For the past five years I’ve been pulling my kids in a trailer and occasionally riding for myself on a bike I bought over twenty years ago.
My sons are growing up, learning to ride their own bikes, and finding their own fun on two wheels, so I decided it was time for me to rediscover the long-distance riding I enjoyed.
I wanted to buy a new bike, but I wasn’t ready to walk into a store and speak with a salesperson. Bikes had become so much more technologically advanced and expensive since I last purchased one.
As I started to research all of the new advancements and possibilities, I was reminded of the steps my customers take when they’re looking to purchase new equipment or technology. They do a ton of research, speak with friends and colleagues, and are about 80% ready to buy when I’m brought in as one of the salespeople to compete for the deal.
My online research and readings had me about 60% ready to buy, but I needed to speak with someone who was knowledgeable about bikes and had made a similar and more recent purchase, so I immediately called my friend Dominic.
For years Dominic has been riding competitively, leading tour groups and gravel rides, and even organizes a one-day ride across Illinois from the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan, which I will be doing in 2023.
Dominic asked me about the riding I like to do, my research, and what was important to me. Our conversation led me to start looking for an aluminum bike that sat up higher in front with higher-end components to help with my long-distance rides.
Now I was ready to walk into a bike store and start my buying process.
I told the first salesperson about the two different bikes I was interested in, the level of components, and that I wanted it in aluminum. He immediately took me to the more expensive carbon fiber bikes and explained why I should consider these instead. They did have some cool features that the aluminum bikes didn’t, but it would cost me more than I budgeted for or really needed. I reminded him that I didn’t want carbon fiber, but he immediately doubled down on why it was so important and shouldn’t consider anything else. I thanked him for his time and walked out of the store.
The salesperson at the second store had a completely different approach. I mentioned the bikes I was interested in and wasn’t shown any bikes at all. Instead, like my friend Dominic, he started asking questions about my current bike, the riding I like to do, how often I ride, and where I like to ride.
He agreed the bikes I wanted to see would work well and then pointed out that there were some awesome gravel trails where I liked to ride and asked if I did any gravel riding.
I told him that I’d always wanted to but thought I needed a different type of bike for gravel. He brought me over to one of the bikes and explained how this one had everything I was looking for in a road bike, but also had the capability to ride on gravel because of the carbon fork and wider wheelbase that allowed for gravel tires.
My world just doubled in size. I could do all of the long-distance road rides, and then switch out the tires to explore all the gravel and dirt trails I used to just pass by.
Then to top it all off, he explained how to get used to the new disc brakes, their generous return policy, and how I’d receive two complimentary tune-ups. This reminded me of the level of service that Benco Dental and our manufacturing partners work to offer our customers so they’re happy and comfortable with their big purchases for years to come.
The exact bike I purchased was available for the same price at both stores I visited. Which store do you think I bought it from?
Buying my new bike turned out to be such an awesome experience. I was provided with incredible service, an amazing product that exceeded my expectations, an opportunity to reflect on my customer’s purchasing process, and a spark to want to write more stories like this.
I strive to run my customer meetings by focusing on the customer’s point of view, asking the best questions, truly listening to their needs, and always working to show them their gravel roads.
If you’re looking for a dental sales representative and full-service distributor who puts the customer first and will work to get you what you want, please reach out to me or your local Benco Dental representative.
Jason D. Dempsey 