Objection at the Electric Scooter Showroom
At an electric-scooter showroom in Nagpur, a salesperson meets a 34-year-old school teacher who travels 18 km each way. She likes an e-scooter priced at ₹95,000 but keeps comparing it with a petrol scooter at ₹78,000. Her apartment society has not allowed charging points; she fears battery replacement cost, resale value and running out of charge. She says, 'I'll think about it' and mentions a competitor offering a ₹5,000 exchange bonus. Her old petrol scooter is valued at ₹20,000. The salesperson has authority to offer ₹2,000 worth of accessories, but no price discount. Monthly target is 12 scooters; 7 are done with four days left. The customer has not test-ridden the scooter.
1. Identify the stage of the personal selling process and classify the customer's objections. For each objection, give a response that does not rely on price discount.
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The salesperson is in the handling-objections stage, moving towards close; the customer has not yet test-ridden. The objections are mixed. The charging-point issue is a genuine need/access objection. Battery replacement cost and resale value are economic objections. Range anxiety is a fear/risk objection. 'I'll think about it' is a stall, often hiding an unresolved concern.
Responses should acknowledge each concern and reduce risk. For charging, offer concrete help: a draft society letter, information on portable charging, and a map of public chargers near her route. For battery cost, explain warranty terms and calculate cost per kilometre against petrol without overclaiming. For resale, present a buyback or battery-health certificate programme if the dealer has one. For range, arrange a test ride on her actual 18-km commute and calculate the 36-km daily need against the scooter's range and charging plan. For 'I'll think about it', ask which specific information is missing. None of these responses requires a price cut.
2. Should the salesperson offer the ₹2,000 accessory benefit immediately? Recommend a close and follow-up plan, with justification.
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No. Offering the accessory benefit immediately, before the test ride and before the charging objection is resolved, uses the only concession to buy a conversation rather than to close a decision. It also trains the customer to expect a discount.
The salesperson should first resolve the charging and range concerns with a test ride, then use a trial close: 'If the charging letter is approved and the test ride feels comfortable, would you prefer delivery on Tuesday or Friday?' If the customer is positive, the ₹2,000 accessory benefit can be positioned as a limited close, for example a helmet and charging kit rather than a price cut. If she still hesitates, set a specific follow-up within 24 hours, send the society letter and charging map, and confirm the old scooter valuation of ₹20,000. The competitor's ₹5,000 exchange bonus should be compared on total cost and resale support, not matched blindly. With 7 of 12 units sold and four days left, the pressure is real, but a rushed discount risks a cancelled sale and a lower-margin deal.