🙏 Thank you to everyone who participated in our “tyre kickers” poll. We asked about your honest opinion on people who make enquiries, ask for quotations, or request information but have no real intention to buy, and the results reveal interesting perspectives on customer service and business patience.
Poll Questions: In business, “tyre kickers” are people who make enquiries, ask for quotations, or request information — but have no real intention to buy. What Is Your Honest Opinion on Tyre Kickers?
Total votes: 180
Poll Results:
They are part of business — you just have to accept and move on → 116 votes (64.4%)
I still treat them politely — some eventually come back and buy → 56 votes (31.1%)
I try to identify and avoid them early → 6 votes (3.3%)
They irritate me to the core → 2 votes (1.1%)
Key Findings:
Overwhelming Acceptance: A remarkable 64.4% view tyre kickers as simply part of doing business, showing mature understanding that not every enquiry converts to sales and that this is normal business reality.
Patient Optimism: 31.1% maintain polite treatment with the belief that some tyre kickers eventually become customers, demonstrating long-term thinking and customer relationship management.
Combined Positive Approach: Together, 95.6% either accept tyre kickers philosophically or treat them well in hopes of future business, showing extremely high levels of business maturity and customer service orientation.
Minimal Negativity: Only 3.3% actively try to avoid tyre kickers, and just 1.1% admit to being genuinely irritated, indicating that most business owners have developed healthy coping mechanisms.
Business Insights:
The Wisdom of the Majority (64.4%):
The largest group understands fundamental business truth – not every enquiry converts, and trying to fight this reality wastes more energy than accepting it. This perspective demonstrates:
Emotional Intelligence: Recognizing that getting frustrated by tyre kickers only harms your own wellbeing and business performance.
Realistic Expectations: Understanding that conversion rates are never 100%, and enquiries are part of the sales funnel, not guaranteed sales.
Energy Management: Choosing to focus energy on serving real customers rather than being upset about non-buyers.
Professional Maturity: Separating personal feelings from business processes and accepting market realities.
The Strategic Patience Group (31.1%):
This group demonstrates sophisticated customer relationship thinking by maintaining polite treatment because:
Today’s Browser is Tomorrow’s Buyer: People often research extensively before purchasing, especially for significant purchases. Someone asking questions today may buy in three months.
Word of Mouth Matters: Even non-buyers talk about their experiences. Treating enquiries well generates positive reputation regardless of immediate sales.
Referral Potential: Someone who does not buy may refer others who will. Poor treatment of enquiries damages referral networks.
Long-Term Relationships: Business is about building relationships over transactions. Today’s tyre kicker may become a loyal customer when circumstances change.
Why So Few Are Negative:
Only 3.3% Try to Avoid: This group likely has developed screening methods or qualification questions, but represents a tiny minority, suggesting most businesses have not found effective ways to identify tyre kickers early without also alienating genuine customers.
Only 1.1% Openly Irritated: The minimal percentage admitting irritation suggests either genuine acceptance or social desirability bias – people may be more irritated than they admit but understand this is not the “right” business attitude.
Practical Implications for Business Owners:
Accept Reality: The 64.4% majority is correct – tyre kickers are inevitable in business. Fighting this reality creates stress without improving outcomes.
Maintain Standards: The 31.1% who stay polite demonstrate wise strategy. You never know which enquiry will eventually convert or generate referrals.
Efficient Processes: Rather than trying to identify and avoid tyre kickers, create efficient processes for handling enquiries that do not consume excessive time regardless of conversion.
Track Conversion Patterns: Use data to understand which types of enquiries convert most frequently, allowing you to prioritize without being rude to anyone.
Standardize Responses: Develop templates, FAQ documents, and efficient ways to provide information that serve genuine customers well while not over-investing in tyre kickers.
The Psychology Behind Tyre Kicking:
Understanding why people make enquiries without buying intention helps maintain empathy:
Price Shopping: Gathering multiple quotes to negotiate or understand market pricing.
Research Phase: Still in information-gathering stage, genuinely unsure what they want or need.
Budget Constraints: Want the product but cannot afford it currently, hoping for deals or saving up.
Dream Shopping: Browsing aspirational purchases they may never buy, similar to window shopping.
Competitive Intelligence: Sometimes other businesses researching your pricing and offerings.
What This Means:
The results show remarkable business maturity in Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurial community. Rather than viewing tyre kickers as enemies or time-wasters, the vast majority (95.6%) either accept them philosophically or maintain optimism about potential future conversions.
This healthy attitude protects business owners from frustration and burnout while maintaining the professional service standards that build long-term reputation and success. The minimal percentage showing irritation or avoidance suggests that successful business owners have learned to focus energy on controllable factors rather than inevitable aspects of commerce.
Key Takeaway:
Tyre kickers are not a problem to solve but a reality to accept. The 64.4% who view them as simply part of business demonstrate wisdom that protects mental health and business reputation. The 31.1% who maintain polite treatment show strategic thinking about long-term customer relationships and word-of-mouth marketing.
For business owners struggling with tyre kickers, the poll results offer clear guidance: join the 95.6% majority who either accept this reality philosophically or treat enquiries well regardless of immediate conversion. Fighting against inevitable aspects of business wastes energy better spent serving actual customers and building sustainable operations.
The most successful businesses understand that sales is a numbers game – not every enquiry converts, and that is normal, expected, and completely manageable when you maintain professional standards, efficient processes, and healthy emotional boundaries.
ZimLedger
ZimLedger is the all in one business and finance platform for Zimbabwe. It generates quotes, invoices, payslips and financial statements, manages business ledgers, tracks income and expenses, and builds shopping lists. ZimLedger offers a simple yet powerful solution tailored to local needs. Whether you are budgeting in ZiG or USD, managing business accounts, converting Ecocash statements, or tracking household expenses, ZimLedger empowers you to stay organised, make informed financial decisions, and grow your wealth—right from your phone or computer.
