Eric: Subject: A Vendor/Reseller response to "Do vendors want your business?" I know this was posted a few months ago, but I'm new to your site, and think this topic was rather interesting. Btw, did you read Business Week's issue last week on "The Decline of Customer Service"? check it out if you can. Anyway, I'm an acct executive for one of the nations largest resellers of computer and networking related products. It's my job to get on the phone everyday to contact new business and do my best to prove to them I can take the work of sourcing product while providing reasonable pricing, as well as arranging financing (net30, etc) or the logistics of shipping, out of the IT manager's hands. I can tell you, it is not an easy job, there are hundreds of competitors, but when I do get someone who will give me a shot at it, big company or small, believe me, I want to do my best to establish a long standing win/win relationship with this client, so I'd have to say, yes, as vendors, resellers, most of us DO want your business. The few bad apples in the bunch, unfortunately place a bad image on those of us in the IT sales industry that DO care about their customers. It sounds like your man Brent does want your business. I would perhaps say in this case that I would never have let it get to the point that you're battling it out with the accounting department. Brent had a tough task and a rather unpleasant one, when it comes to letting it get to you having to talk to the accounting department, at one point, he had no control over the situation. A little professional slap on the hand for Brent, and he may have a large number of customers to deal with at one time, however, one should always monitor the shipping process from start to finish, on a daily if not hourly basis. As my former mentor and one terrific salesman told me "Always call your client when a problem arises, never wait until they call you". It's good that through this mess Brent was able to regain your trust, however. Tim Stepp Account Executive PC Mall Business Development Group 800-555-4204 x4142 E-mail: TimothySt@pcmall.com
Tim,
Thanks for writing. I’m glad that you chose to give a reasoned explanation of what an account rep goes through. I think all of us in IT know that being a sales rep for a computer company is difficult. The problem is compounded by the fact that each of us has had at least a few bad experiences.
Although I am not one of your current customers, based upon this letter, I could see doing business with you in the future. You seem to be someone who cares for your customers and at least for me, that counts for a lot....often even more than the price.
Eric Svetcov
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