Studying the technology of selling banking products. Sales of banking products

In recent years, banks have been actively expanding their sales network. But only the largest retail banks can afford to pursue an aggressive expansion policy without fear of losing money. However, even they, and even more so all other, less well-known banks, need to determine for themselves which sales channels will be the most effective, how to win the fight for the client and successfully compete with non-banking organizations, communication shops, post offices, and social networks.

In the banking industry, direct sales predominate, in which the bank and the buyer of the banking product come into direct contact. Therefore, it is traditional for banks to deliver services to clients using bank branches. Each additional point of mass sales makes it possible to expand not only the scope of sales of services to direct users, but also the sale of related and additional services. According to P.A. Leontiev, this leads to the fact that with an increase of 10% in the number of retail outlets, sales volume, as a rule, increases by an average of 20%. Branches can provide a full (universal branches) or a limited (specialized branches) range of services.

The strategy of actively expanding the sales network is followed by many Moscow and regional banks (Alfa-Bank, TRUST Bank, Probusinessbank, Home Credit Bank, Otkritie, Renaissance Capital, AK BARS banks). Banks acquire or expand their network mainly through the acquisition of another bank. During a crisis, this usually happened as part of a reorganization. Thus, Alfa-Bank received the network of the Severnaya Kazna bank, and the Otkritie Financial Corporation received the network of the Russian Development Bank (renamed KB Otkritie) and the VEFC Bank (which became the Petrovsky branch of the Otkritie bank). True, Otkritie considered its St. Petersburg network, received from VEFC Bank, to be redundant and closed a third of its branches, leaving 103 offices in St. Petersburg and six in the regions of the Northwestern Federal District.

In recent years, fully automated branches have appeared (most often in a mini-office format) with a small number of employees who only assist clients in working with ATMs and advise clients on transactions. For example, in December 2011, the Moscow bank of Sberbank of Russia opened the first street self-service pavilion at the address: st. Begovaya, ow. 4. The main goal of creating street pavilions is to make banking services more accessible to residents and guests of the city. Through self-service devices of Sberbank of Russia you can pay for utilities, mobile and landline communications, Internet, cable TV, fines, taxes, repay a loan, make other payments, withdraw funds from a bank card or top up your account.

Banks actively cooperate with communication shops. According to experts, today the processes of interaction between banks and communication shops are most streamlined in the Svyaznoy group of companies. Although the group has an affiliated bank (Svyaznoy Bank CJSC), consumer loans through this network are also provided by Alfa-Bank, OTP Bank, Renaissance Capital and Home Credit banks. Bank employees are not present in Svyaznoy offices; the sale of banking products is carried out by specially designated salon personnel. Svyaznoy Bank does not operate in the consumer lending market, so the banks that are partners of Svyaznoy salons are not its competitors.

A number of banks use the postal network to sell credit products. The banks Home Credit, Otkritie, and Tinkoff Credit Systems (TKS) cooperate with Russian Post.

The scheme for selling services based on the principle of a financial supermarket is attractive for banks from the standpoint of diversifying risks, increasing the flow of clients, minimizing costs and increasing operational efficiency. In addition, the financial supermarket model allows you to reduce the cost of maintaining unnecessary sales offices and a staff of specialized consultants. True, considerable problems arise: it is necessary to develop a new network format, make changes in the field of information technology, and change positioning. In addition, the financial literacy of Russians is low and their incomes are low.

Another form of selling additional products to their customers is now more accessible to banks - cross-selling. Cross-selling is an offer to a client who purchases a banking product to buy other (usually related) products or services, and on more favorable terms. Some authors distinguish between cross-selling and cross-selling. In the first case, in their opinion, services are selected for each customer segment in such a way that one product is complementary (cross-selling), in the second - alternative (cross-selling). However, most practitioners use one term: cross-selling.

Banks moving to the Internet using non-standard sales tools, including advertising on social networks, guerrilla marketing, and joint programs with popular sites, is one of the most noticeable trends in retail. Currently, almost all Russian banks are promoting Internet banking services. Clients can not only transfer money from one account to another (including replenishing deposits and card accounts), but also transfer money through the Network to other banks, convert funds, open and close deposits. By developing Internet technologies, each bank introduces additional services. For credit institutions, mastering the virtual space provides many advantages.

First of all, this is cost savings. Remote maintenance can significantly reduce the cost of renting and maintaining premises, significantly reduce the number of personnel and, accordingly, salary costs. Thanks to cost-effective online services, the bank can offer more favorable conditions, while speeding up the processing of banking information, which helps attract new customers and develop new markets, without opening additional sales offices.

A 2009 study of Western banks by The Boston Consulting Group showed that a banking client served online is 26% more profitable than one using a traditional offline service. This is due to a reduction in the cost of service (by 14%), a higher volume of sales of services (by 8%) and a lower cost of customer retention (by 4%).

In Russia, due to the relatively small volume of online transactions and lower economies of scale, profits are likely to be somewhat lower.

