Radio Silence

       One of the parts of my job that is the toughest is the lost sale. You hope to supply a product at a competitive price that makes it easier for the customer to do their job. As we all know, there are many things involved in the process of purchasing a piece of equipment. Add in multiple units and the leasing variable and things can get very involved. Having an open line of communication and making sure there are no questions left unanswered is the key to earning the business. But as a wiser older salesman once told me, "Every salesman loses sales!". Hopefully, the batting average is better than most hall of famers in baseball, three out of every ten at bats getting a hit!
      One of the hardest tight ropes to walk is how to stay in contact, as the process is playing out, without having a customer look at your name on caller ID and the first thing that comes to mind is, "I am not taking that call." Then you have the dreaded radio silence. If things have gone radio silent, it is almost always," I have not made my final decision," or the dreaded, "we decided to go another direction." OUCH! Like a closer in baseball or a defensive back in football, it is good to have a short memory. That is not the easiest thing to do, especially depending on how much time and effort you have exerted in trying to show you bring value, as much as the product itself. For me, I would prefer the Band-Aid approach and rip it off quickly. It is always appreciated if you fill me in on what questions were left unanswered,and hopefully the next time, I can improve. Sometimes my product was just not the best fit for your operation, but hopefully, not too often!




WJC

Is Cash Still King at Your Club?

    To lease or not to lease, that is often the question. Years ago my wife and I went car shopping and it was just when leasing was becoming more of an option to get a car. After the sales pitch, my wife and I walked out and she said that the leasing option sounded great. I laughed and said that we have it for our customers too and I wasn't so sure.... After lots of work through the years,with people from Toro, like Mike Nesdahl & Jack Asinger, I now understand what is in the stew that makes up a lease payment.
     At that time, leasing was just being introduced into the Turf industry. Now when I say leasing, I am talking about a true lease or fair market value lease, where you turn it back in at the end of term and not a conditional sales contract or $1 buyout. Today leasing is used as much as a straight cash purchase in my market and in warmer parts of the USA with higher hour usage, leasing is even more popular.
       As we all know every club is different. So the big question is why lease vs. purchase? I have the same answer for anyone who ever asks me....It depends on your club! The perception that clubs that are cash poor lease is a misnomer that is not true any longer. I work with some clubs that are classic traditional clubs that money is not an issue and they lease their high usage units. WHY? Because you can get the latest and greatest tools, not tied to capital dollars fluctuating, consistent repair & maintenance budgets and the most equipment for your money.
       Now comes my favorite comment "We are a cash club!". Really?
Do you lease your golf carts???That is different, why I have never been given a good answer!
      My club is never going lease.....not if you don't give them the option by doing your homework on clubs that your facility holds themselves as a measuring stick against and see if they are leasing. Find the board members who work in the financial world, talk to the members who own companies that have equipment fleets and ask questions. What often moves the dial is a member saying, "Why aren't we doing this, when Corcoran Country Club up the street is?"
      If you don't feel comfortable talk about it, I would urge you to get educated about it. If you have a vendor you trust, use him as a resource. I get asked multiple times a year by turf managers to speak to someone at their facility about leasing and they want to know if it is a viable option.
The reality is it all depends on your club!

WJC