In today’s episode of Training Camp, Adam Marburger shares helpful tips to help sales teams overcome customer objections. He’s a black belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and F&I, and his disciplined approach to training will help teams enhance their operations to achieve the rank of black belt!
Overcoming customer objections and transitioning after the “no” is critical to success. F&I professionals should go into the conversation anticipating objection, as approximately 60% of customers will immediately say “no.”
So, how do we move forward? It’s important to remember this simple fact: customers want to purchase F&I products. They don’t want to be sold the products.
Customers typically instinctually say “no” to additional products and services. However, it’s our job to address the concerns and overcome the objections.
Getting your customer to vocalize their reasoning is the key to transitioning after the no. However, when asking questions, you must use your words strategically. Well-poised questions will get customers to open up and vocalize the “why” behind their “no.”
Two iterations of Marburger‘s go-to question are:
- “Let me ask you a question… You were quick to decline the protection. Why is it that you prefer to be unprotected?”
- “I noticed you were quick to decline the coverage, and in today’s environment, more customers are saying “yes” than “no.” Why is it that you prefer to be unprotected?”
These well-poised, pointed questions perfectly illustrate the importance of using your words strategically. Because, in all honesty, no customer prefers to be unprotected. To master asking great questions, Marburger recommends playing with it to tailor it perfectly to your style.
When selling F&I products, teams must avoid being discouraged, intimidated, or scared by the customers’ “no” despite how adamant, sudden, or forceful it may be. A customer’s instinctual rejection is not personal and could be caused by various things. It could range from a previous negative experience, preconceived notions surrounding F&I products, or budget limitations. Nevertheless, the key is to have a casual conversation with the customer to understand them better and display empathy.
Once you’ve gotten the customer to verbalize the reason behind their “no,” you can move past it and counter their objection with common sense, in-depth product knowledge, and logic.
"Remember: if nothing changes, nothing changes. We must take action in our stores and be willing to invest in training." – Adam Marburger