It's a challenge.
The impossible is potential.
The impossible is temporary.
The impossible is nothing.

Adidas

“I have never met David Davidson, but nevertheless his manager apologized in advance for him. " David doesn't seem like a great salesman, he warned me, don't expect anything special from him. He is a quiet person. David, - continued the manager, - not a person I would continue to look for a new buyer with, but when his activity reaches a certain point, he is sure to get an order. Most of our sellers receive an order from every fifth meeting, David – from every second».

David was a quiet, almost shy man. Many confident salespeople exude confidence; The same cannot be said about David. He is modest to the point of shyness.

However, after an hour-long conversation with him, certain character traits emerged through his shyness. He gave the impression of being an impeccably honest man. He didn't care about protecting his own ego. Therefore, when I asked him questions about his mistakes, he did not start making excuses. He spoke frankly, even when it didn't make him look particularly good.

At some point in the conversation I thought to myself: “ I trust this man " What's more, as the conversation progressed, I found myself telling him things I wouldn't normally talk about with other salespeople. David was the rare type of person who is usually described as a good listener, a rare type of person who is easier to recognize than to describe to others."

N. Rackham

« Planning should be more than a fit of anxiety in the elevator on the way to the client's office, more than a few scattered thoughts at the beginning of a conversation»

N. Rackham

In this chapter we will talk about meeting with a client, and how to get him to agree to switch to your service and get a loan.

We do not consider cases where, having called and agreed on a meeting, you are ready to take out a loan, and the meeting only involves discussing the technical details of lending.

After you have identified a client, arranged a meeting with him, and you know that this particular business has all the necessary characteristics for you, the most important thing comes, namely, a meeting, a personal conversation with the client and a presentation of the banking product.

Here I would like to say right away that you should not try to conduct a sale or transaction over the phone. The phone is not for sale. I would rather define this tool as a one-on-one meeting with a client.

Why won't the phone sell? The disadvantage of the telephone is that it only provides audio communication. When you talk to a client on the phone, you don’t see him, you can’t see his reaction to your questions, you can’t advantageously present your proposal in a visual format.

Secondly, mostly the owners of any form of business are men, and they are more visual (like to see, watch) than auditory (like to perceive by hearing).

The most important thing in selling bank loans is the meeting. As I said before, when you just show up for a meeting, you can assume that you have already made 75% of your sales. Now you have very little left - only 25%.

You also need to take into account that when attracting small and medium-sized businesses, the meeting should always be held with the business owner, and not with the chief accountant or hired manager (when searching for information, you can also meet with them). In SMEs, all decisions, especially financial ones, are made solely by the business owner.

Accordingly, the effectiveness of your negotiations may drop significantly if you negotiate with a person who does not make decisions.

At one of Tom Hopkins’ trainings, he gives an example that when discussing the problem of how to achieve an increase in sales in a group of young professionals, there was an elderly person present. So, throughout the entire seminar, he listened very carefully to those present and the lecturer, and when the question came about the most important criterion for sales - what makes sales grow - he said:

« Meet face to face with 25 clients every day and your earnings will increase »

This is the whole secret of selling banking products - if you meet at least 5 clients a day, you simply cannot fail. And it is true!

Basic tactics for working with clients

The first phrases of a dialogue with a client are common, and I start like this:

« Good afternoon, Ivan Ivanovich. I am Sergey Ivanov, we have agreed to meet today at 15:00 »

After this, you are usually asked to sit down, and then your conversation or presentation takes place in the form of a dialogue.

I would like to point out right away: be wary of making a product offer at the beginning of your conversation. Many clients immediately take the bull by the horns and make an offer head-on. Remember - this is a mistake. Professional salespeople don't do that!

Why are you in a hurry to make an offer at the beginning of a conversation? Many salespeople think that once they have reached a potential client, now they need to talk to him. Make offers, show benefits, talk about financing details, etc.

Below we will present the technique of asking questions using the SPIN method. For a more complete understanding of this method, I advise you to read the book “Selling Using the SPIN Method” by Neil Rackham.

Start the conversation with the client with the purpose of your visit, with the so-called “situational” questions. General questions that relate to the client’s business and its lending conditions. Namely:

- How long has your business been in existence?
- What is the average monthly turnover of your company?
- Which bank do you currently use?
- Do you have a loan or line of credit?
- When did you take her?
- For what period is the loan issued?
- How did it happen that you took out a loan from bank xxx, and not from any other bank?

Two important tips when asking “situational” questions:

1. Choose your questions in such a way as to limit their number, but at the same time get all the information you need.

2. Construct your situational questions in such a way that the buyer sees behind them a person who is trying to help him, solve his problems, and not a prosecutor.

At this stage, your goal is to find out as fully as possible about the client’s current lending conditions at another bank, and also to understand what benefits your bank can bring.

The next stage will be the construction of problematic issues. These questions should be focused on the client’s problems and dissatisfaction with his service in the current bank, not yours (someone else’s). What worries him, what problems exist, what is he dissatisfied with.

