Bit of advice needed

[adamthemieleman]

Hey all, I feel completely stupid asking this, but I'd rather check if I have this right.

The public I see at work don't understand how a vacuum cleaner works, so I have to explain, this is how I see it, correct me if I'm wrong.

Vacuum is a difference on pressure, resulting in suction
Airflow is important, the faster it can be pulled in and pushed out the better
The airpath, the shorter the better, air has less to travel
Central filters can block
Straight tubing impedes flow
A strong wattage doesn't mean strong power, neither do airwatts



As I said, I do know my stuff, I just want to make sure I'm not giving out wrong information! Anything else I would need to know?

Thanks

 

[ultimatevacman]

Hi Adam.


 


All of the above statements are true.


 


I'd also note that:


 


Bagless vacuums need their filters cleaning a lot more often than a bagged vacuum.


 


A good brushroll is key to deep cleaning on an upright.


 


And also that dirty air machines tend to clean better than a clean air machine, but at the hose the suction of a clean air machine is far more superior.


 


Hope this helps!


 


Joe

 

[sebo_fan]

Part 1 of my response...

The thing is, if you are going to go down the scientific route, it is going to confuse buyers in general. If a buyer comes along to you and starts saying "air watts," then they know that they have been influenced by Dyson even without you meeting them beforehand. That is your cue to ask them what they are looking for. Ask them what they have had before and judge from there.

The public don't need to understand HOW a vacuum cleaner works.

What they need to know is what makes one vacuum cleaner different from the other. I'd refer to the design elements of the model they have in question and do a contrast and compare. Getting to know what the customer wants at the start clears up the big spiel of what info you think you need to provide.

Personally, I think you are wasting your time going down the scientific route. That kind of information regarding vacuum, pressure, air flow, air path, central filters blocking and straight tubes should come from an independent shop who deal solely with vacuums. You work in a franchise where there are 100s of other SDA/Small domestic appliances that you need to know about, not burn your brain out trying to remember every iota of detail.

Put simply, if you do refer to air flow, then you'll have to talk about the insides of the vacuum cleaner, if you refer to air path, the "shorter" is NOT better - how would you explain for example the difference between a Miele cylinder vacuum and the Hoover Telios? The Miele has a longer hose and longer tubes, yet has a far better design. Would you say then that the Hoover has better suction power because the tubes are shorter, thus reducing air path?

If you are suggesting that straight tubing impedes flow - then cylinder vacs must be pretty poor at picking up things.

From what I've observed with salespersonnel talking to other customers, the most common assumptions from general customers are air watts and strong wattage. They've been led to believe that from the Dyson adverts. Therefore you have to offer up what you know, NOT what you think. It is easy to dispel the myths and at the same time coerce customers to look at other brands - because more often than not most average customers aren't prepared to pay the high prices of either Dyson, Miele and other premium brands.

 

[vintagerepairer]

As Sebo-fan says

The job of the salesperson is to get the sale, nothing more, nothing less. You get the order, then if there is a problem (other than with something you did or didn't say or do) then the chain store you work for carries the burden of responsibility. Your buying team decide what you store will sell, it is then down to the sales team to ensure that a customer buys some of it. At the rate of pay which sales staff get, you are not paid to really care what the customer buys.

Not only this -and this isn't aimed at you or anyone specifically- it isn't the sales persons place to try and get the customer to buy what the salesperson would have for themselves. I have seen this done before, many times, but frankly it is not their business to tell people what to have, unless of course the salesperson is working for a specific brand. Which as store staff, they're not. Asking the customer what their needs are and finding an appliance to match it is the way to go.

All of this is why I am uncertain as to why Dyson are so keen to blind consumers with science. Consumers only need to know what it is that they are getting, not how it is achieved.

 

[sebo_fan]

Sadly Dyson are only doing what other brands have done, but to be fair, Dyson have done it with their vacuums - I remember quite clearly when Samsung brought out their Eco Bubble range. At John Lewis there was a massive stage with fake machines filled with bubbles and drums showing off what the Eco Bubble meant. It went on for months until the machines arrived at the store.

The difference with Dyson of course is that the scientific nonsense is there for eternity. They can preach on and on about how their bagless hand vac with a floor head has as much power as a normal vacuum cleaner but then convieniently forget to mention that you get the privilege of owning something smart, very expensive and modern than only lasts for 20 minutes use and then requires 4 hours charge.

You wouldn't compare a cordless torch with a table lamp, so what's the difference?

Out of interest, do Currys sell any dirty fan vacuums? It isn't the same as the U.S

 

[vintagerepairer]

Yes, but what I was meaning was, as an example, because of the Dyson digital motor, the running time is longer. As a consumer, that is all I would care about. However, this is not enough for Dyson. They want to talk about the motor at length. To what end, I know not.

 

[sebo_fan]

Part 2

Exactly Benny - you took the words out of my mouth! I've noticed that a lot of sales personnel try and pap off what they have at home to show the customer that their choice is better than the rest. It happens all the time whenever I'm going to buy headphones or look at an audio gadget.

The more obvious "start to finish" sales approach is also to consider the extra costs required with the vacuum cleaner. Refer to bag costs, or filter costs, but also offer, if applicable, added benefits like optional tools available. Again it all comes down to the brands that Currys offer as well as the prices they have in comparison to others that allow customers to see future potential as well as keeping in mind that Currys may offer a lower price or an added benefit.

