Salespeople At The Gate

I often wonder how some salespeople approach their way of thinking when calling on a potential client.  I recently had an experience which was not only insulting, but bears the fact that some salespeople behave rather, well, barbaric.

Without getting into specifics, let me provide the scenario in such a manner to protect the innocent.  Names and companies will be withheld to avoid embarrassment.

I manage several commodities and with my many years of experience, I have earned the right to say I do it quite well.  Results always show cost management across all segments I manage.  In one particular commodity, I have an excellent sense of cost control, process efficiencies, and an excellent rapport with my internal clients.  One only needs to do some basic research via Linked In to see I have been around and I have enjoyed success.

I know salespeople are always trying to expand on their client list.  Emails, cold-calling, and the occasional unannounced visit are rather old tactics but in many ways they are quite effective. Many supply-chain executives dread a salesperson calling on them.  I myself try, as best as I can, to be polite and give a salesperson some opportunity to make a pitch to me.  I can often times learn new things by speaking or meeting with salespeople I have no existing relationship with.  In fact, I have had some positive experiences from taking the first step of a cold call. 

So why would a salesperson, with no intimate knowledge of my total spend in this specific commodity insist they can save me 25% over what I am doing on a cold call?  That is what recently happened to me.  When I hear that kind of opening pitch, I tend not to take it seriously and I hit delete on the voicemail. 

Multiple phone messages ensued, escalating to a point where the salesperson was questioning my sanity for tossing away such a savings opportunity. That pushed me over the edge.

I returned the call and fired point blank questions:

• How much do you think I spend in this category?  
• How many suppliers do you think I utilize for this category?
• How do you justify being able to save me 25% over what I am doing now when you know so little about how my company conducts business?

I felt like a teacher scolding a student for cheating on a test.  The salesperson, after an awkward moment of silence, just mumbled sorry and hung up.  It positively floored me that I had to give this person a basic lesson in good manners and sensible salesmanship. 

I, along with my fellow supply chain professionals across the fruited plain, have many responsibilities.  Problems arise all the time no matter how well prepared we might be.  If a salesperson can help mitigate those problems, they stand a good chance of advancing to a meeting, a proposal or actual business.  They in effect are invited through the "gates" we erect to keep the barbaric salespeople out.