There is a rule in business negotiations that says to get the best deal always bring something to the table. All negotiations are best when deals are made in both directions. The same can be said for the companies that are hiring Commerce reps.At first it looks a soft landing for the reps at the new companies. But remember the bringing something to the table rule. With sales it is not just the product but the relationship. Good sales reps bring customers with them even when switching brands. One of the best things about the lawn and garden industry is that relationships still mean as much as the product being peddled. We trust that whatever "Bob" is selling is worthwhile and not only can we change but the consumer trusts we are procuring a product that will meet their needs.
The true test will come in the 2014 garden season. A salesman bringing with them $750,000 in business to the new boss is somewhat of a free ride for the new boss. The product has already been sold so the sales for the first year are "in the bank."
But what if 2013 is a dry, fiscal cliff, Obamacare, new recession year?
Will the new boss value the relationships in the long run and remember what was brought to the table?
There is a lot riding on this...................
Garden advice you can dig!
"Will the new boss value the relationships in the long run and remember what was brought to the table?"
ReplyDelete- To find the answer, one only needs to look to past history. Have the existing distributors who have hired the former Commerce Sales Team Members retained the employees from past acquisitions? The answer is "Yes".
That is a very good sign and says a lot about our industry. Mind you not the companies who have sold out to the boxes but the nuts and bolts of this great industry still dominated by independents.
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