Kissing Butt to Get the Sale

Some time ago I read an interesting thread on a forum that shall remain nameless. Contractors were discussing various tactics for getting the sale, including “kissing butt”. One commented that he would do whatever it takes to land the job.

On the surface this might sound like a reasonable approach. Certainly we must take into consideration the customer’s needs, concerns, and values. But to mix metaphors, “kissing butt” is not skin deep.

I will let you imagine the literal meaning of the phrase. In practice it isn’t a pretty sight. In principle, it isn’t any better.

I compared this tactic to that of a prostitute—doing “whatever it takes” means just that. You will do anything the customer requests, no matter how unreasonable. (I seriously doubt that the poster meant this, but I take words for their actual meaning.) A prostitute will debase herself simply to get the job—in fact, debasement is her job.

A painting contractor who adopts this tactic becomes nothing more than a patsy. He allows the customer to dictate the terms of their relationship. His constant appeasement makes him a docile pawn, manipulated into satisfying whatever whim happens to strike the customer. And the more he does, the more he reinforces the customer’s power lust.

This is not to say that we should be bullies and give the customer a “take it or leave it” proposition. It does mean that we must seek a relationship that is mutually beneficial, not just in the short term, but also in the long term.

“Kissing butt” focuses on the short term. The contractor’s concern is on the immediate moment—landing this job now. In the process, he undermines his long term success. We need customers, but not any one particular customer. We need paint jobs, but we do not need any one particular job. In short, don’t kiss butt to get a job. You will wind up with something much nastier than egg on your face.