I'm in sales. I'm also a cynic about many things and people in general. Some of you guys are a bit too tough on sales reps/managers. The character of the person is the most important thing. The 2nd most important thing is the industry and the product involved. Let me explain. The sales I do involves me developing long term relationships and continual business with my customers. There is no incentive for me to rip them off, lie to them or overpromise, though some of my competitors do. In my industry, I'm known very well as an honest, straight shooter who will say no to a customer if I can't deliver what they need. A key point: I sell to other businesses, not directly to the public. Positions that involve closing one-time sales with clients are rife with ripoff artists and tricksters because once the deal is made, the opinion of the customer doesn't matter. But please understand that just because a person does sales for a living doesn't mean they are of questionable character. I could never sell cars or vacuum cleaners or anything like that. If a person is cut out for sales (especially outside sales), they will find more enjoyment in the job than any other. Going back "inside", or to an office environment, will be extremely difficult. What I tell younger people looking into sales is their job must allow them to completely maintain their integrity. I will admit that in some sales jobs you are almost forced to lie and exaggerate in order to make a living. But there are a lot of us who are honest and well liked, and our customers are glad to see us when we come by.
Did anybody catch the SNL skit about the company who has people shaming each other. They had one guy who was a salesman who got his head shaved down the middle and was blaming the IT guys. It reminded me of this thread..thought it was pretty funny.
I don't like being lied to, therefore I do not like salesmen. I'd say over 50% of the time I buy something, ANYTHING, I am being knowingly or unknowingly lied to by the person selling me what I am purchasing. Examples: "Yes, it will work with your current ______" "Don't worry, it will be delivered to your home tomorrow" etc etc etc..
When I was still pursuing my degree I worked at Discount Tire and eventually ended up making sales associate. It was a weird experience because half the people who come into the store believe that you are trying to rip them off and the other half come in wanting a "break" or "deal" of some kind where if I gave it to them, I'd lose my job. That being said, I can honestly say I never tried to take advantage of anyone who came into my store. I always asked the customer if they were comfortable with the product they selected or that I recommended. If there was particular damage that resulted in the customer needing a new tire or tires, I always asked them to come out back and showed them the exact reason why they needed a tire replaced. My best experience was an ederly man came into my shop and wanted new tires, he felt it was time to get new ones. I went out and looked at the tires on the vehicle and told him he still had plenty of tread life left and that if he didn't mind the wait, I'd personally rotate and balance his tires. He looked me straight in the eye and said thank you for your honesty, I'll be sure to come back here from now on, and he started coming to my shop and asking for me specifically. My worst experience was some @sshole HPD officer who was trying to get new tires for his personal vehicle, he kept badgering me that he always got great deals and that I should cut him one because he was an HPD officer. I kindly told him that such a deal could not be done for the particular tires (Vogues) he wanted. He then asked for my manager who was not there and then started to try and guilt me by telling me that he puts his life on the line for citizens like myself and that I should be grateful and cut him a deal. Having had a roommate who was in law enforcement I knew it was illegal for officers to ask for such deals, so I smiled and told him that I'd give him the deal as long as I could give my manager his badge number and captain's name so that when I lost my job I could tell him what officer to be grateful to, he promptly covered his badge and walked out the store. It was a great job and working there was fun most of the time. I never had a real big problem with anyone trying to take customers or sales from one another (although it did happen from time to time, but very seldomly), but then again we didn't work off comission either so I guess thats why I never really took it personal when it happened to me.
I could not agree with you any more than what was written above. I have been in otside sales for 12 years and yes there are some shady as* caracters out there. They were sitting on a fence one day and saw all these sales people making mac and going to and from work as they please, and driving all these sweet rides. That guy in the wharehouse thinks hey I can do that. They find a shady manager and presto you have a churn and burn sales rep that will just go from job to job to job ripping people off till he ruins his reputation in a certain field and starts all over again. It's either in another field or in another city, and unfortunately, thats just the way it is. I promise you that there is some honest and law abidding sales people that care . Hell, I am one of them and so are the other 7 team members that I work with everyday. It all starts with a great manager that can pull these types together.