- What don’t you like about your current servicing bank?
-Maybe you don’t like the remuneration rate?
- Are lenders delaying issuing loans?
- Are they asking you for too many documents?
- Is there any disdain towards you from the bank employees?
- Are the terms of the bank’s loan agreements too harsh?
- Have you ever had a question when you urgently needed money and had nowhere to get it? Urgently.
-Have you ever had an urgent need for money?
- Is there a problem in business development due to lack of financial resources?
- Is the remuneration rate too high?
- Is the loan term too short?
- Did the bank take too much property as collateral from you?
- Aren't you taking any risks by being served by bank xxx?

Before asking questions, always rehearse them before the meeting. Say them several times or ask a work colleague.

In other words, you need to find and develop the client's dissatisfaction with the banking institution in which he is served, or dissatisfaction with his current financial situation. The more serious and major problems you can “pull” out of a client, the more the potential client will want to switch to service at your bank.

In order to properly draw out existing problems from a client, do your homework first. Collect as much information as possible about the client.

Yes, there are situations where information cannot be found at all, especially in the small and medium-sized business sector. Then working “blindly” is the only possible option, and then you simply meet with the client, and get all the other information during the meeting with the client.

Is it possible that the client will not have problems? He is happy with everything, he is satisfied with the bank that serves him, the rate is already low! It may well be! As Shiffman said, the client is satisfied with his “status quo” (the current situation). What can you do here?

It is necessary to develop hidden needs, those that the client does not know about. More precisely, he has not yet realized them. And it is quite possible that with your help he will realize them.

My advice: to find information about the company’s problems with lending, use the services of accountants. Precisely those accountants who work in this company, make a visit to them.

But don’t make them an offer for a loan, offer to meet and discuss the possibility of cooperation with the bank. Show the tariffs, offer the “Remote Client” system, try to “have a heart-to-heart talk” and at the same time find out problematic issues in working with another bank.

Here is a list of problems that a potential client who is served by another bank may have:

- Higher remuneration rate
- Short loan period
- The loan amount is too small
- No possibility of deferment of principal and remuneration
- Presence of penalties for early repayment
- Presence of fines if the client is unable to repay the debt (important: can the bank make concessions at the client’s request and postpone the payment to the next month)
- Strict conditions in loan agreements (lack of independence in making financial decisions)
- Large volume of pledged property in the bank
- Lack of attention to the client from the bank (they don’t congratulate you on holidays or birthdays)
- Low speed of consideration of the client’s loan application
- Seasonal fluctuations are not taken into account in the repayment schedule
- Deception on the part of management (unfulfilled promises)
- A large amount of information that should be provided to the bank (when monitoring financial condition or initially issuing a loan)
- High tariffs.

Around each of the above questions, the problem can be framed in a way that is clear and strong and makes the buyer feel a strong need to change the current problem as quickly as possible. Namely - change with the help of your service, your bank.

And here we move on to “extractive” questions. The art of “extractive” questions lies in the fact that it is not you who argues that this or that fact can negatively affect the client’s business, but he himself reveals problems and difficulties that can aggravate the situation in the company, with the help of your questions.

Example:

Problem- The loan amount is not large enough (does not meet the client’s needs).

“Extractive” questions (possible consequences of this problem):

1. Will this problem lead to a decrease in production?
2. How much will the speed of business development slow down?
3. Will this problem hinder the development of a new business line?
4. Could this problem lead to loss of business?
5. What would be the estimated amount of lost profits as a result of this problem?

Your questions should address fears and cause “pain” in the client. Your questions should stimulate the client to think about problems. This is the only way to change the client’s “status quo”. This is the only way to encourage a client to cooperate with your bank.

But at the same time, keep in mind that too much desire to influence the client can become counterproductive and lead to the opposite result.

Once you've used "draw" questions to fully develop relevant issues from the list above, move on to "guide" questions.

How to formulate effective “guiding” questions?

1. Use connecting phrases– tie your questions to the client’s answers or statements.

If we offered you a longer loan term, for example 20 years, and not 10, as in bank xxx, how much easier would it be for you financially?

You said that Bank xxx conducts monthly monitoring of its financial condition. What if we only monitored once a quarter - would it make it easier for you to do business with us?

If we gave you a loan at a rate 2% lower than the current rate, what would you do with the savings?

2. Take advantage of diversity– Be clear and specific, but avoid repeating the same phrase, for example:

How will this help you develop a new line of business?
Will a lower loan payment affect your financial condition?
Will this help reduce operating costs?

Instead you can ask:

What new business line will the savings help you develop?
How will reducing payments on the line of credit affect other expenses?
Will a 2% reduction in the interest rate affect the company's current expenses?

Plan (otherwise you won’t sell)

If you need to give only one piece of advice that can help your sales, then this advice can only sound like this: “ Plan your meetings».

