Hot Tip - Up-selling/Cross-Selling

Whether you're in customer service or telesales, you should always try to deliver greater customer satisfaction through up-selling (selling more of the same or upgrading the customer) or selling an add-on.

Make sure that everyone dealing with customers has the ability to deepen and enhance the relationship - and is trained to do it.

There is no better time to upsell than immediately after solving a customer's problem - even if it wasn't a product problem, but something like a billing query. You don't have to be too pushy - just mention the improved or additional item and ask if they'd like you to fix it up for them. Never imply that they should already have it - perhaps suggest that you may not have explained your products properly in the past.

For example:

• "Mr XXXX, you're on our tier 1 package. A lot of our customers are now switching to tier 2 because it gives them more ?????. Would you like me to get you on tier 2?"
• "Mr XXXX, you're obviously a skilled user of our vanilla product. You may find adding the strawberry sauce option will develop your skills even further. It only costs £29.95 to upgrade. Would you like me to arrange that for you?"

Even if 19 out of 20 customers say "No," you've given them the chance. And the one who says "Yes" is helping to make the company more profitable. Never imply that the basic service is inferior - in a cheap green salad, the lettuce should still be crisp.

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