Information Is Key

Have you ever called a merchant that you ordered a product from to inquire about your order? How did you feel when the answer was “it was sent out"? Is that all you can tell me? Can you tell me where it is now? How soon will it be here? Good luck getting an answer.
In the mid 90's, I ordered a part for my personal laptop; and advised the manufacturer that I will need that part delivered to my house early in the morning on Saturday so that I can take it with me on my overseas trip. That request triggered the shipper to use an overnight delivery company to insure the Saturday delivery, however, that Delivery Company showed up at my door steps while I was boarding the plane. Yes, I called them all morning to verify the estimated delivery time but, they had no idea and could not commit to a time frame. I even called five minutes before I left my house for the airport to offer to meet with their driver and pick up the part, no can do.
Needless to say, I predicted the demise of this company and sure it happened, they are no longer in business as they were bought out by another company.
So what does that mean to me as sales professional? Well, what was missing in that story I just mentioned? If your answer is information, you got it. If I had some information from the manufacturer, I could have alerted the delivery company and possibly picked up the part on my way to the airport.
If information was that critical in the 90's, how is it today? Believe me, it is everything in today's business and personal world. So, as a sales professional, information provided to your customer can make you or break you. Responding to your customer's information needs in a timely manner is equally critical, why? Because your competition will deliver the information if you don't and you may not recover from that setback.
Have you ever heard the old saying “you don't get a second chance to make a first impression "? That is very true in most cases in the business world. You may get lucky and get a second chance, I did, but, don't count on it.
Remember, People buy from people who they trust and can depend on.