It is recommended to consider 3 points as basic steps for planning your meeting:

1. Plan Progress First
2. Then plan what ask, and not what to tell
3. Use a planning tool to help.

1. Plan Progress First

Progress is getting the customer to agree to an action that moves you forward in the sales direction.

The result of a meeting that did not lead to agreement on action forward to sales, i.e. delay is a failure, no matter what the client thought of you or how well you parted with him.

Progress in negotiations on the sale of a banking product (loan) will be, for example, the following:

· the client’s consent to begin collecting documents for financial analysis to obtain a loan;

· an agreement to meet with the Director or Deputy Director of the branch to get acquainted and further discuss the terms of the loan;

· an agreement on the arrival of pledgers or appraisers to evaluate the proposed collateral;

· determination of lending conditions by another bank (sometimes this is quite significant progress);

· agreement on a second meeting (with the resolution of certain types of issues “remuneration rate, loan amount, loan term, etc.”).

After this, define as Meeting goals The best of the above types of Progress is the one that moves the sale forward further than all others.

2. Plan to ask rather than tell.

· Plan, otherwise you won't make the sale.

· If you want to see the world through the buyer's eyes, you must first understand, not persuade. And asking questions is the best way to understand your buyer.

The secret to successful questions is planning them. Just take a piece of paper and make a list of 10 to 30 questions. Make it a rule to write them before every meeting.

3. Use the planning tool

I will write about it in the next part of the article.

Finally

When conducting a meeting and presentation, keep the following points in mind:

Find common ground with a potential client. It could be a hobby, a person you both know, health, children, cars, you never know...

- “Break the ice” at the end of negotiations.

Be sure to clearly show the approximate loan repayment schedule (you can prepare it in advance or calculate the schedule in the presence of the client on his computer). I can say that very often I sat down with a client at the computer and made an approximate calculation of repayments for the client. For a former creditor this will usually not be a problem.

Bring with you a list of documents required for lending at your bank. Here it is important to go over the items on the list with the client and explain why this or that document is needed and where to get it.

Be sure to show the client the fees that he will have to pay. Because, without indicating them, you can get into a stupid situation when you will be accused of not specifically mentioning commissions, i.e. deceived the client.

Important: from constant conversations with clients, I realized that the simpler and more accessible you explain how to get a loan and what is needed for this, the more realistic it is for you to get a buyer (client). You can even imagine that Bart Simpson is sitting in front of you, and you are explaining to him how to get a loan from your bank. The simpler the better.

Bring with you several negative articles about the bank with which the client works. It is usually not customary to speak negatively about another bank, but in a conversation you can unobtrusively offer several articles about financial fraud in one of the banks. Clients usually read this information very carefully. J

Set yourself up for a negative answer. Allow the client to tell you no. Believe me, it will become much easier for you if you talk to a person who respects you... For any decision he makes!

At the end of any conversation, MAKE AN OFFER!!! If you don't make an offer, then why are you working in a bank? End any conversation you have with your proposal. “Come on, we’ll give you credit!!!” “Come on, we will refinance your loan!!!”

Don't have more than three meetings with one client. It may seem to you that the client is thinking, reflecting, and that one more meeting will solve everything! And the client will transfer to your bank! NO, it won't! Everything will remain in its place, you will only waste your time.

Give indirect compliments. It works and it's cool. For a woman it’s praise for her child, for a man it’s praise for his car. For entrepreneurs, praise the building or form of the business.

P.S.

Last thing: in sales I achieve the greatest results when I work in the flow, in a state of relaxation and drive.

This is a state when I like the client, I enjoy being in his company. I'm kidding. I share my emotions and thoughts.

This can be achieved with rhythmic, pleasant music and alertness. Just listen to music, cheer yourself up, be neutral about the outcome of the meeting and get into the flow.

But you will receive even greater pleasure when you can turn a potential client (wary, not trusting you) into your friend. And this is the most important thing in the art of a seller.

How to make bank branches sell products more effectively.

