How to Solve Problems for Profit

One of the many jobs I’ve had in my life was tech support, sales, and small business consultation at GoDaddy.

Thousands of people would call there daily, typically waiting in line while the overworked (and honestly, underpaid) professionals there tried to solve their issues.

It almost never failed that someone would call in wanting us to “fix” their website.

Here’s the thing, though, GoDaddy wasn’t a website business. It’s a hosting business. If you wanted a website built by them, you could pay for it (starting at just $2500!) and they’d be happy to take care of it.

Other than that, it wasn’t GoDaddy’s job, nor was it mine, to fix the website unless it was due to a server issue.

Operator error was not our domain.

So, after troubleshooting, if it wasn’t a server issue (it usually wasn’t), I would explain that to them and offer one of our services that could help them.

You can imagine how that went over.

In typical, entitled fashion they would scream at me (which didn’t solve their problem), would ask to speak to my manager (which didn’t solve their problem), or they would hang up and call back in (and typically get routed right back to me, which… you guessed it… did not solve their problem.)

They didn’t want to spend more money, even though they would constantly stress it was their business website, their means of income, and someone would be sued for this injustice.

That last one usually made me laugh. It was sometimes hard to get the phone on mute before it happened.

I would then tell them to let me run some tests.

I wasn’t running tests. I had usually already identified the issue.

I was simply buying time to gather data, and let them calm down. (Sometimes, I would also go pee or get a coffee.)

I would check their account to see how much they were spending on their business monthly.

The average was around $30.

I would check to see what other services they had purchased, and it was usually the bottom run option, trying to save a buck at the expense of their business.

Armed with information, I would get back on the line.

I would ask, “How much do you spend on your cell phone bill every month?”

They would tell me, “About $100.”

I would ask them how much they knew about building websites.

They would typically tell me they knew nothing about building them.

I would then explain to them that in order to make money, you had to spend money. It’s a common knowledge in business.

If they didn’t know how to do it, they needed an expert to do it for them. They could go somewhere else to find that expert, but they would not be able to match the price I offered them.

Or they could take valuable time from their business itself and learn how to do it on their own.

I could help them, but there would be price to be paid, and not only would I help them, but the money they spent would leave them in a better place than they imagined they would be before the call.

I didn’t bullshit them. I told them exactly what they needed to hear to solve their problem, laid out a plan on how I would do it for them, the cost to implement the solution, and how I would execute it before they ever got off the phone line.

9 times out of 10, they decided to pay the price. They didn’t always like it, but unless they were utterly clueless, arguing with that logic was foolish.

And here’s the kicker.

By the time I was done, the problem would not only be corrected, but I had gained their trust and they wanted to know more.

This would result in me explaining to them what I would do if I were running their business, the products I would use, and this resulted in more sales.

I overcame their objections, provided a solution that worked, and left them better off than when they started.

Just as I promised in the beginning.

Here’s what you can take from that:

1. The customer is always right… but they are frequently misinformed.

It’s your job to educate them and make them offers that will solve their problems.

Regardless of what they think they know, they wouldn’t be calling you (or contacting you) if they DID know.

You customer/client isn’t stupid. They are just ignorant of the process that will solve their issue. If you educate them properly, they now have the knowledge to make an educated decision.

Usually, they will make the correct one.

2. If you’re spending more on your cell phone bill than your business every month, you don’t have a business.

You have a hobby.

If you haven’t invested in the infrastructure to make sure your business runs correctly, not only will you fail but, honestly, it deserves to fail.

Why? Because you don’t believe in it.

If you did, you wouldn’t be trying to cut as many corners as possible and you don’t understand what it means to run a business.

Why should anyone believe or utilize your business if you don’t believe in it?

3. The harsh truth is much better than a pretty lie, and if the client can’t handle that truth, they’re not a very good client.

They are not your ideal demographic.

If they can’t understand that your knowledge will benefit them and position them in a better place than before by taking your counsel or accepting your solution, it’s better to “fire” the client.

Let them look elsewhere, because all they’re doing is wasting your time bitching and moaning how things should be handed to them.

4. Solving problems isn’t free.

If you can solve a problem for someone, there is value in your service.

There is always a cost to be paid, whether through monetary means, time spent correcting the issue, or any other way.

That cost is paying you for what you know.

If they don’t want to pay that cost, then the results are on them, not you.

5. Knowledge is most definitely power.

Being armed with knowledge, I knew how to direct the conversation.

I knew how to control the narrative.

Formerly hostile conversations became a delight as I was able to convince the customer/client to allow me to solve their problems.

I did it by learning to stop being a people pleaser and start offering solutions that worked.

I didn’t budge when they made demands that I do it for them for free.

I ignored their entitlement and offered value-driven solutions.

Then I executed and did what I said I would do.

The point is that you will not please all of the people all of the time, but by learning your craft and executing it well, not only can you help the customer/client, but you can also help yourself.

It does take time and patience (much more with some people than others), but you’re also not being that sleazy used car salesman.

You CAN solve their problems. You are providing a service they need in order to ensure their success.

Not only is this solution worth the money, so is all the time you took to gain the knowledge to execute that solution.

Don’t be afraid to charge for that. Get over the insecurity you may have or the imposter syndrome. Swallow it down and push it to the back of your brain.

Your knowledge in your area of expertise is valuable.

Overcome their objections, solve the problem, profit.

I promise, they’ll come back for more.

Thanks for reading!

Hi, I'm Joe. I help creators share their unique voices simply and effectively. Here's how I can help you:

• Join my newsletter.
• Get 1 email every week.
• Access multiple actionable links.
• Learn focus, clarity, efficiency, & consistency.
• Profit.