Comments on: Are you lying comfortably?

By: Ethics in Sales | Get More Clients

Ethics in Sales | Get More Clients — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:37:13 +0000

[...] recent post by Colin WIlson – Are You Lying Comfortably – got me thinking about ethics in [...]

By: Ethics in Sales | Ian Brodie’s Get More Clients Blog

Ethics in Sales | Ian Brodie’s Get More Clients Blog — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:07:43 +0000

[...] June 2008 · 11 COMMENTS A recent post by Colin WIlson – Are You Lying Comfortably – got me thinking about ethics in [...]

By: Ethics in Sales | Sales Excellence | Sales Excellence

Ethics in Sales | Sales Excellence | Sales Excellence — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:04:55 +0000

[...] Ian | June 13, 2008 A recent post by Colin WIlson - Are You Lying Comfortably - got me thinking about ethics in [...]

By: Brad

Brad — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 03:39:52 +0000

Colin,
I know there are people who will disagree with me but I am with Ian. I tend towards total transparency. It would be just as easy to tell the truth and say I am totally booked up but could be out there at 7:30 Monday. As you said, in the post, he is efficient, reliable, and in demand. If all that is true. customers should have no problem believing that he is booked up.
The one thing I have learned in sales is that the truth rarely gets you in trouble and lies are almost always found out. If the truth does land you in trouble better now than later when the risk is potentially higher. Moreover, if the truth will land you in trouble it’s probably a sale you are better off without.

-Brad

By: Sales Excellence » Ethics in Sales

Sales Excellence » Ethics in Sales — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:43:38 +0000

[...] A recent post by Colin WIlson - Are You Lying Comfortably - got me thinking about ethics in sales. [...]

By: Chris Whyatt

Chris Whyatt — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:09:53 +0000

Colin ‘Douglas’ Wilson then from now on!

Everything needs to be judged in its context; he (the engineer, not Doug) told a white lie to cover himself in a B2C situation, which we all know happens (’we are out of stock today, but will have more tomorrow’), and half expect I guess, so no problem there I believe.

In a B2B environment it happens all day every day; ‘the PO is on its way’, ‘the cheque is in the post’, ‘I am just finishing the proposal, I will email tonight’, ‘I love working on bids, honestly, I’m just too busy to contribute’ etc.

Not so acceptable - B2B demands honesty.

By: Ian Brodie

Ian Brodie — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:34:55 +0000

Hi Colin,

I become more convinced daily that you’re the reincarnation of Douglas Adams.

The “white lie” question is a really tough one - whether it’s for sales or life in general - and I don’t have a great answer.

Personally, I veer towards complete transparency. Possibly it’s just the way I am, but it may also be to do with the nature of the relationships I aim to set up with my clients. If you are establishing long term rather than transactional relationships then the risk of damaging that relationship with a “little white lie” is greater.

On the other hand, we know from Ellen Langer’s work at Harvard and the “photocopier experiment” that giving a reason for something - no matter the qality of the reason - makes it much more acceptable to people. So the “I haven’t got the part” is easier to swallow for customers than no reason at all (and certainly better than “you’re not a good customer”).

I think there’s also an element of social conventions here. Rather like asking “how are you?” and always expecting “fine” not a real answer. Or abit like “It’s not you, it’s me…”. We probably really know that the problem isn’t a missing part when someone gives us that excuse - we’re not really being lied to because we understand the code - it’s a social convention to let us down easily and not make us feel bad.

Ian

By: Tim Rohrer

Tim Rohrer — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:54:52 +0000

Although we’ve never met I get the feeling I like you. That’s a good feeling, isn’t it? If I didn’t actually have this feeling, would it be wrong to make you feel good? Maybe.

For me, the question of wrongness has to with intent. Since your washing repairman (uh, engineer) only intends to make his customers happy and then actually does make them happy, it is not wrong for him to lie about the reason they have to wait.

Congratulations to him for being busy and also caring about people’s feelings. Wow, a story about both a washing machine and an engineer with emotions!

By: nesh thompson

nesh thompson — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:47:58 +0000

To be honest with you, I really enjoyed this article…not to say I haven’t enjoyed all your others….or do I?

The truth shall set you free and if not will certainly set your customers free.