Tacky sales home improvement guy

[Goldy1]

I got a quote for partial siding(my home is half brick) and new gutters from a larger local home improvement company. A dorr to door guy offered my a next day free estimate.

I had gotten one a month ago from another large company. I figured why not get another. I am semi serious. I don't want it just now(maybe Spring or later) but quotes are good for a year.

I got measured and listened to the sale talk and got my price. All went fine.

The salesman was hard to get to leave He finally did, but he sure was pushing to get me sign now. I told him I wanted to think about it and clearly said I was not going to sign today on a big purchase.

I Was turned off my these statements
"I have a kid in college. You gotta feel sorry for me"
"I will cut the price down another 1 grand and that cuts my commision. I want to get my monthly bonus which is volume."
"Well you thinking about it does not pay my bills"

I didn't even justify these statements with "well I have one child to pay for myself, or don't we all have bills etc etc"

I just thought it was tacky he said these things, and it owuld not help his sale for me. It made me trust him less, and it also made me wonder why he thougt I was getting siding to help him out. I'd help the whole world out if I could hey not possible.

[snafu]

I would guess your salesman had successfully used those statements with other potential customers or possibly be part of the sales orientation the firm uses in their sales training program. You are under no obligation to sign until you're ready to do so. Some salesmen need firm words to understand the client needs time to consider their choices.

[kork13]

Salesmen are salesmen are salesmen. Regardless of whether it's cars, electronics, clothes, or rain gutters. They just want the sale, and will say/do almost anything to get it.

Out of curiosity, how did this guy's estimate compare to the first one you got? The fact that he's willing to drop $1000 if you sign now makes me wonder how realistic (fair/non-inflated) of an original estimate he gave upfront.

[wincrasher]

Be wary. There are big differences in grades of vinyl siding, and of course prices. Make sure your bids are truly apples to apples.

Personally, I like the Hardiplank siding - it's made of concrete and you almost never paint, won't warp, rot or mildew.

[Slandgie]

Believe me, I know how hard it is to work in sales....I did it for about 7 years...you can't imagine the pressure you are under toward the end of the month when you need to get to your quota....you are using all the slick words and gimmicks known to mankind. Even if it means short-selling and taking a loss on that one last sale that will put you over the top.

Then you start all over again the next month! Thankfully, the job I have now is only about 5% sales oriented...about the only thing I can do is do an upsell while I am out servicing our customers equipment. Very low pressure, too.

I can sympathize with the telemarketers who call me at ungodly hours of the day. They ain't makin' more than $9/hr and are being told no 99% of the time. Sometimes I will carry on a short conversation with them, just to let them know that I know they are human, too.

[Beppington]

"I have a kid in college.

Could very well be a lie.

You gotta feel sorry for me"

Ah, the pity play!

"... that cuts my commision.

Another pity play.

I want to get my monthly bonus which is volume."

Wow, some honesty!

"Well you thinking about it does not pay my bills"

The pity play, hard style.

- - - - -
That's what sales folks do: Say anything to make the sale; "Saying" doesn't seem to hold them to anything.

I've been the recipient of those same types of lines for long enough that I now pretty much figure "guilty until proven innocent." Enough have turned out to be lying in the past that I just start out assuming it's all a lie until I see it in writing.

[ktmarvels]

"Well you thinking about it does not pay my bills"

This alone would probably cause me to chose someone else. The other things are sales tactics, but this is just plain rude! You are doing him a favor by choosing to do business with him, not the other way around.

[Goldy1]

I get sales;done it on a small scale but never had a lot of pressure. I could never hard sell people. no thanks.

I mean, would anyone care about the sales guys bills? Um we all have bills.


The first quote was about 9 grand. His was from memory about 12 grand.

I think good deals abound for home improvement exterior end of year and in winter with snow???

I got money off first job's quote to advertise on my lawn with a flyer box(semi busy street with a light at the end of it)