Attn: RON.......your opinion of Sales Reps

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Poltax

Poltax

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2007
Posts
58
Location
Utah
Ron......I have been on the site for the last couple of years.  Sometimes I post but most of the time I just observe.  Since you so publicly state your distate for sales reps, I have got to call you out on this.  I am and have been a sales rep for the last 30 years.  I take great pride in being honest and taking care of my accounts.  I am a Manufactures Rep.  Which means I represent several Manufactures at one time.  I am in the Apperal & Footwear Industry.  More specificly the Western Industry.  I currently Rep for 6 Manufactures all of which are well known and I am sure most everyone on this forum has an item from one of the manufactures I represent.  I travel extensively in the Rocky Mtn States and use my MH as a mobile showroom to provide the retailers with the best service possible.  Many of my fellow reps that I know also take great pride in being honest, truthful, and diligent in being partners with retailers to grow their business and help them become profitable and offer products that the consumers will want & be satisfied with.  Quite frankly sir...I am getting a bit tired of your continued running down of sales people.  Yes there are a few that are not on the up & up.  However the majority of us, act in a professional manner.  I have no idea of what your profession was or is.  However, I am sure that I could find individuals that are not on the up & up in what you did or do, by doing that is it proper to slam all individuals that are or were in your profession?  I think not.  There are good & bad in all industries.  To lump everyone into being dishonest, or liers ect because a few may not be honest, is doing everyone else who is honest & trying to do their best with what they are given is just plain wrong.

Rant off.................I feel much better know, & will go back on my meds.

 
Sorry I offended you.  However since this is an RV forum and my comments had to do with RV/s my comments have no reference to sales reps in general. My opinions reflect what I see in the RV business.  While I know and respect several RV sales folks that I feel are  honest and knowledgeable I also suspect these folks are in the minority.  Just look at how many times we have heard from folks that were told their tow vehicle was capable of towing the trailer they bought when in fact it wasn't.  In the last case I believe the RV salesman gave out discrepant information. However in this case he may have lost the sale.  I have no reason to feel that sales reps in general fit into the same category as the RV sales reps.  It is my opinion that when it comes to safety items RV dealers and their sales staff should be held accountable for consequences resulting from false information they give out.


Again I apologize if I offended you in any way.
 
Poltax.. I have met a number of good sales reps over the years... People who try to learn their product, who believe in their product and who are honest about their product.

And I"ve dealt with Salesmen (Retail type) who have not a clue as to what they are talking about, who know less about it than I do and who's only interest is the name on the bottom line of the contract. 

I'm trained both ways, but won't sell a product I do not believe in.

Some of the stories I know of come from Manufacturer's reps. themselves.. For example some drug pushers (Manufacturer's reps for pharmaceutical houses least anyone think I'm talking about the illegal kind)  Some will, when visiting a doctor, explain their product and drop off some samples

Others will clean out the doctor's sample closet so that only THEIR products remain.

And I've ask some of those drug pushers about products their company makes... And find I often have better info than they do. (I have medical conditions and tend to spend time researching those conditions.. In fact I'm a moderator on a forum for one of them.. If you notice I'm naming no names.. There are reasons for that)

From what I"ve seen,  Yes there are some good ones out there.. But there are a lot of stinkers

IN fact.. As you likely know. it only takes a few to spoil the rep for the many.. however from what I've seen the "FEW" in your line of work are the good honest types such as you claim to be (Since I do not know you I have to say "You Claim".. I have no reason or desire to question that claim)

But I'd say closer to half the company reps I've met were the kind of people where you want to wash hands after shaking hands to get the slime off....

And then you get to the cuss-some-more non-support types.. 

True story (Which belongs in a different section) We got a letter from a bank about my wife's charge card.