Marketing services and research for financial market companies

Commentary from Growth Consulting experts: Our company has created a separate direction to provide marketing, consulting services, and conduct research for: banks, investment, management companies, insurance companies, non-state pension funds, microfinance organizations (MFOs). A.V. Tyutyunnik. Analytical journal “Management in a credit organization” No. 5/2008 Russian banks are opening more and more branches, branches, points of sale. But the pursuit of quantity does not always lead to the desired result - an increase in the quality and volume indicators of the banking business, or a financial result adequate to the costs incurred. How to force points of sale to sell, that is, to carry out the only important function for which they were created? This issue is relevant to one degree or another for all banks. Without claiming to be a comprehensive study, the author shares some practical tips on this topic. Branch format Let's start with a topic that doesn't seem to be directly related to sales. Based on our research and observations, it appears that the format of many bank branches will need to undergo some change in order to sell effectively. And above all, in terms of space occupied. The area should not increase, despite the increase in the number of banking products sold and the volume of transactions. Suboptimal use of current space occurs in many banks. Analysis of Eastern European experience makes it obvious that there are significant reserves for optimization. The most significant effect can be achieved by moving specialists not involved in customer service to more remote locations and densifying them, by reducing the area of ​​the department and the number of cash registers, or replacing the usual dedicated cash desks with an “electronic cashier” system (Teller Cash Dispenser), with which the operator's workplaces are equipped. The banks we analyzed in Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic), as a rule, have branches with an area of ​​150, 200 or 300 square meters. m, serving both legal entities and individuals. We believe that the time of large branches is passing, and they are being replaced by networks of “lightweight” points of sale, which have a lot of advantages. Let us highlight the most significant advantages from our point of view. Firstly, lightweight points make it possible to increase sales efficiency due to quick payback. For example, a large bank branch with an area of ​​500 sq.m. can reach self-sufficiency. m or more in the center of Moscow or St. Petersburg within a reasonable time is extremely difficult. And this, in turn, affects the bank’s ability to directly stimulate sales, motivate staff, advertise and promote. Secondly, from the point of view of bank capitalization, the number of offices is of greater value compared to their area due to a wider potential client base. In addition to the efficient use of space in branches, it is necessary to pay serious attention to the internal layout of points of sale. Everything - from the location of functional customer service areas to information and advertising materials - should stimulate sales: be convenient and understandable for customers and sales employees, informative and attractive for new customers. Organizational and technological aspects of the development of a sales system (in a commercial bank) Moving directly to methods of sales promotion, I would like to note that almost all of them are applicable both to branches in the classical sense and to lightweight formats of points of sale. The main tasks of the sales and marketing block in the bank are: 1) increasing the customer base; 2) expanding the range of services used; 3) development of secondary/cross-selling to existing customers. Sales organization and customer service technologies; - methods of stimulating sales and promoting the project to the market; Increasing the number of client personnel Let's consider the organizational and technological aspects of the development of a sales system in bank branches. We believe that many banks would benefit from increasing the number of customer service personnel at the point of sale. Based on the results of the research, the recommended staffing of a point of sale should be 50-70% of specialists involved in selling products to customers. Thus, for 20 employees of a typical outlet, it is recommended to have 10-14 specialists (including the manager and his deputies) in client work. Increasing staff interest Another important point is to increase the interest of point of sale personnel in the results of operations. Client personnel should have clear sales plans for the entire product line and an effective incentive system - bonuses should form a significant part of the salary. For employees involved in selling services to clients, the bonus component should reach 50%, and in some cases 100% of the base salary, for other personnel - up to 20-30%. Many banks use a system of fixed payments - fixed amounts of deductions for each employee for the volume of loans, deposits, other products sold or for their quantity. For example, 100 rubles. for each consumer loan, 30 rubles. — for each attracted deposit of an individual. Non-monetary methods of incentives, which, for example, include various competitions, prizes, and gifts for particularly distinguished employees, are also of great importance in increasing the interest of staff. Strengthening the top management of branches In accordance with the goal of increasing sales efficiency, we believe it is necessary to strengthen the top management of the branches in the form of an increase in the number of top managers and requirements for them. It is recommended to introduce additional deputy managers for client work (for example, cash management and lending). Together with the manager, they must have personal sales plans and be an essential element stimulating the growth of business activity. The role of the manager is very important for the effective operation of the branch. Despite the fact that his main task is to achieve the set goals for the point of sale as a whole, the most important components of his work should be coordinating actions and maintaining effective communications both within the branch and with the head bank. The manager, being an experienced “client”, must first of all be a team player with perfect skills in delegating authority. The breadth of his knowledge and skills is more important than his detailed knowledge of individual operations. Nevertheless, the manager must be involved in direct client work, taking on some of the personal responsibilities for developing the business and attracting clients. We believe that the assessment of the manager’s role in achieving the business goals of the department should be built in two main perspectives: client and managerial. In this case, priority should be on the first component. When assessing the manager's contribution to client work, both the achievement of the general goals of the department and the achievement of the manager's personal business goals should be equally taken into account. Delegation of authority from the head bank to points With the growth of the network of bank branches, more active delegation of authority from the head bank to points becomes necessary. Limits on a number of active transactions, primarily lending, must be transferred to branches. Limits should be provided not only for the manager, but also for his deputies and key customer service specialists (senior specialists). Despite the need to delegate a significant part of authority, the effectiveness of work largely depends on the organization of interaction between the head office and the network. In many banks this needs improvement. For example, calls and requests may be lost or take a very long time to process. One of the elements of developing an effective