Sales Challenges: 'Houston, We've Had a Problem'

Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert’s oft-misquoted words informing mission control something had gone very, very badly on their way to the moon, was easily the greatest understatement of the 20th century. Perhaps had he known the full extent of the damage done to the capsule — not to mention the odds he and the rest of the crew would face in their attempt to return home safely — that quote would’ve been something redacted from the transcript and this column. Thankfully, we are able to look at this moment in history as an example of the best way to approach a situation gone bad. And while I am no astronaut, I do know a thing or two about drama and how to handle problems.

Between us, my wife Allison and I have seven children. Three of them are married. That makes for 12 in the full FarkaBerry clan (our name for the combined Farquharson/Berry families), not counting baby Mason, who is not sure yet if he wants to be associated with us.

Parenting has become similar to running a deli: We handle panic, problems, and dramatic phone calls in the order in which they were received. Take a number and we will get to you. Almost 100% of the time, a solution is found and it was not worth 1/10th of the emotion that went into it. Our kids have come to rely on us as they tiptoe into new situations, confident that we can solve their problems.

As salespeople and selling owners, we get dramatic about urgent calls from our customers or perhaps our own production department. There is a problem with an order and everyone goes to DEFCON 5 immediately. And unnecessarily.

Like the capsule splashing into the Pacific Ocean or a FarkaBerry finding an acceptable option, there is not only a happy ending to be had, but one with a surprising bonus outcome. But before we get to that, first things first.

Solve the Immediate Problem

The client calls in a panic. The trade show is tomorrow and there is a mistake on the most important brochure. The website is misspelled or the phone number is missing. They are irate and spew blame and anger. “How could this have been missed? Why didn’t you people check?” They are mad, but also exhausted and fearful that they have to tell their boss.

The temptation and natural response is to answer those charges. They saw a proof. In fact, they signed off on it. This was not your fault and you do not deserve their ire. That, however, all needs to be overlooked so that you can focus on the real issue here: The client needs corrected brochures pronto. There will be a time later on to figure out what happened and whose fault it was, but it’s irrelevant to determine who forgot to gas up the car when you are broken down on the side of the highway in a blizzard. You are still stuck.

Applying this advice, you respond, “We will figure out what happened later. The order was for 5,000, but that was meant to last for the entire show. How many do you need just for Day One?” The client, now calmer, replies, “I think 1,000 should cover us, but we are six states away from you and the show starts at 9 a.m., too late for FedEx to be of help.” First thing the next morning, there is a knock on the client’s hotel room door. A man holding a small box containing 1,000 corrected brochures is waiting. Through your professional network, you found someone who could print a small quantity immediately and deliver it to the hotel.

Immediate problem solved. By maintaining your focus on what needed to be done in the moment and disregarding the drama, you are able to diffuse the situation and save the day. A much calmer and appreciative customer sends you a text apologizing for their outburst and thanking you for your help.

An Added Bonus

Once the dust is settled, there is an opportunity for you to benefit from this miscue regardless of who screwed up. We all talk about our great customer service and reaction time, but you’ve actually had the chance to prove your promises. Now is a time to wrap one arm around and pat yourself on the back.

Whether in writing or verbally, and regardless of whether you were at fault or not, point out to the customer what you did to save the day and remind them, “This is why you buy from me.” You want to remind the customer of the value you bring before the sale, after the sale, and when things go wrong.

But, what if …?

Let’s take this scenario one giant step darker. What if it was your fault and the problem was so serious the client is angry enough that they vow never to buy from you again. That really is DEFCON 5. At this point, you don’t really have a lot of options. Apologies haven’t worked and, quite honestly, you don’t really have a leg to stand on.

My suggestion here is to say some version of, “I completely understand and we accept full responsibility for the error. While I would not blame you for taking your business elsewhere, please consider this: We are a good company and have served you well in the past. Everyone, from the delivery guy to bindery, to production, to prepress, to customer service, feels badly. Solving the immediate problem obviously wasn’t enough. We are anxious to prove this was a fluke, so if you decide to place another order with me, we will treat it as if it was the most important job we’ve ever produced. Don’t you want that level of attention paid to your orders?”

That statement is the Hail Mary of sales and, to be honest, it only worked once for me. Still, it’s worth a shot as a last resort.

Look, mistakes are going to happen. Even the best companies in the world drop the ball every now and then. But one characteristic that separates good vendors from great vendors is how those errors are handled.

When Apollo 13 ran into trouble, there was no time for finger-pointing. Lives were at stake. The production errors we run into are nowhere near as critical, but the corrective action procedure is exactly the same.

Imagine a customer’s faith in you skyrocketing because they know you are there in case something goes wrong. As strange as that may sound, make that your goal. I doubt any engineers lost their jobs at NASA after that episode. To the contrary, future astronauts blasted off knowing the best minds in the world were there for them if the worst happened.

When a problem arises, it’s important to remember this is a huge opportunity for you to solidify your relationship with the client. Get it right and you will have achieved an odd accomplishment: You are better off because of the problem than if everything went smoothly.

Imagine that.