She has no card from that bank, never has, likely never will.. Called them and .. Well we found 4 more applications (no accounts) with different banks.. Of the five inquires on my wife's credit in the last 7 years  4 were fraudlent (the 5th one was legit)

Well.. Of the different accounts, 3 of 'em were no problem at all Citi-Bank (The one who sent the letter) was great. But one of the banks the person on the other end could not get it past his brain that WE DO NOT HAVE (OR WANT) A CREDIT CARD, the application was fraudlent.. We finally pounded it in and got the application canceled but it's been work

The last bank (Capitol 1) was good too.  Man knew his business and gave us good advice (Which we had previously gotten from Citi but hey... IT was still good that he gave it)  Fraud alert on her social security number will last 7 more years
 
I used to be in sales a few years ago.  I felt that the mention of "i'm in sales" brought on the aura like saying "i'm a lawyer".

I hated it, but I also noticed that bad news travelled quicker than good news.  I was always looked at like...oh god...a salesman.  I treated my customers with 110% respect.  I even quit a few jobs when I saw the end results the company gave to my clients. I would personally contact them and explain to them that I too was lied to about the end result.  I also coached them on what to say and whom to speak with to get their issues resolved.

In fact, when I mentioned that I am in sales, the first question out of most peoples mouth was "cars"? grr....no not cars.

...going off on a tangent.....I went to a car dealer one day to buy a car with a friend of mine.  the sales guy asked my friend if he had a trade in, my friend said yes and handed him the car keys.  the sales guy glanced at his car, laughed and threw the keys on the car dealers roof.  He then said, "I can't let you go home in that 'thing'."  Needless to say a call to the police dept and an aluminum ladder ended the car shopping trip for us...
 
Being a professional buyer, I deal with sales reps everyday.  One of my personal traits that makes me a good buyer is that since I am full of BS most days, so I can recognize it at a moments notice.  Most of the sales reps I deal with I have dealt with for years, and yes, they do come into my office with a certain amount of BS, but most of it fun and some BS is part of the job but since I can recognize the good BS vs the bad BS, I have pretty good judgement on which sales reps I elect to do business with.  There are a few that I have booted right out of my office but for the most part, I find these people to be pretty honest, fair and knowledgeable.....but they dont sell cars or rv's either, and I do put those folks in a different category.
 
I had a career in sales (I sold telephone systems to business') and can proudly proclaim that I never cheated or misled anybody.  BS, well only if indications from the client indicated they expected it.  Successful, you bet!

I think what made me successful was that I had a good product, knew the product inside and out (I have an engineering background), and was the first to admit it if my product wasn't going to meet the clients needs.  I never cut a price to get a deal either.  My prices were fair and I always feared  that once I cut a price, everyone else would expect it.  I had a quality product and never attempted to beat anyone's price.  That only devalues the product and causes people to loose money. 

I do recognize that this philosophy can not apply to all markets.  I once worked for a guy who asked "how would you like to be an astronaut and go to the moon in a rocket ship built by the low bidder?"
 
I think what made me successful was that I had a good product, knew the product inside and out (I have an engineering background)....
Click to expand...

Therein might be a couple of significant differences from the average auto salesperson. I came from an industry were all "salesmen" (and saleswomen) were degree'd engineers. They "sold" to systems designers, so they had no choice but to know their product inside out and, in many cases, know their customer's product. At some point they had to negotiate with a purchasing agent, but the initial sale was at the point of design. I always preferred going along on the technical sales calls than the other kind although, by necessity, we had both.

Most of the factory reps I've dealt with over the years have been very competent, although they were faced with the difficult challenge of knowing products and product lines from a number of different manufacturers. The really good ones knew the products, weren't afraid to travel to the factories for training, and always had factory technical contacts as backup.

There are certainly RV and auto salesmen who know their product, but they tend to be in the minority. In too many cases, knowing the product is not what they're trained to do. One car salesman told me very clearly "they're just a piece of sheet metal to me".

