Sales Talk
Sep. 4th, 2008 09:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphiloWe're getting in quotes on replacement windows.
Tuesday a guy came round, measured up, said he'd put a quote in the post for us- and was gone in 20 minutes. That's what we want.
Yesterday a second guy came round and, in spite of us telling him we didn't have the money, that we were applying for a grant, that there was no way we'd sign on the spot, tried to hustle us into closing the deal. He was here for two hours. He was hawking a good product and, if he hadn't been so pushy, might well have got our business. As it is, no way!
When a salesman starts off his spiel by telling you he isn't a salesman you know you're in for the hard sell. I think these guys need to wise up. We've seen the hidden camera footage of salesmen in training , we've watched Glengarry Glenross, we know the secrets- and for every potential customer who falls for the patter there must be another who's repulsed by it.
Tuesday a guy came round, measured up, said he'd put a quote in the post for us- and was gone in 20 minutes. That's what we want.
Yesterday a second guy came round and, in spite of us telling him we didn't have the money, that we were applying for a grant, that there was no way we'd sign on the spot, tried to hustle us into closing the deal. He was here for two hours. He was hawking a good product and, if he hadn't been so pushy, might well have got our business. As it is, no way!
When a salesman starts off his spiel by telling you he isn't a salesman you know you're in for the hard sell. I think these guys need to wise up. We've seen the hidden camera footage of salesmen in training , we've watched Glengarry Glenross, we know the secrets- and for every potential customer who falls for the patter there must be another who's repulsed by it.
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 09:23 am (UTC)It pays to shop around - good luck with it all. :)
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 10:10 am (UTC)The first two are in. Company #1- the one we liked- is offering to do the work for £2,000 less than Company #2.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 09:38 am (UTC)The last time I had work done on the house I told all the people who came to quote "I'm only going to accept one price from you, so give me the actual lowest price you're willing to work for."
When one of them came back later with a "I'm sure I can lower that price" I told him I didn't want him to work for me because by inference, he'd lied to me previously.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 10:12 am (UTC)I like your tactic.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 12:24 pm (UTC)We measure our windows ourselves, then take the measurements in for a quote to all the different showrooms, and then sign on for the best quote and only then do they visit the house and do their install.
And other than greeting us and signing the actual papers, the sales guys don't really try to influence our decision.
It might just be the American Midwest that does it like this. We've had the same experiences with our auto purchase, and home, as well as carpeting and painting.
However, I have heard horror stories about salesmen in California from friends.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 01:07 pm (UTC)It puts the customer in charge.
I guess you could do it like that over here. I've certainly done it that way in the past when buying carpet.
These quotes was set up for us by some online middleman, after Ailz- unsuspectingly- filled in a questionnaire. Normally we would have been rather more proactive and done some research of our own before going ahead.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 02:49 pm (UTC)(Actually, that applies to any negotiation. But I was amused by the image of you and Ailz being held hostage for two hours.)
no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 04:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-09-04 04:20 pm (UTC)The Window Man
Date: 2008-09-04 08:16 pm (UTC)Join The Window Man on the campaign to fight the subrpime window. (http://www.imwindowman.com)