THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7

[bill from lachine]

Dave,

A bit of a true story that I can chuckle about now but teed me off at the time.

They had hired a consulting firm to analyse the amount of time we actully spent with customers either face to face or on the phone.

It turned out that was about 40%. Well the reason that was the case an earlier reorg courtesy of another consulting group gutted most of our secretarial + clerical staff.

So we ended up doing our own expense accounts, booking flights, hotels, writing our own letters, putting together contracts, etc....so the higher priced talent us in sales and marketing absorbed all the secretarial and clerical workload. Now you get an idea why I'm not impressed by consultants....

I knew that you'd have issue with this too Bill, having been a sales rep in your career as well.
Thanks,
Dave

 

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[bill from lachine]

Good morning WD.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Their place in Bolton is over whelming when one considers how the assets flow in and out of the gates.

Funny that a large local company sent up a rock truck to the auction-the float truck operator was commenting he went back up and got the same rock truck and brought it over to another quarry down the road.
Rb has 28+ subsidiaries. Just looking at the Salvagesale and the WN assets that are going up for sale in Alberta.

I'm thinking Dave this position is for a "very hungry person"-not a sales person that is looking for a position where the customer interactions are 1st.

I hear you Jim, I think I’m looking for something a bit more personal in a sales position.
Yesterday, I received an email from one of the partners at the New Holland dealer I interviewed at last week, he would now like to meet with me as well. He was off sick last week when I interviewed.
Thanks again for your help!

Dave those expectations sound a little like my company I retired from. It sounds like the people in the big glass tower at the home office have bonuses they work for as well so they push the hell out of the sales team. As I was beginning to ride my replacement around he told me the company was graduating from a commission base pay scale to commission on yearly growth. Basically salary plus growth. They thrived on young people fresh out of college eager for jobs but no experience.

I agree with you Rook, some employers don’t view a relationship-based sales model as being effective in producing sales. Most of us who’ve been in outside sales, knowing your customers well and how they think is the key to making more sales. As you mentioned, I think Ritchie Bros is looking for someone who is young and desperate and needs to make a name for themselves within a company. I used to be that guy 30 years ago when I was 26.
Thanks for your advice buddy,
Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Good morning, ARC, Bill, Antiquarian, Pepperj, rook, Rusty, and whoever else is up.

Good morning WD.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Dave,

A bit of a true story that I can chuckle about now but teed me off at the time.

They had hired a consulting firm to analyze the amount of time we actually spent with customers either face to face or on the phone.

It turned out that was about 40%. Well the reason that was the case an earlier reorg courtesy of another consulting group gutted most of our secretarial + clerical staff.

So we ended up doing our own expense accounts, booking flights, hotels, writing our own letters, putting together contracts, etc....so the higher priced talent us in sales and marketing absorbed all the secretarial and clerical workload. Now you get an idea why I'm not impressed by consultants....

Thanks for this Bill.
I still contend that 'quality calls, over quantity calls' are the key to a companies success when it comes to sales being closed.
Dave

 

[pepperj]

I hear you Jim, I think I’m looking for something a bit more personal in a sales position.
Yesterday, I received an email from one of the partners at the New Holland dealer I interviewed at last week, he would now like to meet with me as well. He was off sick last week when I interviewed.
Thanks again for your help!

Dave

It could still work out Dave, it probably would be a better fit-but you're going to swallow a hit$. But it might open up another door around the corner.
Eddy Albert decided change wasn't all that bad.....

Just going out to the tractor supply store in Brockville last week-what do I meet on the road coming towards me? One of those $500,000+ New Holland combines with 28 vehicles behind it-I thought of you right away.

 

[Blak bart]

Wow.....im super lucky to be sailing the seven seas making a decent living doing what I love. I can't imagine the stress of worrying about meeting all those marks dave. I would have an ulcer at that job worrying about the next days work load !! I love fishing fishing is my life. I just keep repeating that when the seas are 10 ft. And I'm on hour 16 in my day. I've also had some great beachside BBQs that I also got paid for. Im a firm believer in doing what one loves.....its usually what we do best !!

 

[pepperj]

I'm kind of bummed out reading about a fav. restaurant we have gone to over a decade now. I dropped off a bottle of maple syrup usually from the spring harvest and they would sit around in the kitchen and dip nan bread into the golden nectar and share with all the staff.
I'd call up on a busy night if we were wanting to have a dine out and ask if there any possibility of getting a table.
Response "Jimmy my friend-No problem" what time do you want.
Going to miss you Ali-but we won't be strangers in the passing on the street.
https://www.thewhig.com/news/local-news/closing-time-nears-for-downtown-restaurant

 

[pepperj]

Wow.....im super lucky to be sailing the seven seas making a decent living doing what I love. I can't imagine the stress of worrying about meeting all those marks dave. I would have an ulcer at that job worrying about the next days work load !! I love fishing fishing is my life. I just keep repeating that when the seas are 10 ft. And I'm on hour 16 in my day. I've also had some great beachside BBQs that I also got paid for. Im a firm believer in doing what one loves.....its usually what we do best !!

