Ecolab ( www.ecolab.com ) is the global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety, and infection prevention products and services. With more than 14 000 sales and service experts, Ecolab employs the industry’s largest and best-trained direct sales and service force, which advises and assists customers in meeting a full range of cleaning, sanitation, and service needs. Chris Wylie, the Ecolab sales representative featured at the beginning of this chapter, is continually prospecting for new accounts, servicing existing accounts, and introducing new products and services. He primarily calls on restaurants and hotels to sell and service a wide array of cleaning and sanitizing products such as bathroom air fresheners, bathroom cleaners, dispensers, floor cleaners, glass cleaners, dish machines, detergents, dish racks, and safety equipment.
In his sales demonstrations, Chris follows certain guidelines and tries to add value in various ways. Sales reps at Ecolab utilize the HELP sales process and move toward a survey solution they can sell their customers.
The sales rep’s goal is to determine the decision-making team, uncover the relevant facts, identify the problem/
opportunity, and present the implications of the problem such that the customer decides to accept the solution that is presented by Ecolab. One central element of the HELP sales process is a so-called three-minute demo in which Chris can show the prospect deficiencies in his or her kitchen that he or she might not be aware of. To that end, he possesses a series of measurement tools to test the chemicals and certain concentration ratios. After conducting the whole series of tests and analyzing the results, Chris goes back to his customer and asks for a few minutes of his or her time to show that same survey on his piece of restaurant equipment (e.g., a dish machine). Through specific guidelines, Chris can show the prospect certain machine deficiencies that he or she has with the current provider.
Chris can then demonstrate the features and benefits that Ecolab can offer to overcome these deficiencies.
In his sales demonstrations, Chris tries to interact with his customers to get them involved and to fully capture their attention. He even engages customers in the survey process by asking them to execute parts of the tests with him. In addition, Chris involves his customers by asking questions such as, “What do you think this result means? Let’s think about this together for a second.” Then he leads the customer into developing a good solution for the result they got. In this way, Chris helps customers paint their own picture of the problem.
Chris knows that this kind of customer engagement is much more effective and eye-opening than just telling the customer about the deficiencies.
In some situations, it might be difficult or even impossible for Chris to demonstrate a product itself.
An example could be a dishwasher that is too large and heavy to be taken to the customer’s or prospect’s location.
If Chris makes claims about how efficient Ecolab’s machine is compared to others, it appears that his customers would have to take his word on that. Another way to demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of a dishwasher that he is trying to pitch would be to bring the prospect into an existing account that already uses the dishwasher. This would enable Chris to show how the dishwasher operates while somebody is actually using it. (See the chapter opener on page 280 and Reality Selling Today Role Play 9 in Appendix 1 on page 436 for more information.)

Questions

1. If you were in the position of Chris Wylie and found a potential serious health problem in one of your customer’s kitchens, which presentation strategy or combination described in this chapter would you use? List and describe five guidelines you would use in creating your presentation. What demonstration tools would you use?
2. Make a list of buyer concerns that a salesperson like Chris Wylie would typically expect from new prospects. How could different elements of a sales demonstration be used to overcome these concerns?
Think about it as a two-step sales call: In the first step, Chris would ask for permission to conduct a survey of the kitchen and/or bathroom. In the second step, he would ask the prospect to buy from him.
3. In the video case, which of the six actions (as listed on the right-hand side of Figure 12.3 ) does Chris Wylie take during his presentation/demonstration?
4. In some situations, it might be difficult or even impossible for Chris Wylie to specifically demonstrate a product or service. What other means can Chris use to demonstrate the features and benefits of, for example, large products or intangible services?