Are You Avoiding Your Customers… After the Sale?
(And Accidentally Killing Referrals Because of It)
Let’s talk about something most salespeople won’t admit out loud.
Have you ever not followed up with a customer after the sale…
because you were afraid of what they might say?
Maybe they’ll complain.
Maybe delivery went sideways.
Maybe they’re unhappy.
Maybe you just don’t want to open that door.
If that sounds familiar, don’t worry, you’re not broken.
But according to SELLability, this is a problem you absolutely must clean up.
Because this isn’t about courage.
It’s about certainty.
And uncertainty after the sale quietly destroys customer relationships, referrals, and confidence.
The Real Reason Salespeople Avoid Follow-Up
Most people think salespeople avoid post-sale follow-up because they’re lazy.
That’s not it.
They avoid it because:
- They’re worried something went wrong
- They don’t know the delivery status
- They’re afraid of hearing bad news
- They don’t want to “rock the boat”
So instead of certainty, they live with background anxiety.
And that anxiety shows up later as:
- Fewer referral requests
- Less confidence with new prospects
- Hesitation when using past customers as examples
- A vague feeling of “I hope everything turned out okay…”
Hope is not a strategy.
SELLability teaches that having certainty in your customer relationships is a core sales ability, not a personality trait.
The Simple Exercise That Fixes This Fast
Here’s the cleanest way to eliminate post-sale avoidance.
Step 1: Make the List
Write down every customer you still have attention on.
Not customers who complained.
Customers you’re worried about.
If you think,
“Hmm… I should probably check on them someday,”
they go on the list.
Step 2: Remove the Salesperson From the Equation
This is critical.
Instead of you calling those customers directly:
- Have Quality Control
- Or Delivery
- Or Customer Success
…do a simple customer survey or status check.
The goal is not to sell.
The goal is to find out how they’re actually doing.
Step 3: Let the Data Replace the Fear
Here’s what almost always happens:
Most of the customers on that list?
They’re happy.
They received the product.
Delivery went fine.
They have no complaints.
You just didn’t know that, because no one told you.
And here’s the part most companies mess up…
The QC Mistake That Keeps Salespeople Nervous
Many companies do quality control follow-up.
But then they make a critical error.
They never send the results to the salesperson.
Which means the salesperson keeps worrying about a problem that doesn’t exist.
SELLability is very clear on this:
Every Quality Control survey must be shared with the original salesperson. Always.
Why?
Because the moment the salesperson sees:
“Customer satisfied. No issues reported.”
Something powerful happens.
Fear disappears.
Confidence returns.
Follow-up becomes easy.
What Happens Next Is Where the Magic Is
Once salespeople know the customer is happy, they naturally:
- Call to check in
- Strengthen the relationship
- Ask for referrals
- Use that customer confidently as a success story
No pressure.
No awkwardness.
No avoidance.
And here’s the kicker…
If there are one or two customers who aren’t happy?
Perfect.
At least now you know.
Those get routed to delivery or service immediately, where they belong.
Sales stays clean.
Delivery fixes delivery.
And the customer relationship is protected.
Why This Affects New Sales More Than You Think
Unresolved post-sale uncertainty leaks into future sales conversations.
When salespeople don’t feel solid about past customers:
- They hesitate when asked for references
- They lack conviction
- They subconsciously pull back
But when they know their customers are happy?
They sell differently.
They sound calmer.
They speak with certainty.
They reference real success stories.
Confidence becomes automatic.
Final SELLability Insight
Customer relationship isn’t about being “nice after the sale.”
It’s about eliminating unknowns.
SELLability teaches that certainty doesn’t come from optimism, it comes from verified information.
When you:
- Know your customers are happy
- Share QC results with sales
- Remove fear from follow-up
You don’t just get better relationships.
You get:
- More referrals
- Stronger confidence
- Better future sales
- And a sales team that feels good about what they deliver
And that’s exactly how professional sales organizations grow, on purpose.
