Our post about not engaging your customers drew a lot of attention last week and over the weekend, with two readers chiming in with really good comments on the subject.
Simon Kitely, from Andrews Interiors in Great Britain, commented, "Isn't it great when you can...
...talk to someone about the advantages of using their service rather than just getting the sales pitch? Even better if you can talk about the issues and problems you need solving rather than what they are selling.The customer might not want to go to the coast on a greyhound but if you help them find a hotel: 1) You could even get a commission and 2) they might decide to leave the car this time because you were so helpful.
I'm finding more and more that with my customers (I'm not a trained salesperson) that if I'm willing to answer their questions about bespoke furniture but also chat about AV equipment to go in it not only do I understand the requirements of the customer better but also they respond better then to a direct sales pitch.
Also seems to take the pressure off closing the deal as you have a dialogue
going were you know you can contact them in a couple of days without them
feeling pressured."
Tom Gray from Gray eMarketing Solutions had another take on it, commenting "Big companies aren't going to go for this because it's not about convenience to the customer, it's about convenience to the company. I mean, how would they compensate those service reps who are now making sales.
And what about all the sales reps who are now losing all of the low hanging
fruit the service guys are sending to them and might actually have to do
some prospecting, relationship building or new account development? And
gee, what happens if these customer service guys are good at sales? Then
what do you do with them? Nah, too many worms in that can; better keep
the lid on tight!"
I like Tom's sarcasm. I think he makes his point, don't you? 
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