communications system should be the introduction of a unified procedure, including a description of the flow of requests, responsible curators and deadlines for reviewing and responding to a request. We believe that the task of effectively organizing internal communications can be facilitated by using a modern information system for office document flow. Technological aspects Call center systems used by banks, with proper organization of the process of collecting and processing incoming information, can become an effective tool for marketing research and a means of promoting new products, contribute to the collection and analysis of customer opinions, ratings of products and services, information and statistics on the needs of potential customers, their relationship history with the bank. An automated customer relationship management (CRM) system can increase sales, primarily by increasing the level of loyalty of current customers and increasing cross-/secondary sales. The quality of the services offered must be subject to constant monitoring by the bank. In an expanded interpretation, quality is understood as the ability of a product or service to satisfy the needs and expectations of each specific consumer, to serve as a guarantee not only of his current preferences, but also of his future conscious choice. One of the tasks of the quality management service may be to conduct regular surveys of customers and employees in order to determine their satisfaction with the level of service and the product line offered, as well as organizing “mystery shopping” events. The first will help assess customer loyalty and the real quality of services. This work may become the task of a centralized quality management service. Events of the second type make it possible to assess staff loyalty, identify problems and failures in the bank’s management system and help manage human resources more effectively. Methods of stimulating sales in a bank Field service technology Currently, many Western European banks are actively using field service technology. The client just needs to leave a request electronically or call the bank’s call center, and a sales specialist will come to the client at a pre-agreed time. Among the types of applications using field service technology, applications for opening an account, obtaining a loan and other banking operations can be processed. Not only introduction and provision of primary information, but also basic negotiations on products and terms of provision can take place at the client’s office. We believe that this model will also be in demand by Russian clients. Providing clients with up-to-date information Another area of ​​sales stimulation is providing existing and potential clients with up-to-date information about the bank’s services and technologies and conducting special programs to increase the loyalty of current clients and attract new ones. One of the channels for informing clients about products and services is the bank’s presentation materials, the main purpose of which is to familiarize the client with the possibilities of obtaining a particular banking service and the procedure for its provision. It is important that these materials are convenient and understandable to the client. To do this, they must be drawn up from the client’s point of view and structured based on the client’s needs and understanding. We believe that in order to develop cross-selling and demonstrate a high level of integration, it is advisable to prepare a single album of services for clients. The main purpose of the album of services is a concentrated and maximally complete disclosure of all existing services in one brochure. An album of services can also be presented as a guide to working with a bank, in which specific bank services are addressed to each client’s needs, the advantages of the product, terms of provision, and necessary documents from the client are described in simple language. The album can be compiled separately for retail and corporate clients. Is this need close to me? Is the cost of services commensurate with their quality? Is this bank really capable of providing the service I need? How much more profitable is it to contact this particular bank? Increasing customer loyalty and satisfaction Practice shows that retaining current customers is a much easier and less costly process than acquiring new ones, so banks should pay special attention to developing special programs to increase the loyalty and satisfaction of current customers. The following program elements may be offered: — regular gifts for New Year and birthday (the gift takes into account the client’s status); — invitations to bank-sponsored events; — joint lunches and dinners; — targeted discounts on banking products; — joint loyalty programs with shopping centers and companies. Analyzing the experience of other banks, it can be noted that many of them experience difficulties with repeat sales and selling additional products and services to the client. Maximizing income from each client (increasing the share of the client’s “wallet”) should become a priority task for bank employees. The bank needs to develop a program to stimulate secondary (sale of products of one division) and cross-sales (sale of products of other divisions). One of the conditions for the implementation of this system is to reflect in the sales plans of client personnel and branch management not only the sales plan for the main services supervised by specialists, but also the sales plan for the services of other departments. The motivation system must take into account the implementation of both plans. Formation of a positive image of the bank To create a positive image of a bank, different mechanisms are used, but all of them help in conditions of high competition between banks. Among them: — publishing materials about the bank in the media, publishing articles by bank employees in various publications, monitoring independent ratings and reviews; — organizing the participation of bank employees in seminars, conferences, exhibitions; — monitoring activities that potentially contribute to the formation of a positive image of the bank and its popularity in the banking services market; — participation in charity programs, etc. Active marketing campaigns The fight for a client requires active marketing campaigns from the bank. In accordance with the results of recent research, effective organizations in the financial sector are increasingly using approaches tested by large trading companies in the field of promotion. For corporate clients, not all such approaches can be used, but they must be taken into account. For example, the use of price promotions for new legal entity clients offering free opening and maintenance of accounts for three months. Advertising for such a program can be placed in one of the central business newspapers (for example, Vedomosti). Advertising activities must be targeted; the direction of the advertising material must be taken into account. To do this, in accordance with the classification of potential customers, the most effective promotions for various customer groups are determined. Another aspect that is sometimes missed is evaluating the cost-effectiveness of an advertising campaign. To do this, it is necessary to develop an advertising campaign budget that will contain not only costs, but also potential income from advertising. If this income is not actually received, the budget can be automatically reduced, thereby helping to optimize the costs of an advertising campaign. In conclusion, I would like to note that the sales promotion methods described above are partially used by many banks, but only an integrated approach to solving this problem can provide the bank with a truly tangible effect in the struggle to increase sales efficiency. A.V. Tyutyunnik, KPMG, Partner, Business Consulting Department, Doctor of Economics.

