Why 'Before-sales service' is more important than 'After-sales'

Of all the times I can remember buying shoes for myself, there isn't a single instance where the store salesman asked me about my work/play lifestyle. No questions about, what the shoe is for, where do I intend to use it, do I have an active exercise schedule, is it for walking or jogging, do I intend to ever wear sneakers to work, what kind of flooring do I have at home or the office...and so on.

In fact, the purchase scenarios I remember, all had salesmen waiting for me to ask for a particular pair of shoes and in some cases a few pairs were suggested to me. What's funny is, most of my 'other purchase scenarios' too have resulted in similar experiences.

Now those are opportunities lost for a sale. Without being too intrusive, sellers must gauge from their buyers, what need/problem they intend to fulfill/solve through a purchase. They must then demonstrate why the brands they sell can be for the buyer, the fulfillment/solution they seek. In most cases this can guarantee a sale. But then, the seller is so lost in his own product/brand, he fails to realise that its never about what he sells, its always about what need/problem the buyer wants to fulfill/solve.

This 'before-sales service' is what can ultimately lead to an 'after-sales service' requirement as the sale would have been made. That's why a marketer must associate high priority to before-sales service.

Cartoon : http://www.customersarealways.com