PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE: Know It or Blow It!

Summer has made a hasty arrival; and for most parents, the question of what to do with the kids during summer vacation has also arrived. As a working mother, I find myself searching at this late date for a summer camp in which to enroll my seven-year-old. I recently visited a community center that showed some promise. I’d received a direct mail piece that piqued my interest, and another parent recommended it since she’d enrolled her daughter there also. I decided to go check it out.

The place was nice. Tucked away in a quiet location, it looked friendly and safe. As I stood in the spacious lobby, I noticed that a diverse group of people used the facility—kids, teens, young adults, and seniors. I liked it right away. It was well-kept and seemed to boast a variety of activities to capture almost every interest. The woman at the front desk was friendly and warm. This encounter looked promising, and I was fully prepared to complete an application and pay my deposit. But then the deal breaker occurred.

As a newcomer to the facility, I had lots of questions. What was the child-to-counselor ratio? Did my son have to participate in the swim activities four times a week? Was it free play in the pool or were they giving lessons? What other types of activities were included in the camp? I was in contact with four people in my 20 minutes there. Not one of them could answer those questions. I was taken on a tour, but the guide told me he knew little about the camps. I asked the nice lady at the front desk. She proceeded to read aloud from the same handbook she gave me, as if I couldn’t do that myself. The answers were not there. She called someone else who knew even less and told me I’d have to speak to the director. She asked me had I taken the tour as if that would answer all of my questions. Then she proceeded to try to sell me on a membership there. When I asked her what the benefits were of being a member, she said that I would get to do all the things that members get to do. Okaaaaaaay…

I left there feeling less confident and uncertain about enrolling my son. Their level of knowledge about the place in which they worked was disturbing. How could I feel that my son would be safe when the employees couldn’t answer the simplest questions? I kept my checkbook in my purse.

The sale should have been easy, and the solution is even easier. Give all employees a quick orientation of the activities and services the facility provides. They have to make the best impression on a prospective client like me so that I become a current client. Leaving a curious prospect with unanswered questions yields uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the provider. It also costs the organization in lost revenues because an uncertain client will not part with their money. My interest was dampened, as were my spirits, and I departed knowing I would most likely not return.

Are your customers leaving your business feeling the same way? Do you know enough to make your customers feel at ease about doing business with you? When it comes to product knowledge in your company, if you don’t know it, you’ll show it and ultimately blow it.