Intangibility. The client cannot touch these services or hold them in his hands. Sometimes this situation is called “selling air.” The only compensation in this case may be leaflets.

Competitiveness. Nowadays there is huge competition in the financial services market and it is very difficult to offer something original. And sometimes it’s simply impossible - introducing any innovation is expensive, but copying successful experience is elementary.

Complexity. As a rule, such products are complex and have a large number of implicit points. At the same time, the majority of potential clients have low financial literacy, which they understand very well.

Negative prejudices. In contrast to the positive image of banking products in commercials, the reality is not so rosy. And a large number of potential clients have a negative attitude towards financial institutions in general.

All of these features are potential questions that will be of interest to the client. Objections and doubts will be based on all these features.

Registration (sale) of a credit card

For example, let's take a financial product such as a credit card. Sales techniques for this product and handling objections in this area will be relevant not only to bank specialists. Credit cards are also issued today by third-party companies to attract clients.

I already use a card from another bank

Today many people use credit cards. And if your potential client does not aim to collect a collection of credit cards, then the objection “I use a card from another bank” will most likely arise. It makes sense to prepare for this objection in advance by choosing a script.

There are two ways to overcome this resistance. The first is to try to sketch out arguments at random. For example, “the card will be activated the moment you use it for the first time and may remain in your wallet until that moment” or “we have a large points accumulation program” and so on.

The second option is to use a simple and natural algorithm: listen - accept the objection - ask clarifying questions - find out the truth of the objection - argumentation - check the acceptance of the arguments.

1. Listen to the client

This can be challenging—having to remain silent for just a few moments can feel like a long time. And sometimes you really want to rush to “convince” the client.

2. Accept the objection

— You have touched on an important topic. Nowadays, the banking services market is saturated with a large number of offers and it is important to choose the most optimal option for yourself.

3. Ask clarifying questions

— Tell me, are you satisfied with everything about the card you use?

A question like that is a really powerful thing. It is difficult to find a product that will satisfy the client 100%. And often he will need something more profitable.

— Do I understand you correctly that you are interested in knowing the advantages of our card in part (we are talking about the problems voiced by the client).

— If I show you the advantages of our card, will you be ready to apply for it?

5. Argumentation

Only now are we ready to use arguments to overcome the objection. We have enough information and we can talk about the benefits much more targeted.

—

Important - we voice a proposal to proceed to registration. You shouldn’t expect the client to take the initiative in this.

I don't need a credit card / I don't need a credit card

Today people are accustomed to using bank cards instead of paper money. This is convenient, because many stores have terminals for paying with plastic cards, and if necessary, you can always find an ATM and withdraw cash. But with credit cards everything is different - fewer people use them. Many people are even afraid of credit cards.

In our situation, the client has experience using a debit card and does not want to issue a credit card. We use our algorithm.

1. Listen to the client

Everything is as in the example above.

2. We accept the objection

— Many people think the same thing and this is a really important question.

3. Ask clarifying questions

— Tell me, have you never used credit cards? And want to understand the difference between a credit card and the one you use?

The client will definitely get a credit card if there is a need for it. For example, a situation where there is not enough money before salary. Using a credit card, a client can avoid having to borrow from friends. Asking about this can create a need.

— Tell me, have you ever had a situation when you urgently needed money, but there was some time left until your salary? What did you do in such situations? Is it always convenient to borrow money? Are you interested in learning how to avoid similar situations in the future?

Questions are the most effective sales tool. The questions we gave above lead the client to think about a certain need. If we tried to do this in the form of statements, we would receive new objections. And so the client himself came to a certain thought.

4. Find out the truth of the objection

— If I tell you in detail about the features of our card and all the necessary nuances that you need to know, will you be ready to discuss the issue of its registration?

5. Argumentation

The client is ready to listen to our arguments and we know his needs. We just need to make a beautiful presentation.

6. Check acceptance of arguments

— Did I manage to dispel your doubts? Shall we formalize?

The client has a negative attitude

The client has a generally negative attitude towards the bank as a whole. He has a bad experience with your bank or any other and the client does not even want to listen to any offers about banking services.

1. Listen to the client

We allow the client to speak out and fully voice his thoughts.

2. We accept the objection

— You have touched on an important topic.

3. Ask clarifying questions

— Tell me what exactly happened?

It is not at all necessary to follow the algorithm for working with objections linearly. So, for example, after clarifying questions we received a more detailed reaction from the client, we can go back a step and accept this reaction.

2. 2. We accept the objection

— I understand you perfectly, in a similar situation I would draw exactly the same conclusions.

4. Find out the truth of the objection

— We constantly strive to improve the quality of our services. If I tell you about new features, will you be ready to check out our other offers?

5. Argumentation

We listened to the client, joined him, accepting his objections. And the client himself gave preliminary consent to an additional presentation. We can talk about important points based on the identified problems. In this case, our arguments will be well received.

