2 Common Ways Sales People Exacerbate Client Conflict

Disagreement can make us uncomfortable…in our personal as well as our professional lives. Most of us would prefer to resolve conflict rather than exacerbate it.  But conflict resolution takes work and patience. It is far easier to heighten the antagonism. Here are two ways we unproductively work toward a greater dispute (with antidotes in parentheses).

1. Using the word “but” to express your opposition. (Try instead to use the word “and” so that you don’t put your opponent in the wrong in order to put yourself in the right.)
2. Stating conclusions rather than asking questions. (Use open-ended questions to find opportunities to collaborate. It is far better to ask, “How do you think that affect our employees?” than to state, “Our employees will hate that.”

Sales negotiation training experts maintain that conflict is an integral part of interpersonal relationships. Count to ten and consider your responses when disagreements arise. The more effective we are at addressing and working through differences, the more successful we will be.