Is there anything Dan could have done prior to the sales meeting that might have helped ease Billy Bob’s transition to a new sales representative?

Question

Dan was smiling to himself and feeling rather smug as he approached his next customer. After slaving away in a mediocre territory, he had been rewarded with a promotion to a more lucrative area. Today Dan was meeting with Billy Bob, the purchasing agent for a large company in Dan’s new territory. Billy Bob had always been a loyal customer, and although this was their first meeting, Dan fully expected a large order would result from the sales call today.

Smiling, Dan entered, offered Billy Bob his hand, and said, “Hello, I’m Dan from Manfred Enterprises. How are you…”

Before Dan could even get the words out of his mouth, Billy Bob broke in.

“Who the hell are you? Where’s my buddy Irvin? You know we’ve been doing business together for almost 12 years now. I just don’t deal with anybody else, much less a greenhorn. Where the hell is Irvin? We spent a lot of time together—hell, we darn near shut down Sam’s Saloon one night. I’ll just have to call Irvin at home and see what the hell is going on.”

Dan recalled Irvin bragging about the order he received one night at Sam’s Saloon. Dan also knew that Irvin had been fired for drinking on the job.

Dan was struck with a sense of panic. How could he respond to Billy Bob’s comments without risking the account?

Answer 1

Dan had several options prior to making the sales call that might have helped ease Billy Bob’s transition to a new sales representative. First, Dan could have sent Billy Bob a letter introducing himself, noting his credentials (years with the company, customer satisfaction awards, etc.), providing contact information, and explaining that he will be calling on his customers soon. From the scenario given, it is difficult to tell (as it would be in real life) if Billy Bob really misses his drinking buddy (highly possible) or if he is just outraged that the company sent a new representative without giving him any notice. Preparing Billy Bob in advance that a new sales representative would be working with his account might have offset Billy Bob’s shock at seeing Dan instead of Irvin.

Another option would be making the first sales call with the sales manager. The sales manager could introduce Dan and re-affirm the company’s commitment to its customers. It is important for sales representatives to remember that change is difficult and that they need make transitions as easy as possible for their customers.