LEAN CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES (LCP®)

LEAN sales Pitch

How to avoid the "double glazing" Pitch

Double Glazing comes to mind as soon as someone thinks of a "Sales Person" they would like to avoid. Why have they such a bad reputation? And can we avoidance of the same pitfalls help us develop selling LEAN in a work environment? Consider the tables below for classic Sales pitch and Blocking arguments.

	Sales Problem	Issue for LEAN	LEAN Strategy

1	The salesperson tries to persuade you to have fewer openings in your windows. This is not that unusual and the reason is that the more openings you have - the more expensive it will be.	Be aware of VALUE Engineering workshops and initiatives. They sell less is more. Engineers will often cover up ill conceived objectives and sell them back as a success!	Look after Objectives and Goals

2	This design is not possible: Very few designs are impossible. More often the salesperson, whom you should remember often has quite limited technical experience, does not know how it is done	Technology is dynamic and evolves. Seek information on new materials and method.	Challenge the Method and model by analysing the constraint

3	We don't recommend Hardwood or PVCu or Aluminium: This happens when a company has a limited product range. If you only do Aluminium then quite naturally you will not give a glowing reference for Hardwood.	Avoid consultants or facilitators with preconceived ideas of what worked well last time.	Choose your own initiatives and tools.

4	This Special Offer only holds good for one visit only (variations are offers ending this weekend, month etc): This is often referred to in sales circles as the FCD - First Call Discount. Basically it is to put pressure on you to make a buying decision now. Fail to buy now and you lose the discount!	Make time to analyse the problems and make important decisions before they are urgent	Programme quality thinking time into the teams task. Involve all stakeholders

5	Our salesperson could not make it so I - the sales manager/commercial manager/trade sales manager have come instead. The deal here is that you will supposedly save money because the company will not be paying for any sales commission. (The manager will put order through at a trade price etc.) This approach will often be followed by - can you please make a decision now as I am a very busy person and I will not be able to call out next time or fail to buy now and we will have to send out the sales person and off course the price will be higher.	Involve the supply chain in the LEAN process, and seek value and perfection over price.	Create time to interface with the supply chain and make procurement decisions based on value and quality. Seek effective purchase over cost.

6	Agree to be a show house and we will give you additional discount. This is another common 'ploy' and whilst there may well be some genuine offers around - you should realise that this is often just another attempt to get you to make a decision now.	Do not be led by the promise of being a celebrity LEAN showcase Project. Practice LEAN to benefit your environment - avoid hype and overselling.	Map you own path through the LEAN jungle. Develop your KPI's

The reverse of positive selling is the answers and comments people can give to block a reasoned case for change and progress. The table below explores generic counter arguments and the relevance to LEAN.

	Constraint - LEAN blocker	Issue for LEAN	LEAN Strategy

1	Argumentum ad Temperantium -half way 2+2=4 or 2+2=6 call it 5 - and settle for middle ground in debate which is seldom tidy. A compromise to settle discussion is often meaningless and inaccurate.	A compromise is seldom tidy or effective, try to remain radical and effective.	Always Plan, Do, Check Act and then the initiative will be effective

2	Runaway train - To save life then reduce road speed to 60 ...why not 30 or 0 - what is better than 70? - challenge detail and rational behind statement - where is evidence to support a statement?	The evidence to move forward in measured steps in reducing waste comes from DATA.	Capture the right information and make changes based on evidence - measure the improvement or effect.

3	Apriorism - A cart before horses - warm weather shows global warming and cold weather shows climate change - change of tact to move argument on to less challenged ground - although subject not linked.	Give visibility to the process - prevent spurious claims to failure.	Process map the flow - give ownership and time constraints to delivery.

4	Fake opponents - All old people should not drive - but who are they? Over 70? Over 40 what is the exact rule going to be - challenge the working of "the detail" and expose how impractical it may be.	Avoid activists selling their own drives and personal goals	Root Cause Analysis will capture hard data on the constraints

5	Cum hoc ergo propter hoc - All events that happen at same time are linked - lightening and thunder linkage - crime increase as weather gets hotter (or colder!)	Events that are not connected often are blamed for failure	Take time to Drill Down on the data and expose the real Waste

6	To quoque - Therefore your argument can be ignored because of something you did yourself - ie argue that you never liked so and so as a reason to offset the challenge of bad behavior towards someone	Some seeds fall on stoney ground and will never cultivate. Sideline those who are constant blocks.	Focus on Stakeholders with power.