Salespeople should switch off - their mobile phones.

More and more of us have become addicted to our SMART phones in our Sales work with buyers.

As a trainer, I have long given up asking delegates to switch off their phones on courses.

( If you can't beat them - lead them)

 Delegates are asked to set their mobile phones on 'silent'.

If they need to ,they can leave the training room to deal with emails, messages and phone calls outside the room so as not to disturb the learning of fellow delegates.

I do ask them not to furtively text or read their phones under the table.

For the addicted I tweet some learning points during the session so they can pick up the learning. I also explain that I tweet so I do not need to repeat questions I put to them .

Once having explained the ground rules I notice most WANT to switch their phones off!

It is interesting to note that a third of the poll of Buyers consider that texting is acceptable.

The anecdotal data captured from the 2012 data included:

" Only when announcing a delay of the meeting"

" depends on what it is, negotiation is not OK by texting"

" e-mail of phone call"

" Yes if we already have a meeting arranged"

" Only if I text them - which i have done last 12 months"

" If I have a relationship with them"

" When I know them"



For a while now, the Buyers' Views of Salespeople survey has asked the poll of Buyers its views on how salespeople should use mobile phone when working with clients. So it is with the 2012 survey.

Delegates often remark that Buyers do not always give reciprocal courtesy and switch their phone off.

 Some salespeople  find that by switching off their mobile at the start of a meeting and telegraph the action quite often prompts Buyers to do likewise - but there is no guarantee.

Silent setting has remained acceptable at around two thirds of the poll since 2006.

So a third will still like the salesperson to switched off their phone.

So this response from Buyers shows no sign of changing on this issue for the present time.

So switch into your Buyer but switch off your mobile seems the best advice.

The Buyers' Views survey of Salespeople 2012 will be published shortly

For information please contact info@tack.co.uk