Have you ever been part of a product demo where the salesperson refused to listen to what you or your client needed. Instead they proceded to plow forward, spewing feature after feature. Can anyone stop him?

One of my clients was looking for an online training tool.  A tool that can deliver training videos, podcasts and documents to their users and track progress. My client setup a meeting with this online training company and invited me to attend since I function as his application architect and strategist.  To be kind to the salesperson (I actually like the company and product), I will not mention any names.

I Was Prepared… but Not for This.

Now I prepared thoroughly for the meeting buy creating a one-page list and brief description of our applications current features and those we wish to add (hoping their product would provide them).  I even created (and printed) a large scale Visio drawing providing an overview and relation of all features.  The salesperson introduced himself as he powered up his laptop.  He told us about his company (which was very impressive).  Here is where I “sort of” made the mistake that launched the sales vomit… I asked him how he would like to start.  I partially wanted to see how he would approach us – a prospective client.

Rube Goldberg Attacks!

As my opening question trailed off, a massive, multi-tiered, matrix of stuff (…well features) appeared on his laptop screen.  Seeing this, he immediately responded “let me show you some of the features of our product”.  OK, I thought he had done his homework and checked out our company and website, so I assumed he would just pluck out a few “key” features to get us excited…

NO!  He went to the top of that Rube Goldberg-esk matrix and began explaning every module and function!

Can Anyone Stop Him?

I couldn’t take it and interupted him.  I suggested that it might be helpful for him to look at the feature overview and large-scale Visio presentation before continuing, to guide him toward the features that would be most applicable to my client.  He brushed me off, and without missing a breathe, continued on the Goldberg highway, stringing together module to feature to function.

I sat fuming…  What a waste of time.  My client was paying me a consultant rate to sit and listen to this.  I looked at my client… my client looked at me.  We exchanged expressionless stares, but we were both communicating fluently – “Get this guy outta here!”

After 10 minutes of non-stop feature overload, I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped the salesperson.  He had built up so much momentum that he almost choked on his tongue. As he tried to stop, almost an entire paragraph disappearing in the mist as the runaway train came to a hault.  This time my comment was NOT in the form of a question or suggestion.  I told him that we need to look at our application and the features we need before he continues. 

Get Him OUTTA HERE!

He actually appeared to have an attitude as if I had interupted him in the middle of a Broadway play dialogue.   His attitude was so obvious that I kept my overview extremely brief in an effort to end the meeting.  Fortunately, he was tuned into this (some how I think he has experienced this response before).  We thanked him for coming and told him we would call if we had further questions.

After the salesperson left, my client and I just stared at eachother and then off into space for what appeared to be 20 minutes.  What in the world just happened?   Was that real?

What a shame.  The company and product the salesperson was representing was excellent.  They had the features we needed and more.  We were so turned off by this forced presentation that we never called the company again and found another suitable solution.

This definitely made me think twice (if not 3 times) about listening to my customers FIRST, before opening my mouth.  Verbal vomit is not pretty.