Luxury
THE
SALES
EXPERIENCE
By Amber Fox
People love to buy but hate being
sold to. This has long been true for all
customers but even more so with the
luxury buyer. They know what they
want and how they want it. This can
sometimes make it difficult for a sales
or reservations representative from
a luxury property to take control and
lead them towards the optimal buy. If
they push or sound too mechanical, it
can have the opposite effect that they
want. They must gently lead them on
an experiential journey that assures,
excites, motivates and satisfies the
potential guest. To see how this works,
let’s take a look at the luxury guest and
best path for their buying experience.
The luxury buyer is savvy. They are
experienced and know what it’s like to
have the ultimate experience – and
what it is like not to have one. From
the moment your representative
connects with this caller, they must
give the impression that this will be
an exceptional stay. What does that
sound like? First of all, they are able to
98 ILHA
immediately get through to someone.
There is no continuous ringing, pushing
buttons, multiple transfers, and long
waits. The greeting is sincere. It
comes with a smile that can be heard in
their voice. It shows respect. It gives a
split-second view of your brand image.
If your property is formal, so is the
greeting. If your property is hip and
trendy, the greeting reflects that. It
causes the buyer to take a sigh of relief
and say, “I’ve called the right place.”
The luxury buyer is smart. They have
researched online and have either
made a selection or narrowed down
the field. So why are they calling? We
make it so easy for them to book online
now that if they pick up the phone
there is a good reason. It is critical
that your representative discover why.
How can they help the potential guest?
How can they help them buy? The
seller must know what to ask and then
actively listen and respond correctly.
If the buyer feels the person they are
speaking with is just checking off a
list of questions to fill in a field, they
will lose confidence. They become a
number and that is the last thing a
luxury guest is ever willing to be. The
discovery experience must be caring
and helpful. Not inquisitive and rote.
Each luxury buyer is different.
Understanding different personalities,
and instantly picking up on these
personality clues, is critical to
communicating and selling effectively.
There will be many dominant take-
charge types that are calling. Your
seller must know how to answer
directly and not have the caller feel
they are getting the run-around while
still leading the buyer in the right
direction. Your staff knows what
they need (the right room type, the
perfect package, the ultimate activity
experience) and can help them buy it if
they handle them delicately. However,
not all the luxury buyers are dominant
drivers. Your representative must know
how to appeal to the amiables, the
influences, and the steady – reliants.