It's never work if we do what we love to do it seems.

I fired myself literally in 1992-looked in the mirror and said:"Your Fired!" Got the response: "Thank You" (Now talk about being strange one)

We set out for the next 20 months budget travelling in SE Asia-14 months, and from coast to coast in Canada 6 months.
What did I learn-I commented to my wife that the streets are paved with gold here-looking through the eyes of what we experienced travelling 2nd/3rd/4th class.

I retired 13 years later-not working a minute for anyone except for my own driven engine.

Sometimes stepping back in life gives a person a big leg up on the future-many have done it and I believe it give a person perspective on want they want out of life.

 

[pepperj]

Well getting ready for the 20 babies to arrive-got to get motivated-exciting day-have a wonderful day mates. Will post up the new members of the family later.
I'm so excited I think I've gone up the ladder of respect once again in the household.
Plan is working out just keep getting more members under me-it's a win-win.
As it stands today:
Cat/cat/dog/Pips/Jim/4 Roosters/20 chicks
(Note to reader this might change at anytime-20 chicks might kick me sorry rump down to the rooster stage by the Pm of the day)

 

[WHADIFIND]

If you do what you love to do and manage to get paid for it.....you'll never work a day in your life.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Also....if one spends most of their day depressed. They'll enjoy nothing.





I wish I could practice what I preach.

 

[Rookster]

WD, BILL AND BART Good morning

 

[bill from lachine]

Good morning Bart true about doing what we love....if it doesn't give you a buzz better to move on to another profession.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Good morning, Bart.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Good morning, Sir WIF.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Good morning, ROOK.

 

[WannaDig3687]

Time to get ready for work.

 

[releventchair]

Mornin all!

Antiqua.:
Looks like you found a no fit position.
Sounds more like a make work ,keep busy scenario. Danged near telemarketing.

A friend passed on that enjoyed a Canadian fishing trip with some other friends and I. I didn't ask him about his "how's " of selling used industrial equipment , but he did all right.
Out leading friend bought from him over the years for his businesses.

You fit or don't. And when it's obviously not a fit at the beginning , it's not likely to improve.
Somewhere a group is pounding the table demanding more efficiency and profit.
How that gets promoted and transferred is where employee satisfaction comes in.
And who wants to work with demoralized co workers in an environment of an overhanging axe ?

A salary that suits getting through drier times , with additional commission as incentive to perform/sell is enough.
IF an employer wants to dictate every nuance of how to do a job , they don't need me.

I'm the guy that turned down commission years ago when working sales and had a decent wage.
Crazy. But my boss was a good egg and not rich either.
Then one day a customer insisted I was selling him something at a higher cost than a lesser device could suit him , solely for my commission.
I pointed out the president of the company and told the man to ask him how much commission I earned.... Because I don't earn a commission.
He left with what I told him he needed to suit his needs.

Not saying straight commission or any other combo would not be acceptable.
I am saying , let the sales force sell. By recognizing the need of the customer. Not the board demanding more profits due to their perceived needs. Or the people reacting to the boards demand trying to squeeze more blood out of a turnip.

Justify a sales staff by sales. After you provide a solid reputable and service based value in both business and product for them to move.
Then advertise for your sales staff. Or pay them thousands more ,or reimburse them to do so.
A poor run company can ruin a sales career. At least at that company.

A former manager (no , we didn't have quota's or sales meetings ,or minimum requirements...) told me , "everyone that comes in that door has a reason.".
L.o.l.. He was right.
And to watch and hear him on the phone when he answered it , you'd think you were dealing with the best for your sake. As well as know who the customer was talking to. Because he'd remind them after.

A con artist would pop in now and then. A fun two way street if read right away. A lesson if not.
Guess I was fortunate there.
Others , not so much till bit.

 

[releventchair]

Sorry Antique.

Too much coffee and thoughts of sales...

N.H. has a fine product.
Price point factors.
But here in my area , as with many , service matters a lot.
Folks buying tractors want parts availability and dealer service. Quality service, Friendly we want to see and welcome your business service in a timely manner.
Many sales hinge on the dealership.
That is out of a sales persons control.

I kept telling a friend he needed a tractor. Nahh he'd reply.
Then he bought a new one.
When he managed to pry me off it after putting hours on it he found it very useful.
Then bought another for property far out of state.
Then bought another and a backhoe.

I lost count , but he hit the same dealer he'd bought three or four from (and why the same dealer?) and asked the salesman if it was odd of him to keep buying new tractors.
"Old guy was in last week or so buying number 7 "was the reply.
"He don't like changing attachments."

I should have got into tractor sales and service. I do like tractors....

Told a dealers manager I was looking for a new tractor , but more ;a hungry salesman.
Told him what I was after and the price I had elsewhere on a compatible model.
He gave me a quote on a prior years model that was well beyond my established price point.
After a couple E-mails of his being under some false impression I was shopping for a beating , I explained to him how bad he had bungled the deal. And how.
So his tractor inventory continued to loiter.