Jack-Up Offshore Rig

Jack-up rigs are mobile offshore structure/platforms used for exploration and drilling of oil and gas deposits. These platforms are normally provided with three legs which extend through openings in a floatable hull of the jack-up rig. These legs are used to support the hull.

A typical leg of a jack-up rig has three mutually parallel chord members and each chord member is provided with a pair of opposing rack member that extend longitudinally along the length of the chords. The outward surfaces of the racks are provided with rack teeth, which engages respective teeth of the pinions carried by elevating jacking gearboxes.

Each leg is provided with jacking assemblies for moving the leg vertically with respect to the hull. As the legs are “jacked”, the hull is elevated or lowered.

I will discuss the jacking assemblies and the types of planetary gearboxes used in this unique application in my next blog post.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Closing the Sale

Many Sales Professionals do well in the first four steps of the Sales Process. But when it comes to the fifth step (Closing the Sale), they hesitate. They fear asking for the Order. They wait for the prospect to say “I’ll buy from you. Here’s the purchase order.” But this will never happen.

If you are a professional Sales Person, you should not be shy to ask for their business. Although you should never be shy about asking for business, prospects will probably give you some signals when they are ready to become customers. Here are some signals that suggest they are ready to buy:

·         Asking about availability or delivery time

·         Asking specific questions about rates, prices or affordability

·         Asking about features, options, quality, guarantees or warranties

·         Asking positive questions about your business

·         Asking to see the regulatory or classification society certificates

·         Asking for something to be repeated 

·         Making statements about problems with previous vendors; they may be seeking reassurance from you that you won't pose the same problems

·         Asking about follow-up service or other products you carry

·         Requesting a sample or asking you to repeat a demonstration for them or for others in their company or family

·         Requesting to visit you office premise or factory and warehouse

·         Asking about other satisfied customers. You should have a list of satisfied customers ready to give to prospects who ask. (Make sure you've already contacted these customers about serving as references)

These are some techniques that often help prospects make the decision to buy.

·         Quit talking after you ask a closing question. Give prospects the opportunity to say yes.

·         Offer an added service, such as delivery, or commissioning.

·         Offer a choice, such as "would you prefer the blue one or silver one?"

·         Offer an incentive such as a 10 percent discount for purchases made now.

·         Lead the customer through a series of minor decisions about such factors as their preferred color or model or feature that are easier to make and that lead to make the bigger decision to actually purchase.

·         Don't give up too soon. Learn to understand prospects' buying styles; some people take longer than others to make a decision.

So what’s next after you have made the sale? This is the crucial last step of the Sales Process. Whether you can secure a long-term business from your client depends on how you treat your prospect after the award of the contract. Stay tuned for the next blog post.

USEFUL SIMPLE TEST TO FIND OUT IF A MIRROR IS A TWO-WAY MIRROR IN A PUBLIC/HOTEL REST-ROOM/ OR CHANGING ROOM

WOMEN SHOULD TAKE NOTE OF THIS USEFUL TIP ESPECIALLY IN A WOMEN'S CHANGING ROOM. DON'T FORGET TO DO THE SIMPLE TEST THE NEXT TIME IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM!

Hotel & Restroom Tip - Is It A Mirror or A 2-Way Glass ?

Useful  information

2 - WAY GLASS  Mirror

Genuine Mirror

A Mirror or a 2-Way Glass?

How can you tell when you are in a room, restroom, motel etc. whether it is a mirror or a 2-way glass?

Here's how: I thought it was quite interesting!  And I know in about 30 seconds you're going to do what I did and find the nearest mirror.

Do you know how to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not?  A policewoman who travels all over the US and gives seminars and techniques for businesswomen passed this on.

When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (i.e., they can see you, but you can't see them)?  There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms . It is very difficult to positively identify the surface by looking at it.

So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at?

Just conduct this simple test: Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail,

then BEWARE! IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!

"No Space, Leave the Place".  So remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test." It doesn't cost you anything.

REMEMBER. No Space, Leave the Place

Ladies: Share this with your girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc.

Men: Share this with your wives, daughters, daughters-in-law, mothers, girlfriends and/or friends

The 5Ts of Successful Teams

Handling Objections

Objections from prospects are what the Sales Professionals fear the most. It can be discouraging as well. During the sales process, you will most likely meet objections. Objections are prospects' comments about the reasons why they don't plan to buy your product or service. It may be something like:

“My existing products are reliable, and they don’t give us any problem”

 "I already buy those products from XYZ Corporation and am happy with their product."

“We have no compelling reason to change our source of supply/purchase”

“We are used to the existing product. Why change?”