The LG washing machine I bought recently could only be purchased from Currys because it features an 8kg capacity over the similarly priced white LG washer with 7kg capacity. The price difference was minimal which is why I stuck with buying from Currys.

 

[sebo_fan]

A few of the displays that just feature the Dyson hand held also have optional tools that the customer can pick up and try for themselves. I can't think of any other cordless hand held (and I'm a fan of Black and Decker) brand who do that with their own displays in store. But as you say, they then go and ruin it with info about the motor, then the battery.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Displays

No, not many manufactures do, as it's so very expensive. I have said this before, that with the unique way Dyson has managed to gain customers, I have to question exactly what the value and return-on-investment is for all the money they spend in-store. I could understand the Argos showcase, when customers are standing about in queues for a good deal of time, as this would sew a seed in the mind of anyone who had not gone there to buy a vacuum cleaner. However, in the likes of Currys, where the bulk of the displays are in the vacuum cleaner area only, I seriously question the need for it.

 

[spiraclean]

As everyone else has already said, don't blind the customer with science. If you confuse them, they will feel unable to make a decision, and they will leave the shop without buying anything. The occasional customer who WANTS that sort of info would generally be the type of person to do their own research anyway, and will already have a good idea what they're looking for.

Every now and then you may come across a customer who wants to talk for ages in great detail about all the various technology and wotnot. That's fine if you have the time and think it will lead to a sale. Sometimes though, people just like to hear themselves talk, but have no intention of actually making a purchase. Usually because the wife is off elsewhere shopping and they are bored. Learn to weed those people out, so you can spend more time with the customers who are ready and waiting to put money in the till.

If a customer ever asks "what do you have?" or "which one would you choose?", by all means answer that question (you can't exactly turn around and say "not telling you"). Do qualify your answer by pointing out that your needs probably differ somewhat to theirs, however. This segues nicely into an opportunity to ask about their home, what type of floor coverings they have, if there are any pets in the household etc. Then base your recommendations upon their answers. Customers do appreciate it when a salesperson actually listens to their wants and needs, and they get a tailored recommendation back. They don't like the feeling that someone is pushing them towards Brand X instead of Brand Y because it happens to be their favourite this month.

 

[tylerawells]

Selling Here in the USA

I always start off when a customer comes in by asking what machine they currently have. From there, I can ask if they'd like to stick with something similar to what they have or maybe upgrade to something different. I ask if they need a machine which can handle pets ("Do you have pets?"), then if they would like bagged or bag less, and if they'd like an upright or a canister.  I also ask about the type of flooring they have & it's makeup. If they say upright I can break that down by if they'd want a regular clean air upright, or a lightweight upright-canister combo. If they say canister then I'll talk with them about PN v. Non-PN canisters.  Ask the general questions and go from there to narrow down what would work best for them. I've never really been asked about the science of how any machine works, but as for Hoover machines, I make it a point to explain the WindTunnel technology on true three channel WindTunnels.

 

[vintagerepairer]

In the UK

There really isn't that much to choose. Either a customer wants a high-priced vacuum cleaner and many will already be leaning towards a Dyson, or else they want something much cheaper. Over here, there is little middle ground choice available.

From a sales point of view, it would be about getting the customer to spend as much as possible, so long as the customer gets what they need. There is now a slightly larger choice of bagless cleaners which claim not to lose suction power, and as has been suggested before, one simply asks the customer what brand they had before and either sells them the same again if they were happy with it, or homes in on one other if they were not. As a former independent shop owner, I am well placed to comment on the need to make a sale from each and every customer, wherever possible. I may not have had targets to work to, but I had masses of overheads and bills to pay. This can be a marvelous incentive when it comes to choosing between a customer buying what I want them to buy, and buying what made me the most amount of money.

 

[sebo_fan]

Well there is a middle ground of brands - it just hasn't been promoted terribly well by brands themselves because they don't see the vacuum cleaner/floorcare market as important as their usual sales. Russell Hobbs for example isn't a cheap brand per se, but they have more concentration on the market with their SDA line rather than concentrating wholly on their floorcare - and lets face it - its all TTI type vacuums made in China with brand names swapped around when you really tear down those vacuums. It just depends on how well some of those models have been built. Russell Hobbs currently has a NLOS upright vacuum but it merely reiterates the same design they had before with a new filter design.

Infact when I think about it, there are quite a few brands out there which straddle the cheap end of the market with a "middle ground" of brands already established, with premium and commercial based on top. The major issue is that they are all competing for the buyer and will base their vacuums according to price rather than offer something substantially different or better built.

As of yet, UK buyers are not realising that the major players from ions past are no longer the best.
 
 

 

[davetranter]

"Digital Motor"

Pardon me asking, but what, precisely IS a 'digital motor'??? Are we talking a Stepper Motor, or an ordinary motor 'digitally CONTROLLED' by a PWM board?? Any motor which 'spins at 100,000rpm' is going to have a VERY short service life indeed. It seems that Dyson is telling us exactly why we should NOT purchase his latest offering.

Opinions/answers please......

I really hate it when manufacturers resort to 'psycho-babble' to sell their stuff

All best

Dave T