讀孫子兵法學英文》惺惺相惜


















【經濟日報╱朱文章】

2007.08.26 04:15 am

轉貼新聞:http://udn.com/NEWS/FINANCE/FIN11/3986368.shtml


 


價格透明化和採購全球化,是網際網路帶給企業的最大衝擊。許多企業驚覺:現在是買方市場,無論提案如何完善、解決方法如何創新、價格如何優惠、品質如何提升,總是會有幾家大客戶將訂單轉給競爭對手。

盡了力,客戶照跑不誤。英文”Shit happens.”(不盡人意),就是說壞事也發生在好人身上。台灣代工廠搶單搶得兇,外國廠商放風聲製造壓力,讓業者削價搶單。

這種吊胃口作風,英文俗語說成”You can shit in one hand, and wish in the other, and see which one fills up first.”。如翻成中文,近乎「只聞樓梯響」,亦即沒有實際投單,說了半天都是假的。這句話通常會帶上另一句話:”Come on, do something about it then, don't just talk about it!”要求對方拿出具體行動,來表示誠意!

在我背上撒尿…
厚,吃人夠夠好可惡。


如果對方臨時抽單,讓人措手不及,也不能生氣,免得損及關係。這種被人吃得死死的困境,英文生動的描繪成:”Don't piss down my back, and tell me it's raining.”和台語「吃人夠夠」有異曲同功之妙。

不盡人意的事到處都有,以二手車市場為例,外行人像待宰羔羊,店內銷售員相互支應(shadowing),客戶買了車回家開一個月,才知道買了爛貨(know as one goes),可是為時已晚。

例:“My brother scored 5 goals in his playoff game.The next game he had at least one, usually two, players shadowing him the entire time he was on the court.”「延長賽我哥哥連進五球,下一場球對方派了不只一個球員,對他緊迫盯人。」

“I've never bought a car before and there are many details that I do not know about, looks like I'll just know as I go.”「以前我沒買過車,也不了解箇中奧妙,只好走一步算一步了。」



使盡吃奶力氣…
做足功課,不當冤大頭。



現在買車的人事前都會做足功課,不讓業務員牽著走。美國的ed-munds.com和凱利藍皮書(kbb.com),都公正地站在第三者立場,將車款、廠商、年份、銷售地等,一一分門別類,購車者上網瀏覽,就了解自己的預算及目標底限,不須使盡吃奶的力氣,才能從銷售員身上得到好處(the squeaky wheel gets the grease)。 因此,購車者都知道(it’s an unwritten laws)要先做功課,才說得過業務員三寸不爛之舌。

例:”Since the squeaky wheel gets the grease so the customer keeps bargaining with the sales rep.”「顧客相信會吵的孩子有糖吃,因此全力和業務員討價還價。」

“It is an unwritten law to not go into a dark alley late at night alone.”「大家都知道,入夜之後不要逗留黑巷。」

買二手車的都盼望買到不出狀況的車子。美國車商Carmax.com針對這種心理,經手中古車時,一定先經徹底修檢,以確保車子的最佳性能;不過,這家公司賣車時,也堅持不二價,不容客人殺價。

這種經營理念和商業模式,將客戶與業務員從水火難容(water and oil)的敵對狀態,轉為水乳交融(of one mind)。因為客戶沒有上當的疑慮,業務員也不必浪費唇舌,雙方都為對方打算,因此沒有芥蒂。


忠誠度雙向道…
相互信任,有錢大家賺。



例:”The two partners had very different views on how the business should be run and they conflicted like water and oil. After talking it over many times they are finally in agreement and work of one mind.”「兩位合夥人對經營理念原本有許多扞格,經過多次懇談,終能齊心對外。」

奇異公司前執行長威爾許,針對顧客跑單提出解釋,並給予忠誠度新的定義:如果賣方提供的不只是價格、品質和服務,而是幫助客戶在市場上成功致勝,不可或缺的東西,一定可以維繫客戶忠誠度。亦即它是雙向道,而不僅是一種交易。

孫子兵法也說:「易其事,革其謀,使人無識。易其居,迂其途,使人不得慮。」亦即士兵不必知道太多軍事部署計畫,不必推測軍事意圖,只要安心服從命令全力作戰即可。比較孫子、威爾許的說法,再參照Car-max的作法,可見打破疑慮,相互信任,可以帶來長期利益(two hearts beat as one),的確是維繫客戶忠誠度的最佳手段。

例:“Jane and Mel have been friends since they were little kids. They've always been with each other and their two hearts beat as one. Next week they'll be getting mar-ried!”「小珍和梅爾兩小無猜,相知相許,下周就要結為連理。」



【2007/08/26 經濟日報】@ http://udn.com/


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