your ______ along with your carpets today, right?”

DIRECT CLOSE - Simply directly ask the customer to buy. - “Would you like to go ahead and schedule your __________ cleaning today?”

INDIRECT CLOSE - Moves to the close with a soft question or indirect question. - “How do you feel about that pricing?”

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Sample closing statement.

CLOSING TIPS

1. Close in the proper order:

Summarize the needs the customer has discussed Summarize your solutions to those needs Present an action step:

EXAMPLE: “PLACEHOLD FOR EXAMPLE.” Ask for agreement”

EXAMPLE: “PLACEHOLDER FOR EXAMPLE?”

2. When the customer agrees to the next step, define the step and time table for the results. EXAMPLE: “PLACEHOLDER FOR EXAMPLE.”

Write your own closing statement.

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PLACEHOLDER FOR STEPS TO TAKE AFTER A SALES CALL. FOR EXAMPLE: 1. TRACKING THE CUSTOMER IN MARKETING CONNECTION CONTACT

MANAGER 2. FOLLOW UP PHONE CALL TO CONFIRM THE NEXT SERVICE 3. ETC

Listen effectively.

Close often when there is an opening.

Continually check the customer’s level of engagement and understanding.

Always be professional.

Display enthusiasm and confidence.

Have a depth of knowledge about the services you are selling.

Continually seek agreement to key issues.

Make sure there is a smooth transition from conversation into selling.

Be assertive, not aggressive! This may be offensive or harassing to the customer.

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Questions that will lead you to client’s needs:

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