“We are afraid your product is not as reliable as our existing one”

Don't be put off by an objection; it is a normal part of the sales process. In fact, objections sometimes are a signal that the sale is progressing and you're getting closer to a positive response. When a prospect voices an objection, they may simply be asking for more information about your product - and their objection tells you in what area they need more information. For instance, if they say they are happy with a product from another competitor, that is your opening to explain how your product differs from your competitor's product.

Anticipate objections. Rehearse answers to standard objections. Learn to ask questions of prospects to get to their real questions.

Here are a few proven techniques for overcoming objections. Treat every objection with respect and a thoughtful response.

·         Acknowledge your customers' position and then offer them new information. For example, if the prospect says your product is more expensive, tell them that your product uses heavier load-bearing bearings and thicker housing. Safety factor is higher. You can ask your prospect to calculate the price per kg to compare instead of just using the unit price. Your product price may turns out cheaper.

·         Question prospects when they make statements about why they won't buy or what they don't like about your product. Try to learn why they feel as they do; this will help you get to the root cause of their concerns. For example, your prospect may claim that your product is new in the market, unheard and untested. To allay their fears, you can show them all the Test Certificates, Regulatory Certificates or Classification Society Certifications relating to your product. Show them the customers reference list in other countries, convincing your prospect that it is tried and tested in other markets.

·         Restate the objection so the customer can hear it. This tends to reduce the magnitude of an objection and allows prospects to modify your statement to more accurately express their true objection.

·         Tactfully respond directly to the customer's statement. If you must contradict what they are saying because you honestly believe they are wrong, provide factual information that can help them see where they may have a misunderstanding.

In my next post, I will blog about the 5^th step of The Sales Process, ie. Closing The Sales.

What is ISO 9001?

Sales Presentation Slides

The Sales Presentation

Many sales people feel the most exciting part of the sales process is presenting products or services to prospects. Finally, the vast amount of knowledge you have about your products, services and your company comes into play!

Here are some suggestions for putting your best foot forward in your sales presentation:

·         Don't be afraid to be excited about your product. Your enthusiasm carries a strong message about your personal investment in the product.

·         During presentations, focus on the benefits of your products and services. Benefits are different from features, which are characteristics such as size, color and functionality. Benefits answer the customer's question: "Why would I want to own that product?" Benefits are what cause people to buy. For example, if you are selling electric crane, and it uses less power/KW. You can calculate the number of kilowatts hour saved for an eight hour period usage. Multiply this by the number of working days in a year and you have the total kilowatts hour saved for the year. Convert this into dollars saved for the year and showed it to the client. This benefit is often the contract clincher as the customer may see a lower operating cost and savings as beneficial to their operations.

·         Set objectives for sales calls. Write the objectives on index cards and keep the cards handy to make notes as you think of items to add. For example, you may want to elicit the detailed technical specifications of a particular project and offer them an official quotation later on. Or you may want to probe the customer’s buying price and other preferences.

·         Be on time for sales appointments. If you are unavoidably delayed, call before the appointment to let the prospect know your estimated time of arrival.

·         Be prepared for your call. Have your sales brochures, demonstration materials, and other supplementary information available. Show your prospective customers your photos of past projects or sales. Enlighten them of your sales reference lists.

·         Be relaxed during sales calls. That often is easier said than done. It helps to give yourself plenty of time in transit so you don't arrived frazzled from a rush through bad traffic. Always appear cheerful and enthusiastic. And, once you are there, take a moment in the car to take a few deep breaths and review what you want to say or present.

·         Let prospects talk 90 percent of the time; they'll tell you how to sell to them. You just need to listen.

·         Use testimonials. Your best selling tool is a reference from a satisfied customer.

·         Don't be afraid to ask for their business. Ask them to give you an opportunity to offer a quotation. Ask for the specifications of their requirement. Not asking will be a wasted opportunity. You may not be granted another appointment the next time.

·         Invite prospects to interact with products. For example, encourage customers to try a massage chair, operate a device or smell/sniff the perfume.

·         Limit the choices during a sales presentation. Most experts advise sales people to show prospects only three options at a time. Too many options may prove overwhelming, resulting in them not choosing anything.

·         Adapt your sales presentation to your prospect. For example, an insurance agent would provide different types of information about basic life and hospitalization insurance package to a person purchasing his first policy than to a person that has already owned dozens of policies.

·         Rate yourself after sales calls. Determine what you did well and what you need to improve upon. Develop action steps for improvement.

·         Always follow through on promises.

·         Determine what your prospect seemed most interested in and work that into your follow-up plan.

·         Follow up, follow up, follow up. It often takes five to 10 exposures to get a sale.

In my next post, I will touch on how to handle objections. 

Initial Sales Contact Slides

The Initial Sales Contact

When the Prospect Initiates the Contact

Prospects will visit you during normal business hours if you have a store or business location. If you do not have a store, they might contact you by phone, mail, email, or through your website to request information, ask questions and/or to make a purchase.

