Another Screaming Dealer!

Dear Stephen,

I’m a regional VP at one of the Top 4 major manufacturers. I’m also in a major metropolitan area in the Southwest. We sell a prestigious brand -- a favorite of design firms like #Gensler, and A&D firms big and small. We have great dealers, but there’s always a bad apple. In fact, we have one right now who is causing a headache for me, screaming at my sales reps in tone and language that makes them feel threatened. Having employees that feel threatened by someone who is supposed to be our ally and partner is not good for business, period.

Typically, it’s the dealer principal or owner who is the screamer, but it could just as easily be a senior salesperson… it could even be an account manager or sales assistant. It comes down to this, dealers love to scream. This one dealer in particular, the owner, is the screamer. He’s a real big bully.

The problems are always different, it’s not just about the discounts we’re giving them, sometimes it’s the dealer’s participation in a particular project or just as often it’s after the sale related to a service problem that we’re trying to resolve… it could really be anything that will set this guy off. Our sales reps are experienced salespeople. They have excellent relationships with the end users, the A&D community, and for the most part, our dealers. Our reps, even our customer service people who take this abuse, are not wilting violets, and they will not stand for being bullied, threatened, or harassed. They are pros who do not have a problem dealing with difficult people. Except for when someone from the dealership starts to scream at them…

This has become my problem because, in this case, I have a very senior sales rep who now refuses to call on that dealership (which was assigned to them) anymore because the dealer owner is constantly screaming at them. It’s also becoming an HR problem for my company because the salesperson reported it as a workplace harassment issue since they regularly feel threatened. As an interim solution, I am handling that dealership as my account for now. Unfortunately, since this isn’t an isolated incident, I have other dealerships that I’m dealing with because the salespeople don’t want to be disrespected. And now it’s interfering with my being able to do my own job as the regional VP where I manage over 30 people.

Have you heard of this happening before? What should I do?

Signed,

Fed Up with Ferocious Dealers

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Dear Fed Up,

Have I heard of this problem? Are you serious? I hear about it constantly from manufacturers! Guess what – it’s not just you, it’s just about everyone. Of course, that’s part of the problem. The dealers know there is a lack of respect for them even though they believe they are on the front line making the deals happen and then completing the installations. So, it is no wonder there’s hard feelings and tension between dealers and manufacturers. ?

I have no doubt any dealer principle reading this will think this letter is about them – no matter where they are in the country nor the size of the market, disrespect comes in many shapes and forms and when the interactions become loud, belligerent, screaming or threatening over the phone or in-person, it is… you know what I want to say… (bull’s dung). But I’ll just use the word “unacceptable” for now.

It’s a shame because people who own dealerships and people who work at dealers are all very smart people and I have enormous respect for them. And usually, they’re very nice. It’s just a hard job, this I know because I’ve done it myself. In my opinion, most of these dealer people believe that they are solely responsible for the success of the major manufacturer that they represent no matter how iconic the brand is. They feel that they own the customers and when they have a problem, they don’t mind screaming about it. They furthermore feel that the success of a company like ________, (fill in your major manufacturer here), has everything to do with their dealership and nothing to do with your product.

I’ve heard of tantrums where the language becomes vile -- curses and beyond. This is of course inappropriate for professional relationships or workplaces in general. It’s time for us as an industry to move on from these contemptuous dealer-manufacturer relationships, phone calls, and emails. You heard it here first, enough is enough!

Here’s what you need to do:

If you’re working for a major manufacturer with a dealer advisory council, I think you owe it to yourself and your company to bring it up at the council meetings. Especially if the salespeople are taking it to an HR level within your company making it harder to do your job. If you’re a dealer owner reading this, guess what – figure it out, manufacturers can’t stand you! And sooner or later the manufacturer’s HR problems caused by you or your people speaking to the reps in threatening tones (real or perceived) is going to become your problem, big time -- because they will eventually eliminate your dealership from their business altogether.

Dealer owners: why not establish a code of ethics which describes how your employees should behave almost identical to the manufacturers code of ethics whom you represent. Most companies have them, and guess what it’s for -- to preclude employees from exhibiting this type of inappropriate behavior. Once again, enough is enough!

If you’re one of the major manufacturers, you have powerful leverage in the manufacturer/dealer business partnership, so use it to bring about an understanding of the behaviors expected by both companies.

On the other hand, if you’re a small, open-line manufacturer where this is just as common, but the dealer relationship is more important to your business, you simply need to explain to the dealer principle that screaming and shouting is unacceptable in a manufacturer-dealer partnership. Dealers cannot and should not be bullying manufacturers’ employees. It should no longer be the unspoken ‘norm’ of our industry.

Dealers – especially, your screamer-dealers, clean up your act!

Signed,

Stephen

Stephen Viscusi is the founder of www.viscusigroup.com, an executive search firm that specializes in the interior furnishings industry. Hires made through The Viscusi Group are guaranteed a one-year free replacement. Please share your story or comment on this article and send your workplace questions to [email protected]. Or give us a call at (212) 979-5700 ext. 101.