The worst encounter with a sales rep...

Last week I had possibly the worst encounter with a sales rep...

He was trying to sell me some tech but it just wasn’t relevant for my business.

He told me I could save £X and get an ROI of Y%...based on 100% assumption!

He hadn’t even done the most basic research into me or my company.

I told him I’m OK and clarified why he was off the mark.

I also told him that assumption is a dangerous thing in sales.

So what did the guy do?

He doubled down and started to criticise me for giving him the wrong idea!

I had been nothing less than transparent.

But here he was like a wounded animal...lashing out.

Word of advice to anyone in sales – and it kind of goes without saying – refrain from attacking a prospect if they’re not interested, particularly if your own assumptions were wrong due to a complete lack of research.

If nothing else, lashing out demonstrates an emotionally unstable salesperson with an unchecked ego who can’t deal with rejection or some friendly pointers.

You never know if things may change in the future and that same prospect becomes relevant.

As the old saying goes, never burn your bridges.

You just never know who that person knows or what the future holds.