Prospects who visit or contact you are very good potential customers. They have done their homework and look you up. Pay attention to what they want. Give them good service and convert them into your customers.

Prospects might also call at odd hours to find out when you're open or where your store/office is located. Be sure your answering machine message, answering service or website answers these questions.

When You Initiate the Contact

One of the most common initial contacts is a "cold call" conducted by phone or in person. A cold call refers to a contact made with prospects who have not indicated they desire the call. It's obviously much more efficient - and most say more successful - to conduct cold calls on the telephone rather than to drive around town, but you might have a reason that warrants an in-person cold call on occasion.

Make an appointment, giving them choices of appointment times and meeting locations.

Here are some ideas to help turn cold calls into warm prospects:

·         First, determine your objective and the purpose of your call. Your purpose may be to make an appointment, to inform, to question, to talk to a certain person, and to sell. Additionally, determine if you want to close the sale on the first call or simply pave the way for a later call or sales presentation.

·         Try to do a little homework before the call. If you know someone who may have insight or information about the prospect, call them.

·         Send a fax or mail some information prior to the cold call. Reference the information in the call, but don't open with, "Did you get the information I sent?" This allows the prospect to simply say, "no," just to get you off the phone. Instead, try something like, "I sent you some information by fax yesterday; I'm following up to provide additional information . . ."

·         When you're ready to make the call, make sure you have all the materials you need at hand. For example, if the purpose of your call is to make an appointment, have your appointment book open and a working pen or pencil in front of you. Having brochures and product photos are useful too.

·         State your purpose quickly - within 15 seconds.

·         Get prospects interested by asking questions that make them think.

·         Make statements that build rapport and confidence.

·         Use humor - people love to laugh.

·         Be sincere.

·         Be friendly - people like to buy from people they like.

·         Keep your eye on the prize - never lose sight of your objective, regardless of the outcome of the call.

In my next post, I will elaborate on The Sales Presentation.

Why Quality?

Prospecting Slides

Prospecting

Finding qualified prospects for your products or services is a necessary first step in the sales process. You need to have someone to sell to before you make a sale. But, making certain that there is a good possibility that they will buy is what makes them "qualified prospects."

An often used method in prospecting is finding out where your competitors are selling to. These are potentially your customers if you are able to convince them to switch to your brand.

Another method is desk research. Decades ago, flipping the yellow pages or phone book/trade directories is the norm. Now all you need is Google the information you want online. For example, if your products and services are used by ship or rig builders, type in “ship or rig builders” in Google search, and you will have a list of all prospective clients.

How about networking? Getting friends and business associates to refer you to a potential customer is common in many countries, like China and Indonesia.

Once you've identified prospects, you will want to learn all you can before you approach them. How is their company set up? Do they have a purchasing department? Or do every purchase goes through the technical department for evaluation before the purchasing department is involved? Is the boss or director personally involved in all purchasing matters?

Contacting each prospect takes a lot of time and energy so look at each potential prospect carefully to:

·         determine your sales approach and plan your sales calls

·         determine which products and services best suit particular prospects

·         uncover reasons why you should not pursue some prospects, saving you valuable time and resources

In my next post, I will elaborate on the Initial Sale Contact, the second step of the Sales Process.

The Sales Process Slides

The Sales Process

Most business owners would like to focus all their energy on daily business operations and serving existing client demands. It's critical to your success, however, to focus on gaining new business from current and potential customers in order to grow and sustain your company.

The selling process has six key steps. Virtually every sales interaction will follow these steps, whether it lasts several minutes or several months:

1. Prospecting
2. Initial Contact
3. Sales Presentation
4. Handling Objections
5. Closing the Sale
6. Follow-Up and Service after the Sale

As you develop a sales process that is right for you and your business, here are some other pointers to keep in mind:

·         Continuously improve your sales skills, learn from others and stay open to new ideas.

·         Be sincere about your desire to help the prospect. Working together to find technical solutions and solving their problem is your primary objective. Making the sale should be your secondary objective. This attitude will come through in every encounter and will help you build long-term relationships.

·         Contribute more than just your product. Provide industry news updates, trends, solutions of their competitors, creative ideas, and business advice as part of the service you offer.

·         Be direct with your communication. Beating around the bush only frustrates people. Answer all questions. Never patronize.

·         Enclose your business card with every letter and note.

·         Thank people who refer prospects to you. If the referral results in business, send a small, business-related thank-you gift also. For any huge business success, treat these people to lunch.

·         Never lie. Don't badmouth the competition or say negative things about their clients. Don't gossip.

·         Don't overbook yourself so much that you don't have time to listen and be available to your customer for their questions and comments.

In my next post, I will elaborate on the six key steps of the Sales Process.