OT: Salespeople and pushy sales tactics

[Corporate666]

The person in question is likely to be reading this post

Does it bother anyone else when a company requires you to log in or create an account just to tell you their price?  And then when you do it, you get a call from their local sales rep who "will be in the area and wanted to stop by", and if you refuse they "will just drop off their business card"? 

I hate that shit.  Maybe I am turning into a grumpy old codger but I find it quite disingenuous... if you call them out on not giving pricing before giving them your info, they always respond with some BS about how they need to make sure you're getting the right price, etc.  If you call them out after you give them your info that they want to stop by, they give you some BS about just wanting to make sure you have their contact info, etc.

It's irritating.  Who has time to be meeting with freakin' sales people from all the companies you might possibly do business with.

It occurred to me that the best relationships I have with any of my suppliers are the ones where there are no salespeople involved.  Like Digikey, McMaster, Mouser, etc.  The ones who insist on inserting a salesperson in the loop - like Future Electronics, Arrow, Avnet, and the one that I dealt with today - I end up doing WAY less business with, because I don't want to have to deal with a salesperson when I could just order online when it's convenient to me without having to wait for a salesperson to come in and try to snoop around and find out how much $$ they stand to gain from the relationship.

How do you folks handle such situations?  Are you a pushover and let them come by?  Are you firm but polite?  Do you let them know you're uphappy with them inserting themselves into an otherwise simple relationship?

[EEVblog]

Does it bother anyone else when a company requires you to log in or create an account just to tell you their price?  And then when you do it, you get a call from their local sales rep who "will be in the area and wanted to stop by", and if you refuse they "will just drop off their business card"? 

Yep, nothing more annoying in today's e-commerce world.
It was annoying before e-commerce.

[Corporate666]

Yep, nothing more annoying in today's e-commerce world.
It was annoying before e-commerce.

You probably deal with it a lot Dave - and you aren't shy (it seems).  What do you tell them?  I always find myself pissing them off because I am extremely blunt.  I'm just trying to save them the hassle of wasting their time, but salespeople seem to thrive on validation through making sales, and being shot down before they even get a word in seems to hurt their egos.

[dexters_lab]

i let reps come round i talk to them honestly. I think its always good to have a friendly relationship with reps and salespeople...

you never know when you might need to call them up and ask for a favour, even if it's a company you dont often deal with

[c4757p]

I always find myself pissing them off because I am extremely blunt.  I'm just trying to save them the hassle of wasting their time, but salespeople seem to thrive on validation through making sales, and being shot down before they even get a word in seems to hurt their egos.

Eh, it's good for them.

[Skimask]

Yes, firm.  NOT polite.
Usually give the phone to my kid when those types call.
Or if I'm not busy, I'll fake a really bad cell phone connection, which I usually don't have to fake if I go down to the basement, but keep the connection good enough to keep them tied up for awhile.
Then start asking really stupid questions about things like inverse deractive impedance quality or the weight of the reciprocating dingle arm.
Other than that, I just hang up.
Works wonders...

[T3sl4co1l]

Meh, at my PPOE at least, it was always a good day to talk fancy parts with people.  Days range from busy to boring otherwise.

Now, actually setting up things when I need parts, yeah, that's a rip.

Unfortunately, a lot of big and special purpose parts are still only available through those traditional channels.  Oh well.

Tim

[bridgerectifier]

Why not have a rep visit you? One more person to have a cuppa with, and one more friend, potentially. When I did electronic servicing as an apprentice, two very nice TV parts reps would pop in on a regular basis and sit down and have a good chinwag and a cup of tea with us; they were both thoroughly nice people

If you're the type of person who is warm and welcoming and befriends people naturally, making them feel welcome, they're highly likely to reciprocate this behaviour.

You never know when this rep might offer you some EOL/written off stock cheap... or even FREE! Who knows - you might have spent X amount on some equipment, and this person may just happen to pick one up, destined for landfill, and hand it to you!

Don't close yourself off in a lonely nerd cave; it's good to have a break from work, and if you feel pressurised, well guess what - you have a mouth - say "no", firmly.

Finally, think of that poor guy racking up tens of thousands of miles ALONE in a car, just to make bread and butter for his wife and children. If for no other reason, have him in to break his monotonous job up a bit; think of someone else - it's wonderful

[chickenHeadKnob]

Finally, think of that poor guy racking up tens of thousands of miles ALONE in a car, just to make bread and butter for his wife and children. If for no other reason, have him in to break his monotonous job up a bit; think of someone else - it's wonderful

When I encounter pushy bastard salesmen I often think there is an even bigger bastard psychopath sales boss pushing him. Like the legendary tenderhearted philanthropist billionare and car salesman Jimmy Pattison:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Pattison?

Legendary in these parts (British Columbia) for his policy of automatic firing the lowest performing salesman every month at all his car dealerships, with the rationale that they were'nt suitable for the job and he was doing them a favour.

[Electro Fan]

[Simon]

I have put the phone down at work on many a sales person particularly those trying to get information to sell on. My colleagues are starting to find it quite funny they way I bluntly confront them explaining that we could change suppliers daily if we listened to them all and then the people who are trying to get information to sell to these people.

Most people I try putting them through to on their request tell me to tell them that they are in a meeting, I tend to just bluntly say they are not interested as they will only ring back wasting ours and their time.

[David_AVD]

I've found that the most annoying sales people tend to work for the companies that should instead spend time and money on improving their general procedures back in the office.

Conversely, the companies that have good web sites and are responsive to emails and orders don't seem to pester me much at all - I go to them by choice!

