I need to rant for a minute on the sales calls I keep getting from companies that have not spent the time or money to properly equip the people they have selling for them.

As the saying goes: once is an occurrence; twice is coincidence and three times is trend – so this must be a trend. (all within 10 days)

The first time was a vendor that was checking in on their services with Leading Results. It prompted this blog post.

The second was a pest control company that visited my home over the weekend. The guy knocked on my door. Proceeded to tell me he was cheaper than Orkin (who I currently use), and when asked I him to leave me a brochure on the company and his card – for my wife who makes these contractual arrangements – what he said was his company really doesn’t give them those things because they don’t want to litter the neighborhood.  So he had to write his name and number on a scrap (literally a scrap – torn edges and all) of paper and give it to me.

Then today I get a call from GE Security that proposed that they would like to give me a free home security system in exchange for putting a sign in my yard.  The young guy on the phone started off by saying it was a courtesy call and not a sales call (right!). When I asked the tele rep about monitoring and if that was included too or if there was a monthly charge for that, his answer was “sorry I am new here – would you like to talk to a specialist?”  No, actually I wouldn’t. Call over. You called me and if you are calling me with a courtesy (or sales) call, I expect that you would have the answers to the most basic questions.

So please.  If you own a company or run a call center, and you are expecting people to be selling for you, give them what they need to help you.  I was probably a prospect for both the pest service and the alarm company.  And I am a customer of the first vendor mentioned. Yet I will likely give none of the three a single dime because if they can’t get the basics right at the beginning, how will they handle it when I am a customer in need of service.

First impressions count.  Make the time and create the processes to train your staff.  And if you are stuck on what to do, or what matters, call me.  I’ll be happy to help you out.