Gatekeeper is an employee whose roadblocks you need to pass in order to get throught to your key person. In practice, it is often a secretary or an assistant, which protects their boss bravely against the odds of people interested in meeting them or speaking to them over the phone. Why is it so hard to pass around them?
- They don't want to lose control. Even a secretary has a significant influence in her company and outsiders may disrupt it.
- They are just doing their job. Usually they feel that their main task is to defend their boss agains troops of sales people. This helps to repeat business, but blocks new suppliers.
- They are afraid that you will make a bad impression. Therefore, they significantly reduce the number of people they let in.
- The current status quo is the easiest for them. Every change is a complication.
- They don't understand the value added which the sales person brings. They either believe that the competition is the best, or simply don't understand the benefits for the company with which you are coming.
- Sometimes they in fact don't want you to get the deal. It can happen that are related to the competition, or they simply don't like your sales person.
The solution is simple: Form an alliance!
It is best to make a gatekeeper your ally. Try to find out their interests and how you can help them. Once you understand the reasons they don't let you pass them, you can come up with solutions.
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