I recall listening to a keynote speech by a guy who'd spent his career in auto sales and in training auto salesmen. He delivered his "speech" as a skit, where he played the role of the car buyer, the salesman, and the sales manager (the 'closer'). When it was over, my colleague said "I didn't hear a word he said, because you were howling with laughter through the whole thing". I'd heard so many of the things that guy said in his skit. Whenever I'm faced with one of the "what will it take for you to drive this home today?" questions, I now reply "I went to the same class"  ;D
 
Tom said:
Whenever I'm faced with one of the "what will it take for you to drive this home today?" questions, I now reply "I went to the same class"  ;D
Click to expand...


oooooo.... I LIKE THAT!

I am stealing that line  ;D
 
Be my guest, no attribution necessary  ;D
 
Free license to anyone and everyone to use it verbally or online, with no restrictions and no attribution necessary  ;D
 
As many of you know, I have been in RV sales and I am now in the car biz.  I am the new guy at cars and I try to do my job the same way as I did in RV's.  Know the product, learn the customers wants and needs as well as budget.  Show the customer the car and if it suits work on getting him a fair price. 

The dealership I am at is typically of a like mind.  The car stores don't see a buyer as really 'wanting to sleep on it', but rather as I didn't like the car/price/store/salesperson situation.  There is a saying in the sales business.  Buyers are liars.  Hate to tell you guys this, but it is as accurate as salepeople fit Ron's rule.  Actually more so.  I think it is a product of neither really trusting the other over eons.  Its  an evolution thing.  Which came first, chicken or egg? 

I get someone in, show them a truck, yadda yadda, they like it but want to think about it.  They go to our other store and buy.  Why?  Same truck, but they have more pressure up there.  The buyer said he wouldn't do anything till the next day.  He lied.  He bought for a deal that may have been $100 less.  Why do they ask the question, what will it take etc?  Just that reason! 

I would never work for a place that tossed or 'lost' keys.  I have heard stories, but never witnessed.  Never done to me, never been to a place that did it. 


My goal is to treat the customer as I would want to be treated.  I won't tell a customer the truck will pull if it won't.  I will fond out if they are planning a mountain trip or sticking to FL, (most do).  I use parameters that will drive the weight police crazy, but be in line with a safe operation.  We don't have Peterbilts for travel trailers in our place! 

Some day I'll post the little tricks dealers use.  Not bad things, but things that get the buyer to become an owner. 


 
I've had the key game played on me.  We could not agree on  a price after an hour or more of fruitless negotiation, so I wanted to leave.  Nobody knew who had my keys and nobody seemed to be looking real hard for them either.  I threatened to call the cops and my keys appeared quickly.
 
I went though something similar with my pink slip. Never again.
 
Bill,

Apologies, I meant to mention you as one of the rare exceptions and, dare I say, a role model for sales reps.
 
I'm reminded of the new kid in the paint store..... (I was him once)

The manager is teaching him the ropes.

Manager: Ok, Now how long do you shake the paint once you've added the color?"

Kid: Un, 1 minute

Manager: no
Kid, 2 minutes
Mangaer no

Kid, ok how long

Manager: Till they buy a paint brush
 
Lazy Days sales reps are all pretty ethical, in my experience, and they do invest time & money in training their reps in the products and RVing safety. In my opinion it's one good reason to do business thee.
 
Ron.....Thank you for your comments.  No apology is needed.

However, everyone needs to think about this........you are all involved in sales at some point.  I am sure some of you are saying, "aint no way I am in sales".  Well think again.  Some of you most likely had to do a real sales job to get your wife to marry you.  Let along her Father to approve.  LOL  I bet some of those lines top anything you have ever heard from any other salesman.  Actually everyone is envloved in sales in some way, whether it be a job interview, yearly review at work, working with other depts in your company, protecting a project your working on, or trying to get the project approved, maybe a new piece of equipment that your boss has to buy for you.  Even the old "Honey, we need a new ........ (you fill in the blank).

So the question is, how truthful are you in selling that new item you need to your wife???  LOL

 
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