THE GENERATION GAP!!!!!!!!! Part I

The Generation Gap!  We have all heard this throughout our lives.  In my younger days, I did not fully appreciate this term.   At best, it meant that although our thoughts and ideas were different from those of our elders, they should be respected.  Now that it is our turn to be the elder, reality sets in, albeit slowly.

I think that for some time now, we all have been witnessing this Generation Gap firsthand and in plain view, but may not want to accept it. 

I felt that my sales skills and strategies that brought me success are evergreen and will always be valid and relevant.  After all, it took many years to develop this expertise.    So, it must work, and the younger generation “should” learn this from me.   I was naïve when young and now have come full circle to be naïve again.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I stumbled into a swim school, and I wanted to ask about swimming lessons for my grandsons.  I approached a young receptionist behind the counter and asked, “Do you have a brochure promoting your school?”  I should not have been surprised by her reply.  She was polite and, with a smile, said, “We do not print any brochures, and all the information is on our website.”   This seems to be a standard reply each time I ask for a brochure or printed materials from any establishment.  She noticed my facial expression, which must have looked like a huge, disappointed question mark. Wanting to help me recover, she added, “But if you like, I can give you my spiel.”  This brought back a happy smile from me.    

The truth is that part of the reason for approaching anyone with a question is to give them a chance to “SELL” their product, and this was no exception.  

She started to provide a description of the school to which I listened intently.   Ironically, I was more interested in watching her performance, which so far was energetic and effective.  As my questions became more detailed, she seemed to hesitate and referred me back to the website for more information.  I wanted very much to continue the conversation as I wanted to see her continue her “pitch.”  Just then, my wife politely interrupted me and said, “It’s all on the website, do you think she knows all the answers?”  She further interrupted the conversation to thank the receptionist for her time and dragged me away.   Once outside, she said, "Why do you keep asking? It makes you look stupid.” 

Is this the way sellers and buyers behave today?

While that was upsetting to me, especially as it was a reaction from my wife, it made me think about selling and the expectations of salespeople today.  Quite apparently, the seller today does not have total product knowledge and relies on the website for answers, and according to my wife, the buyer today should not appear stupid to ask questions because answers are on a website.   Wow! That is a cruel realization, akin to a slap in the face, but perhaps true.   The drive home was quiet as I tried to rationalize this incident.  By the time I reached home, I calmed down a little, and the reality set in.   Communication today is vastly different, and we need to find a way to reach this audience the way “they” want to be reached.  Is the human element lost in this new generation?  

How will this evolve in the future?