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  #1  
Old 07-24-2008, 11:30 PM
300EVIL's Avatar
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This Lady Was Crazy!!

Hey Everyone,

Check out this story. Yesterday I went on a sales call with my dad selling our new product. As usual, whenever I take my dad with me on sales calls, he does most of the talking, that's just his personality. Anyway, we stop at this one store to meet with the owner to explain our product to her. She's most likely in her late 30's and seemed pretty normal. At first everything was going okay until she started asking questions about Lake Geneva where our offices are located. My dad went on to explain how long we've been there which turned into him explaining that he and my mom used to fly into the Playboy Club with his Cessna 172 (now Grand Geneva Resort) in the 70's to have the brunch buffet.

The lady immediately changed her tune and said, " So your a sicko, huh?" Both my dad and I kind of blew off the comment and went on talking about business. She stopped us and said, "Wait a minute, I want to talk about your sick perversion." We then explained to her that it wasn't like that. The Playboy club was just a resort that had a fancy name and really had nothing to do with playboy bunnies running around scantily clad. We then went on to discuss business and she kept getting fixated on the playboy topic. Constantly accusing us of being pedophiles and pornography lovers. I then told her that it's not that big of a deal. I told her that it's kinda like going to Hooters and that I just enjoy their food. She totally flipped out and kept talking sh!#. Finally she said, "I will NEVER,,,, NEVER!,,, buy your product! You people are sick!"

I said, Okay, good by, have a nice day! and headed for the door. She then got in one last comment about me being a pedophile and I just snapped and said, F!%$ OFF, YOU B!#$@!!!!! As I walked out the door.

Man, I was pissed! I probably should have just ignored her and walked out but she really pushed my buttons. I personally think she is taking too much medication or not enough. Anyway, our outside sales rep who was also with us that day quit because I told her off. That's okay though, I was going to fire him anyway. He signed on 3 clients over the last 3 months to my 32.

What do you guys think of this whole situation? Was I way out of line? Just a little bit? Or completely right in my actions? I am a very nice guy most of the time and am pretty resilient to a few jabs. This lady totally pissed me off though. Whatever she was thinking (dirty mind) was totally the wrong view of my dad and I.
Thanks for listening to my rant.
Adam

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  #2  
Old 07-24-2008, 11:33 PM
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Oh, by the way, we ended up selling 4 stores that day including a popular chain with 4 stores! So the day kind of made up for itself.
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  #3  
Old 07-24-2008, 11:39 PM
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*She* is the sicko. She is a sexual hysteric. This country is chock full of people like that

You don't even WANT to know how horrible her life is sexually.

It is really bad when people like that get policy making jobs in the Government
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  #4  
Old 07-25-2008, 12:51 AM
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Just curious what product you sell?

I deal with residential and commercial tenants. Maybe a little different then you because I deal with a small number of people, while it sounds like you deal with lots of people. Anyways, my advice would be to always try to keep your cool. I have been in many situations where I want to tell people off but I take the high road. I just grin and bear it. I now have a reputation of being fair, and people generally give me more respect.

I also think that you have to spend a lot of energy to get clients, but one crazy complaining customer will scare off ten times more business thanm one good reccommendation
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Old 07-25-2008, 01:34 AM
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well, I work in sales also and I have had those things come up before. First off I dont think it was that good of a idea to even mention the word "playboy" to a possible client. I know what the playboy club was but others might not. You must keep your conversations to professional level and saying anything with the word playboy is not a good idea. I my self have had one of my appointments turn out like that. One of the ladies that i was showing the product was just dead set on the stuff. Her son that seemed to live with her his entire life came out and was cursing at me to "get the hell out, she doesnt need that *****." I had my words to the son and she ended up buying one of my larger sets and a smaller set for a present. You just have to understand how to take care of the situation. Think of this as a lesson on how to take care of the situation next time.
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  #6  
Old 07-25-2008, 07:19 AM
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I have a business partner just like that....Promises NOT to talk and always ends up in the *****....

We finally figured out how to handle it......we stuff a couple of dirty socks in his mouth and tie him up to a rolling task chair and leave him in the garage. In the beginning he would be angry but after brisk sales, he caught on and now he hardly asks production if we have meetings...

Unfortunately there are more of those kookoo's out there and the customer is ALWAYS right so we learned to let the kooks win the battle but we win the war.

Good luck with your sales...
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Old 07-25-2008, 07:53 AM
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She's definitely whacked out. That said it's generally a good idea to keep the discussion safe and innocuous until you get a feel for the customer which may not be until subsequent visits, unless you don't really need their business. Some get into good natured, profanity-laced discussions about their drunken trip to the strip club and others are church-going folks who wouldn't dream of doing either. All she heard was the word Playboy and she was done.

Even with our track record and reputation, I never want to leave anything on the table that might turn them off. I'm just not comfortable with alienating a customer over something that I or one of my salespeople said.

Good for you for making up for it the rest of the day, though!
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  #8  
Old 07-25-2008, 08:52 AM
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Wow Adam ... it sounds like you needed to take some of your product after that meeting.

It sounds like other than that lady, you guys are doing well. Keep up the good work and try not to let people get to you.
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  #9  
Old 07-25-2008, 11:06 AM
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300- Definitely a wack job. However but, as soon as you sensed it going south it probably would have been a good idea to excuse yourself and thank the nut-job for her time and be done with it.
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Old 07-25-2008, 11:19 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 300EVIL View Post
Hey Everyone,

. . . . We then explained to her that it wasn't like that. The Playboy club was just a resort that had a fancy name and really had nothing to do with playboy bunnies running around scantily clad. We then went on to discuss business and she kept getting fixated on the playboy topic. Constantly accusing us of being pedophiles and pornography lovers. I then told her that it's not that big of a deal. I told her that it's kinda like going to Hooters and that I just enjoy their food. . . . .
Wait just a minute, bucko! Are you SERIOUS?! You actually LIKE the food at Hooters?
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Old 07-25-2008, 11:29 AM
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I can't blame you for your reaction, being called a pedophile is a serious accusation and one that shouldn't be bandied around so casually. However, your dad was too fixated on the sale and wasn't listening to what she was saying. If he had, he would have realized that the conversation wasn't going anywhere positive. Sicko that she may be, you guys should have bailed before it escalated.
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Old 07-25-2008, 11:37 AM
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Seriously, I would have walked out ath the first "sicko' comment. When she said that there was no way you were coing to close a sale.

What I would have told her is that being called a pedophile is a serious charge and unless she had evidence to PROVE that I was a pedophile, my lawyer would be contacting her for libel.
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Old 07-25-2008, 12:15 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dee8go View Post
Wait just a minute, bucko! Are you SERIOUS?! You actually LIKE the food at Hooters?
I'd go to Hooters for the Chicken Wings even if the girls weren't dressed so nicely.
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Old 07-25-2008, 01:02 PM
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We have Eddie G, Jeff BoyArdee, People who have been caught having sex with dead deer, 3 guys dig up a corpse based on a pic in the orbit to have sex with it and this surprises you? Don't get out much, do you?
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Old 07-25-2008, 01:27 PM
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DANG,
my first thought is... don't let that woman come to California!

A few weeks beck I went looking for a diesel for my friend. we got on craigslist and found a lot of cars. we were driving around the city looking at some when she called this one guy. he was about and hour and half out of town. we make the drive... and to make a long story short the guy ends up living in a nudist hippy commune. we drive back to the auto shop where the SD is parked. the guy selling it was normal enough, but on they way to the car we saw some naked people.

Ah California!

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