Beating the gatekeeper

Beating the Gatekeeper
Key skills and tactics for successful
introductory phone calls.
Greg Lewis,Keyence UK, August 2014©

Where to start
Many new Keyence employees can find PHONE DRIVE tough
to get used to.
However, the core structure of a phone call is actually fairly
simple and once learnt can lead to vast improvements.
Improvements such as:
- Conversation flow
- Probing success
- Getting the visit
This presentation is mainly aimed at
cold-calls but its principal can be applied
to all customer calls.

Call Preparation
No matter how many of the following tips and tricks you
take on board. If the Target customers is wrong the call is
wasted
We can improve our chances by taking some time to pick
your target. Don’t use the Scattergun Approach.
Ideally our customers should be:
- A good size (10+ people)
- In a strongly relevant industry
- using similar equipment already
This target system is only a guideline,
but the more of these attributes the
target ticks, the better our chances
will be.

Call Progression
Below is a guideline to the general line of progression that a Standard Keyence
sales phone call follows.
Whilst individual calls may not follow such a straight path, this guide can but
used to help control the conversation.
Receptionist Introduction
Target customer Introduction
Probing and info gathering
Securing a visit/Conclusion
This presentation will be Primarily based around the first
stage dealing with the receptionist.

1. Receptionist Introduction
• Arguably the most difficult part of a cold-call.
• Still an important part of many non direct-line customer calls.
• If they don’t like you, you’ve got a slim chance!

• Keyence Sales Engineers are not telemarketers,
• We have no script to follow and therefore we change our response
to maximise its effect.
• Listening to the Receptionist and adjusting your response will
create better first impressions!

Receptionist are people too, many sales engineers make bad first impressions by not treating them as such.
If the Receptionist states their name, it will be beneficial to address them as such.
This shows you are listening to them rather than running off a script and are just waiting for them to stop.
EXAMPLE:
Receptionist: “Good Morning Greg Lewis International , Ciara speaking, how can I help”
Sales Engineer: “Good morning Ciara, its ‘Sales Engineer’ calling from Keyence”

• Once we have our foot in the door, we can ask to be put through to the
contact we are trying to reach.
• When listening to a receptionist’s introduction, listen to how formal the
receptionist is being. Try to match their formality with your introduction
• If you don’t they may be insulted or intimidated. It
depends on what type of receptionist you get.

It is possible to split receptionists into 3 distinct groups with
each having its own type of response.
Strict/ Formal: Often career receptionists in large companies, they may not know
the target contact personally or may have official guidelines to offer.
Semi-Formal: Receptionists in medium to large companies, will know the contact
and where they work but rules may be in place
Relaxed: Sometimes professional receptionist but can also be connected to
target customer EG. His: wife, friends wife, sister, brother, daughter etc. Most
often found in smaller family run companies.

• Formal Example:
Receptionist (low voice pitch):
“Good Morning Keyence Reception”
Sales Engineer (similar pitch):
“Good Morning,this is Greg Lewis from Keyence.
May I please speak with ‘Target Customer’ in
inspection.”
Such a receptionist may look down with suspicion on an overly relaxed
introduction. As the relaxed approach is often adopted by telemarketers

• Semi-formal Example:
Receptionist (Higher pitch)
“Good Morning, you’ve reached Keyence
Reception, can I help”
“Yes Good Morning, this is Greg Lewis calling from Keyence.
Would it be possible to speak with ‘Target Customer’ please?
These receptionists expect a professional but not cold response .

• Relaxed Example:
Receptionist (Higher pitch)
“Good Morning, you’re through to Keyence,
how can I help?”
“Hello Good Morning, Its Greg Lewis calling from Keyence.
Is it possible to get in touch with ‘Target Customer’ at all please?
These ‘receptionists’ may not be professionals or might be new to the job
so appreciate a forgiving tone and relaxed request.

No matter how smooth our introduction is, at some point we
WILL run into difficulties, but these CAN be overcome so don’t
put the phone down too soon!
“ Computer says No”

Receptionist: “What is the purpose of your call?”
Oh Oh! Damn, they are on to us!
Don’t worry, as Keyence Sales Engineers, we can handle it if we follow
some simple guidelines.

