He might be the top salesmen in NBC’s The Office, but Dwight Shrute is a character that defies most of the sales tactics that we have discussed in class. Dwight does not properly attune to the situation that surrounds him. This includes both his sales life and his personal life. He’s usually so strict to his own perception regarding women’s roles, dominance, and aggression that he can be oblivious to what is actually going on around him. The scene above shows this conflict. Many customers reviewed Dwight as being too “hostile and pushy”. It’s honestly surprising that the show reports him as having the highest sales numbers when he continuously makes those around him uncomfortable. Towards the end of the sales clip, Dwight begs Michael to not fire him, even thought this entire conversation is a simulation to help him learn how to work with people. He completely ignores the fact that Jim is messing around with him and that his job is not actually in jeopardy.
When working in Sales, do the opposite of what Dwight does in this scene.
- If it wasn’t obvious, DO NOT BE AGGRESSIVE TOWARD THE CLIENT.
- Make personal connections to the prospect.
- Read the situation that you are in and attune your behavior.
- Ask questions, don’t tell, if you want to sell. (Nice rhyming, huh?)
- As Michael points out, never yell at the client.
BoweryJE22
Hahah yes, yelling is probably something a salesperson should always avoid. You outlined some important points that are essential in a successful sales process. Cool video and great post!
This is so true, Dwight is so self interested that he is almost completely oblivious to everyone else around him. He does not understand emotion or what it means to be empathetic towards anyone. All these things, however, are essential to being a good salesperson.