What to Avoid with the Upsell
We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but somebody’s been ruining your reputation. Well, not yours directly. Other service providers pushing inappropriate “upsells” have given this valuable service a bad name.
Some auto shops, for example, haven’t done you any favors. The unscrupulous ones, that is. You take your car in for a specific purpose, then they call and say, “Um, about your car…” Boom. An extra $387 is added to the bill. Was it needed, or was it not? Many folks say, “Who knows? But better safe than sorry, so…”
The “who knows” creates the lingering uncertainty about whether the customer received a benefit, or was victim of a scam.
When homeowners are buying something they might not understand – like complicated systems that run the home – they’re “in the dark” about the equipment and services they actually need. To reduce their confusion, be clear in your communication.
Best case scenario, your upsell service or product is directly related to the purchase under consideration. This is why the maintenance agreement is a perfect upsell for any repair call.
The cost of the upsell should also be proportional to the original product. Don’t double or triple the cost of the call, but do increase it. Most importantly, the upsell adds benefit. This is something that is clear to see, as clear as an Otterbox protecting a new smartphone.
With energy analysis, inspections or safety checks, you find problems you can solve. Customers are expecting this, or they wouldn’t have called. They want to know what hidden problems they can fix now. So tell them.
Upsells ought not to be an over-the-top sales push. It’s a simple explanation of benefits and opportunity, delivered as a part of great service.