[ve7xen]

I give (obviously) bogus information and if I still can't find a price or the information I'm looking for, I move on when I can. When it comes to electronics anyway. In my day job (computers / networking), you won't survive if you pay retail and developing a good relationship with the official supply chain is the only way to pay a reasonable price and it's almost an even bigger jerk move of them to offer the products, but at an absurd price, via more convenient channels.

Why big companies operate this way is something I've never been able to fathom. If I know what I want and don't need any sales folks' / distributor assistance, who gains from these extra people for the money to pass through? Fine, for some big-ticket items, they want to know you're getting a product that will work in your application (and try to upsell you), and I'm find with that when I'm spending 6-figures. When it's a product line I use every day though, just let me buy the damn thing at a reasonable price in a painless online process rather than wasting half a day in a lunch meeting with a sales guy where both our salaries are getting pissed away out of the product price.

[mcinque]

IMO, at least for electronic related things, this is due to the growing population number worldwide: more peoples > more companies, more competitors and more salespersons > more need to sell things (and at a good price) to stay alive > maybe outsourcing in Asia and India to keep good margins > too many offers about the same kind of products = shit sale tactics.

[grumpydoc]

I've worked in companies which were big enough to have a distinct sales force but small enough that any social occasion organised by work was company wide so the engineers and sales reps would be out (usually consuming alcohol) together - management as well.

While the reps were probably perfectly OK people it always struck me that almost none of them were the sort of people I'd choose to socialise with. Much too brash, cocky, over-confident and a tendency to large egos.

I suspect that the personailty traits which one encounters in the sales force and the personality traits of the typical engineer are not all that compatible which is why a lot of engineers are not always comfortable with sales reps.

However I wouldn't go out of my way to avoid them (well, certain individuals perhaps) - they are a resource like any other and can be helpful. I would not however be dishonest with them. If you are a hobyist and not likely to generate big orders then say so and they'll probably go away of their own accord.

[Simon]

I had a corker this morning. A company are going to save us 47% on our gas bills by fitting thermal management systems by fitting something that keeps turning the gas off and on and by having thermostats accurate to a degree, Darling, you made the mistake of trying to sell that shit to an engineering company that deals in heat transfer.

[nowlan]

Is that not a PID thermostat ?
Go buy a NEST.

[Simon]

Is that not a PID thermostat ?
Go buy a NEST.

Well she totally missed the fact that I kept telling her that as a company with many extractors in its one large factory building any attempt at economy was pointless as we throw heat out nearly as fast as we make it, but of course sales people know more than engineers........

[grumpydoc]

Can't blame her for trying

[Simon]

Can't blame her for trying

Well there is determined and there is obstinate.

[bookaboo]

RS used to send round a sales rep who would
a) Call unannounced
b) Tell me he could do nothing on price
c) Demonstrate zero technical knowledge

I've found myself on the dark side too, one of the companies we are distributors for have only one marketing policy and that's face to face. I cringe when their sales guy insists we "just pop in" on various engineers.

[Simon]

Oh I hate the sweet talking idiots that have no clue on the subject. I rarely bother to "chat" or phone RS or farnell as all they do is go through the website the same as i would

[grumpydoc]

RS used to send round a sales rep who would
a) Call unannounced
b) Tell me he could do nothing on price
c) Demonstrate zero technical knowledge

Oh dear, that does sound terminally useless 

I _have_ met sales people like this - on one occasion I have actually had to say "you're not explaining this very well - would you like to come back with someone who understands the product". They didn't (nor did they get the sale) but they did get the point.

[echen1024]

Thank god the people at Digi-Key know what they are talking about. I needed to ask them something about a specific replacement for a part, and they found something suitable right away. Unlike the script monkeys at Comcast.
"OK. I want to know the promotional price for your 25Mbps plan"
"Alright sir, I'm going to need your First name, last name, address, and Social Security"
"WHAT??? I just wanted the price"
"I'm sorry, I need that information"
*hangs up*

[Rick Law]

Does it bother anyone else when a company requires you to log in or create an account just to tell you their price?  And then when you do it, you get a call from their local sales rep who "will be in the area and wanted to stop by", and if you refuse they "will just drop off their business card"? 

Yep, nothing more annoying in today's e-commerce world.
It was annoying before e-commerce.

Dave, you are being kind.  I think it was way beyond "annoying" before e-commerce.  Over 10 years ago, I first noticed a trend - billing before selling.

Over 10 years ago, I was running an IT department.  I start receiving bills first with domain registration and then with other things.  A letter from some company we have never do business with: On the letter part was the "Your domain XXXX is due to expire...you may loose the use of this name...please extended as soon as possible..." then a tear-off part payment slip.  On the fine print: "payment indicate acceptance to transfer your domain to us and begin our service" (or some similar wording).  If I was careless, I might have merely terminated my current service and started a new one with a company I never heard of before.

I first notice it with domain registration.  I then begin to see similar kind of "bills" for maintenance, subscriptions, and even purchase of equipment!  A bill for equipment that we have never considered from an unknown company, and fine print saying: "This is not a bill.  Payment indicates acceptance of sells offer."

Having also been in charge of procurement for a small-medium shop (software developers numbered in mid 3 digits), I can see careless assistance wanting to avoid the "catastrophe" of account interruption and play it safe: pay first to ensure no catastrophe.  I might even have been caught by that and never realized it.

Whenever there is an organization (or a job role) where success is defined by the lack of failures, such "billing before selling" type companies has an opportunity.