Let’s talk about stigmatization, or how easy it is to fall into the trap of stereotypes in each circumstance. Each one of us have likely fallen into stereotyping someone. It is equally likely for all of us to have been the subject if at least one stereotype in our lives. And if you haven’t yet, then you are either haven’t paid attention, or you eventually will.
Is stereotyping good? Or is it bad? Well, I guess it depends on the parties at each end of the stereotype, i.e., the party issuing the stereotype and the one at the receiving end of it. What we can agree on is the fact that falling into the trap of stereotypes can generate a multitude of possible emotions. Allow me to share my most recent example.
A recent stereotype experience I went through
The context
I have resided for a number of years in a European island. I was in the process of switching jobs, and one the pre-employment conditions were to do a medical visit. The nature of the job required a physician to attest I was fit for the position.
So, I made the appointment… And that’s when the adventure (not to say “trouble”) started… The appointment was first postponed for some reason. Then, the venue changed (thanks to a broken scanner). The day of the appointment, there was such an outpouring of rain that the island was flooded.
Eventually, I got to the hospital, soaking wet and eager to be done with that blessed medical check. I explained I was there for a visit preliminary to a work contract. The receptionist’s first words to me were (and I am quoting) :
You will need to be vaccinated against measles. We currently do not have such vaccines as of now. The stock will be replenished tomorrow. Therefore you’ll need to make another appointment. Make sure to book it ASAP as the next spot is in a month from now.
My emotions
Needless to say: I was VERY (silently) upset, to say the least. Upset because I took a full day off to make sure I would be in that exam room. Not to mention I had several communications with hospital – no one had ever mentioned such detail.
Astonished, I step back, had a seat to calm down and reflect. I was like: “Wait a second! She never asked for my name, nor for the proof I was expected. I hadn’t even submitted any no identification or medical history documentation for verification. What makes her assume I need the measles vaccine?”
My reaction
It is only when I heard the next conversation that I had a clue. The tall handsome blond gentleman standing behind me was also there for medical visit prior to employment. The receptionist response turned out to be VERY different from the one she had given me:
Kindly have a seat, sir. The professor will see you shortly.
And that’s where it clicked! The receptionist had assumed I was an irregular migrant, in need of a work permit. It is usually a challenge for irregular migrants to prove they are vaccinated against measles. That vaccination is a sine qua non condition to be granted with a work permit.
Anyway, I got back up on my feet, and explained to the receptionist that I did not need to the measles shot she was trying to sell me – my long term and valid residence card was automatically allowing me to work, without needing the jab.
I politely challenged her to verify… To no avail. It was an African born professor – knowing the system – who stood for me, proving me right.
How did that situation change my way of doing business?
That incident was one of too many. For a very long time I thought, “had she just asked, all of this wouldn’t have happened”. Now how does that apply in business? Business are ran by people. And customers are human too.
Both parties – the vendor and the customer – come with their own biases. Salespeople are human beings. They therefore are also prone to making mistakes and wrongful assumptions. So most businesses operate with a certain amount of bias.
Good business runners acknowledge their biases and work either around them or with them. The sustainability of their businesses also depend on their abilities to avoid the trap of stereotypes. Here are some ways how they do it.
How to avoid the trap of stereotypes?
Ask questions
Often, when we prospect for a purchase, it is natural to ask questions to the vendor. You would want to know if you are purchasing the right solution to your need or wish. You may want to know how to best benefit from your purchase, etc.
When a client come to purchase a service, a good vendor will ask questions. This is to ensure the appropriate service / product will be provided to the customer, and that the said service / product provided will actually cater for their prospects’ need. Otherwise, it is an open boulevard to bad customer reviews. Better safe than sorry.
Asking questions is capital for several reasons:
- Sometimes, the prospect wouldn’t know what they need
- There is (huuuuuge) room for wrong assumption, which is NOT needed
- Friendly business deals can open up great doors
- Vendors do learn and improve from prospects and clients feedback
- There is no dumb question
Had the receptionist asked, no frustration and no argument would have occurred. As her customer, I assumed she’d know better, because it was her job to have such knowledge. As a vendor, she assumed I was falling in a certain category of customers because of my looks. We were both wrong.
Sum up
Once the questions are asked, make sure you listen to the answers / feedback. Regardless of what end of the deal you are at. This is capital. Good listeners have a better leverage for a win-win deal. A poor listening can lead to incidents even worse than the one I experienced.
Once all the parties provide the required answers, go ahead and make a summary. The summary will help make sure the salesperson clarify the needs of the prospect. It will also help the prospect to realize whether your product/service is a good fit for their need.
Remember the broken scanner, which caused the change of venue of my appointment…? Eventually, I did not need that, as I was legally residing in the country. I should have known better, as a scanner was ONLY requested to work permit applicants, as opposed to residence applicants.
I had worked with holders of work permits and attorneys, who had told me that several times over casual conversation. My failure to remembering and summing up that knowledge did not help the frustration I felt during my pre-employment medical visit.
Make an offer and let the prospect decide
Proceed into closing the deal: all of the previous points were aiming to reach this goal. The best deal can be proposed only when there was a good and active listening, i.e., asking questions and rephrasing the answers. Otherwise, you might end up selling an aircraft to a prospect in need of a yacht…
Make one or several proposals. Whether the proposal is formal, informal or non-formal, that is up to you. Needless to say: the proposal will have to reflect your customer needs. Once the proposal is communicated to the prospect, let them decide. Let me repeat that: leave the decision making to the prospect.
Coming back to my story: I realized that most stereotypes in business are birthed by the fact that so many steps of this method are corrupted. Stereotypes begin when there is no questions. Questions are to be asked in a caring way.
Stereotypes perpetuate because there is no challenge to the parties that issue them as such. The stereotyped parties contribute in the perpetuation of the stigmas because they do not voice their oppositions.
What about you? Have you ever noticed any trap of stereotypes you’ve constantly find yourself into? Did you ever challenge that? If yes, what did it result into? If no, what kept you from challenging it? I love to read about your experiences and feedback in the comment section.
This post aimed to guide you into avoiding the trap of stereotypes, especially in business. Feel free to comment and share.