• Cite referrals from and visits too local companies. Check if they make
similar parts, as competitors always want to know what each other has.
Any way in is better than none!
• If it is a completely cold call, at this point we should try to make our
objectives seem less sales like
EG. “I’m calling to arrange a demo with ‘Target’ if possible >BECOMES> “I’m
just calling to quickly introduce myself as we supply equipment to your
industry”
• Mention the contact source EG. “I’m calling because I saw Targets advert on
Qimtek.” Its hard to refuse responses to the companies own advertisments!
DO’s

• Never mention words such as: BUY, SELL, SELLING, PURCHASING. This will
earn to a prompt end to the call! Receptionists are taught to redirect and
reject such obvious sales pitches
• Don’t mention it’s a cold-call, all legitimate callers should be able to provide
a good reason or excuse for their call.
• Insult the receptionist by saying things like “It’s too technical to explain” or
“Can I PLEASE just speak to TARGET” this will cause the receptionist to be
uncooperative and cut you off very quickly.
DON’Ts

Receptionist: “Is he expecting your call?”
A variation of the previous response, unless the answer is a firm “yes he is”, we should
be cleverly evasive in our answer trying the avoid outright lying.
Below are some good examples of using any information we do have and let the
receptionist assume the rest:
Example 1 > We have called in the last six months.
“yeah, ‘Target’ spoke to Keyence a few months ago and I'm just calling to catch up”
The receptionist will most likely assume we know ‘Target’ and therefore he is expecting
us.
Example 2 > Target downloaded some Keyence info.
“yes ‘Target’ is interested in one of our systems so I’m following him up on that”
Again, previous contact is implied but not stated.

Receptionist: “Is he expecting your call?”
The key in this instance is to not commit to any statement of previous
personal contact.
In this manner, we protect ourselves with deniability should the
‘Target’ deny knowing us and then they or the receptionist become
suspicious.
It can be put down as a communication error later, but the key is that
we get through.

A shame but sometimes unavoidable. However we can still make
this a useful call. Some possible options are:
Option 1: “Oh that’s a shame, in that case is it possible to speak to someone else in
the department?” Even if the customer doesn’t want to take the call, it is hard to say a
whole quality department isn’t working at the moment. So we should be put through
to a NEW contact.
Option 2: “Oh that’s a shame, in that case is it possible to leave a voicemail or e-
mail him some technical data?” Never end a phone call without more contact info,
progress is progress, and stating “technical data” will increase your
chance of getting their real E-mail rather than a generic one.
Receptionist: “He/She is not avaliable atm”

So long as we gather some information, we can give ourselves a
valid excuse to call back, and this time the Receptionist won’t
interrogate us as much. Progress is Progress.
Example: A Japanese colleague unsuccessfully called the same company 22 times
before finally getting through. This resulted in a £36,000 sale!
In the word of Arni:
Receptionist: “He/She is not avaliable atm”

Rare is the receptionist who knows the companies CAPEX plans,
however, at this stage they have the power.
Therefore we must diffuse this excuse by changing our approach
and/or request.
Receptionist: “We are not looking at equipment at the
moment”

Example Responses:
“I understand, at the moment we are simply just trying to let customers see
the new system so they can keep it in mind for the future”
With the sales pitch threat gone, the receptionist can relax
“I am in the area visiting all local Rubber companies since many Rubber
companies have recently purchased the kit”.
Companies will want to see what the other competitors are using and so will
invite you through
Receptionist: “We are not looking at equipment at the
moment”

Ouch, the worst response, a true gatekeeper. Clever call timing will win
the day in this situation.
Solution 1: Time your call early morning or late afternoon. Most Receptionist
work 9-5, ring outside these hours and you have a chance of reaching real
engineers.
Solution 2: If the company shuts off its phones outside office hours, try to
call during the receptionists lunch hour, the Accountant covering the phone
may not care as much and will put you through.
Receptionist: “We do not put salespeople through ever!”
NO salesmen!

These examples should make it clear that it is not ok to hang up the phone
at the first sign of resistance.
Resistance does not equal “ok, bye then”
Perseverance can get you through even after an initial refusal or may even
lead to you receiving a better contact.
Once past the Reception, the real business of selling begins.

This presentation was built as a precursor to the presentation:
‘Getting the Appointent’
by
Michel Roch (KIB) and Yujiro Amemori (KJ)
Which will help you understand what to do once past the
reception.
Good Luck!

Beating the gatekeeper

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