I haven't blogged in a while, and this isn't really something that's bothering me, but a point that I feel needs to be made. As most of you know, I'm a sales person. I'm one of those semi-annoying people that shows up or calls at the worst time, asking for a few minutes of your "oh-so-busy" schedule, for something you already know you're not interested in. Now, in my defense, I'm not agressive or annoying like the stereo-typical sales person, and do well at what I do because of the relationships I've built. But, this isn't about how great I am, but how terrible people can be. I will begin those points below:
1. Sales people are sales people because it's their job. We, for the most part, don't like our job anymore than you like yours, or well, ours. We don't hate it, or we wouldn't do it, but be know that you don't want to talk to us any more than we want to talk to you. Don't flatter yourself. We just want your business.
2. Sales people are consumers too. We aren't sub-human, but in fact, the opposite. We still need to grocery shop, get our cars fixed, get massages, etc. We shop and frequent your establishments because of the service and treatment that we get, because we, like every other consumer, expected to be treated fairly and with respect. However, when we're on the other end of the spectrum, wearing our sales person hat, we're not treated well by the same people. Instead, we're often hung up on, throw out of businesses, cussed at, or treated very poorly. Don't forget, we are your consumers too. Treat us bad, and we stop shopping at your establishment.
3. I'm not disullusioned. If I stop shopping at your establishment because of the treatment you gave me, my one bill is not going to make or break your business. However, I have friends, and friends of friends, and family, and suddenly my one becomes a lot more.
Let me share an example: When I first started doing this job 1 1/2 years ago, I had A OK Tire Mart in Apopka on my prospect list. I did some research before contacted them, and saw that they had been using us in the past. Beautiful! A warm call! I picked up the phone and asked for the individual that had been using us, to introduce myself as their sales rep. Innocent, right? I'm not one of those people that calls you at dinner time and asks you to change your car washing service. I simply was calling to introduce myself as your new rep. Well, the manager, Ken, gets on the phone and subsequently treats me like crap. I believe he might have even cussed at me, and if I remember correctly, definitely hug up the phone.
So, at that very moment, I decided I would never visit that establishment.. But again, I'm no big deal to them. I've never actually spent any money with them, and now I've vowed never to. No big loss for them, right? Wrong.
The phone call continued to bother me, and so at the end of the day, I shared this with my husband. The husband, happens to drive a very large Bronco, and was in need of purchasing very expensive new tires. Ones that A OK had happened to carry. But guess what? Sam's got his $850 worth of business. Ouch, not that hurt a bit. But still, let's face it...some other redneck with a big truck would come in and spend the same.
But alas, I also shared my negative experience with my father-in-law, who drives both a motorhome and an SUV. Who also needed tires. Guess who didn't get his business. Yeah, now it's starting to suck a little more. Especially because the father-in-law relies on my husband's suggestion for establishments to frequent - and clearly that wasn't one that he was going to recommend. So now, they're probably out at least $1200. Starting to hurt a little more.
Well, I also drive an SUV. Guess who didn't purchase her tires when she needed them from A OK Tire Mart? Me. I went to one of the chain establishments, was in and out, treated with respect, and got a great tire. I spent $800. Now we're at $2000.
Then there's the fact that my husband runs a small car repair business and relies on the local businesses to provide him with the parts he needs. Guess where he's NOT getting his tires. Yeah...that total is impossible to count. But still, just as painful. But that's only three people that they've lost...not a big deal.
However, in the process of getting treated like that, I've shared it with my sales manager (who spends ridiculous amounts of time on the road and needs tires more often than not), my co-worker (who needed very expensive tires and went somewhere else), and most of my friends and family. They didn't get a recommendation for tires...instead, quite hte opposite. Sucks for them that their establishment has a very memorable name too.
But alas, it's not over. Because, not only have I touched all these people with my distaste for the way that this manager treats it's potential customers, but now I"ve reached 140 of my nearest and dearest via Myspace. Oh.....wow, now that sucks for them. Yeah, word of mouth is a bitch, isn't it, Ken?
Ok, so that establishment isn't the only one that has treated me poorly, and to be honest, for the most part, it doesn't even bother me. I let the ignorance roll of my back, and remind myself that I'm offering them a service they are already using, and a way to save money with no strings attached and ways to use it easier. But they're not interested in saving money. Too bad, considering their sales just decreased significantly.
I simply want to make a point - when sales people call you, as they are required to do, realize that most of them aren't interested in badgering you, but are simply doing your job. Realize that they are probably offering something you might be interested in, or that is at least worth the listen for the one minute we're asking for. I know you are "oh-so-busy" but it won't hurt you a bit. And if you really don't want to listen to us, which, let's face it, you don't, remember that we are human too, and that we don't like to be cussed at or hung up on any more than you do. It's just as easy to say "I'm not interested but thanks anyway" as it is to say "fuck you, don't call me again." And if you say the first, we're likely to continue to visit your establishment, or maybe even start to visit your establishment, because you clearly get that we're consumers too, and don't want to burn bridges. And then we tell our friends now nice you were, and they tell your friends, and they blog on myspace and your revenue just increased.
So, people...when you get a sales person at your desk or on the phone, when you blow us off, as we expect you will, do it with respect. It will save you a lot of hassle in the end.
Oh, and don't purchase tires at A OK Tire Mart in Apopka. They treat people like shit.