6. Check acceptance of arguments

— Did I manage to change your point of view regarding our services? Are you ready to check out our other offers?

We clarify the acceptance of our arguments, move on to the presentation and sale of other products.

Lack of trust and loyalty. Motivating the client

Often, literally half a step is not enough to successfully sell financial services. And there is a need to create some kind of impulse that helps push the client to make a decision. Several motivating techniques.

For free

This is a very powerful word to add value to our offering. The word “free” is all about benefit, good benefit.

But nothing can be simply “free”. Otherwise, it may only raise unnecessary questions. There should always be a reason for free stuff, for example as part of a promotion for a limited period.

The reason for free can be the most unusual. For example, you can simply indicate something that is always free by definition. Applying for a credit card is free. But you can simply point this out to the client and this will be an additional argument.

Non-binding offers

It is sometimes difficult for a client to make a decision. And in this situation, a strong argument would be an offer that does not oblige the client. For example, you can suggest that the client simply try to apply for a loan. Even after receiving prior approval, the client may refuse. Or maybe he won’t refuse.

Share on social networks So, again about customer objections in sales. You've probably heard more than once about...

A good salesperson knows that objections are the norm. Objections are a standard part of selling. Every customer question...

Experienced sales people know very well that there is no universal technology that helps sell. Each sale is individual. However, there is a certain scheme for an ideal sale that helps bring it to closing. In this review, we will look at the features of sales stages, as well as how to use them effectively to close a deal. After all, the better you know how to control a transaction, the more of them there will be, and, accordingly, the more money you will earn.

7 stages of effective sales technology

So, let's look at the stages of an effective transaction:

1. Establishing contact;
2. Identifying needs;
3. Presentation;
4. Handling objections;
5. Completion of the transaction;
6. Sale of additional products;
7. Parting.

Each point is important and its task is to obtain a certain result. The whole complex should lead to a quality transaction based on mutually beneficial cooperation between you and the buyer.

When talking with a client, all seven stages do not have to be present. First of all, it depends on the manager himself. In addition, there are people who know what they want and there will be several points here.

How to use each step effectively

Each stage of the transaction is important for its completion. Let's look at how to effectively use sales technologies. In case of a high-quality transaction, it is worth highlighting a separate point that is not included in the seven stages - this is preparation for it. It is often called zero. It is necessary to have a positive psychological attitude, prepare your workplace, turn on the computer and other technical issues.

1. Establishing contact. Scientists have proven that a person perceives most of the information (93%) non-verbally, then verbally (7%). What matters is not what we say, but HOW we say it. Therefore, intonation plays an important role throughout the conversation with the buyer.

The overall favorable impression of a manager is based on the following signs:

• Neat appearance,
• Politeness,
• manner of behavior,
• Gestures,
• Facial expressions,
• Sight,
• Intonation.

2. Identifying needs involves the ability to ask questions and hear the interlocutor. By asking the right questions, we can find out what the buyer needs and what factors he attaches particular importance to when choosing a product. Taking into account the needs, a high-quality presentation is carried out.

Questions are divided into several types:

• Open ones imply receiving a detailed answer, “What doubts do you see for yourself?”;
• Closed, receiving an affirmative or negative answer, “What sports do you play, football or volleyball?”;
• Alternative ones containing the particle “or”, “Tomorrow at what half of the day would it be convenient to contact you: first or second?”

It is important not just to listen to what the client says, but to HEAR. Therefore, the Active Listening technique is very appropriate. It is based on understanding what the client said.

3. The presentation is made in accordance with the need that you were able to identify from the buyer. Using this stage, we can provide the client with complete information about the product. The presentation should be short and clearly relevant to the client's needs.

They are as follows:

• Convenience,
• Safety,
• Saving,
• Prestige,
• Novelty.

4. Handling objections is based on the fact that the client continues to doubt the need for your product. At the same time, it’s good if they start asking you questions. This means that the client is interested and has heard what is being offered to him. Remember, if they ask you questions, be happy, it means the sale is still ongoing!

5. Completion of the transaction. If you have carried out a high-quality presentation of the product and worked out the buyer’s possible objections, then the completion and signing of the necessary documents begins.

6. Selling additional products. If the client has already purchased the product, then it will be easier for him to sell various additional products. Thanks to this, you can increase your bonus bonus. The transaction technique here is based on a similar technology.

7. Saying goodbye to the client. After completing the transaction, you need to ensure that the client does not feel unwanted. Say a few nice words so that he has a positive impression after communicating with you.

Remember that at all stages it is necessary to communicate with the client on a positive wave.

How to teach the 7 stages of selling to another person

If you plan to teach someone else how to use the seven stages of sales yourself, then here we can only recommend practice. Study the information and start practicing. The more practice you have, the easier any transaction will be, and the better and better you can train another person. As they say, knowledge comes with practice.

All seven stages of sales techniques should be in the arsenal of every sales manager. They will help you conclude deals efficiently and effectively and increase your wages.