Setting fixed calling hours is an established and well-tried method for the customer to rationalise the work flow in his purchasing department. However, orientation on the customer's fixed calling hours is not everything you need to worry about if a time for a visit has to be found. The customer's current situation is also worth a consideration. To find the best time for a customer call requires a great deal of sensitivity from a successful salesman.

Customer-oriented calling hours
- customer orientation

Customer orientation means to mentally walk in the customer's shoes, i.e. to see things from the customer's point of view and to act accordingly. That is a difficult undertaking if the "customer-oriented" salesman is mainly occupied with his own problems. In order to obtain a customer-oriented attitude, one should answer the following questions on the customer's situation to understand the customer's point of view:

- How strongly is the customer occupied with the fulfilment of his tasks at the moment?
- What mood is he in?
- What does the customer signal with his first few statements during the meeting?
- How could I describe the customer's situation?
- What would I do if I was in the customer's shoes?

Admittedly it is not always easy to imagine yourself in someone else's position especially if your own situation, such as the latest turnover development, has you worried. However, there are many advantages for both the customer and the salesman if the sold product fits right into the customer's situation. Likewise it can be said for calling hours that times have to be found which suit both the customer and the sales representative.

Customer-oriented calling hours
- how to determine them

Time and costs can be saved if sales representatives keep an eye on customer-oriented calling hours. These can be determined by the following means:

- The customer determines his visiting hours which has the advantage for him that his purchasing department administration can be rationalised. It is recommended for sales representatives to adapt their tour plan to these periods even if this can cause a few problems. Customers whose purchasing departments have set opening hours often wish brief and concise talks in order to accommodate as many sales representatives as possible during these hours. It is an advantage during these kinds of proceedings if you have an exceptional information on hand in order to stand out from the crowd of the salesmen appearing before or after you.
- The customer does not have fixed visiting hours and it is like a lottery for the salesman to pick the right time when the customer will be in. In this case you will have to make an appointment which suits the customer and his situation. If the customer is interested in what the salesman has to offer in the way of information or products, he will most likely accept this type of agreement.

Customer-oriented calling hours
- image creation and implementation

The maintenance of the agreed visiting hours by the sales representative creates a positive image. If the sales representative is seen to always keep his appointments and if his messages are of interest, he will soon establish good contacts with the customer and gain an advantage over his competitors.

Customer-oriented calling hours
- adjustment of the tour plan

The argument is often heard that customer-oriented calling hours are hard to implement since the tour plan also has to take into account the prevailing regional geographic conditions. In order to co-ordinate a tour plan with customer-oriented calling hours we recommend that you start by deciding on when to visit the A-customers with the narrowest time frames. Step by step you can then proceed to the customers with the most variable visiting hours.

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