A Fitter Salesman Is A Better Salesman

If you've been following me on Twitter, many of you will know I have been going to the gym on a regular basis for about the last 3 months or so. I started to go as I was starting to get a bit flabby round the front and sides (I couldn't fit in to one of my best suits!), I was feeling lethargic, sluggish and generally unfit.

So I took the plunge and joined the gym late October/early November (can't remember which!), and I am already starting to see and feel the difference. Appearance is certainly starting to change (much to the delight of my girlfriend haha!). I'm losing the stomach and love handles at the sides. Arms are becoming more toned, as is the beer belly. In fact all upper body has improved quite well.


But what I have also noticed is that I'm feeling far fitter now than I have done in quite a long time. The lethargy has gone. I look less tired even though I'm actually sleeping less at the moment! I'm more focused in the office. I'm zipping about the office at the same speed now as when I first started. I'm getting far more done in all areas of my work, and in my opinion to a better standard. So this leads me to wonder, does a fitter salesmen make a better salesmen? So far I would answer yes! Also, I've cut out the booze! I'm bored of hangovers and quite enjoy waking up on a Saturday or Sunday morning not feeling like crap!

Should all salesmen take it upon themselves to lead a healthier lifestyle to improve their sales performance? I don't think companies should make it compulsory for their staff to alter their regimen to suit a better way of living, but maybe helpful advice could provide that little nudge? Just speaking out loud here, could be talking crap again!

I maintain however that since going to the gym and improving my diet I feel far better for it, and it has definitely had a positive impact on my work. So, does a fitter salesman make a better salesman? It certainly does!

Is Sales Still A Male Dominated World?

A report out today has said that at the current rate of pay, it is going to take about 98 years for women managers to catch men up for them to have equal pay.


So this whole gender issue got me thinking about our own industry and the role women play, especially in sales.


The majority of sales people I've come across working in this industry have mostly been men. In fact all the sales people that have worked where I do have been male. Not through choice of the business, but only because it has only ever been men that have applied for jobs. I pose the question then: do we need more women in sales in this industry?


Would women be able to improve the image of the industry? I've always been of the perception that men have always been quite aggressive in the way they go about their work. And the industry does still have the image of a stuffy, old fashioned, middle-aged men controlled sector. Maybe more women sales people with a less aggressive approach might help to shake off that smokey old image.


Women are certainly capable of doing the job. Which brings me on to the issue of pay. There should be no reason why the pay for women should be any less than men. Same amount of work, same amount of pay - simple!


In a general context, there shouldn't be such a large gap in pay between men and women. We're living in a modern age, everyone should be paid in the same manner, and based on the work they do and how well they do it. Though as a parting shot to women tennis players. If you want to be paid the same as men in Grand Slams, play the same amount of sets! I would fully expect the men to be paid less if they played less sets than the women.

A Challenge

I really have got the bit between my teeth on this issue, but it bugs me so I'm going to carry on talking about it.


I'm proposing a challenge: I'm asking those reps/companies who are currently signing up their contracts with little or no profit to come on here and explain why. I would like you to explain why, in a time of rising costs, you insist on bleeding your quotes dry of profit, to try and win the order? I know this has been going on for a good 18 months to two years, surely some of you are on the brink of collapse? Do you realize you have employees that rely on the business surviving so they can earn an income?


There are a lot of competitors of mine which are selling their wares for absolutely bugger all. Those who know who I am, know exactly who I'm talking about. This is your platform to come on here and respond to what I've said - if you're really bothered about the people you employ and the businesses you're supposed to be running responsibly.


It's time to earn money, not become a 'not for profit' organisation!

Nationals Still Misleading Customers

I read a 3 day old thread on http://double-glazing-forum.com/topics.aspx?ID=434 in which a customer explains that a national company told him that the other two local companies couldn't possibly have A rated windows as only they (Anglian) and Everest are the only ones who have that rating.


After years of energy rated windows being very widely available, and at the A rated standard, it surprises me that sales reps are still spouting this sort of rubbish. I say sales reps because it may not be company policy to use false information like that during a sales demo. But if there are elements of the company saying such things, then this needs to be seen as a wake up call and to right such a laughable wrong!


If we're trying to improve the reputation of the industry, we need to start being genuine with the general public. These sorts of lies and distortions only serve to confuse potential customers, alienating them, giving them a more negative view of our profession.


And before anyone starts to think I'm being hypocritical by mentioning national companies even though their ads might pop up next to this post, well I'm not. The ads are randomly generated by Google, not placed by me. And I won't change the way I write. If there's crap practices to be aired, then I will carry on doing so.

Are Reduced Margins A Certainty?

A bit of a debate started yesterday on Glasstalk about margins and how they will naturally become less due to the mature market place, competition and struggling economy. As proof of the opposite, I'm taking the view that just because things aren't so easy, there are ways to stay profitable.

One way to increase margins is to improve the quality of the product that is sold. High-end products can command a better profit margin. It's easier to sell a higher price to a customer when the product is a good one. Cheaper products can only achieve medium price ranges with poor profit margins.


The other way is to accept the financial situation we are all in. Loss leading offers are not the  way to bring the custom in when profit is needed so badly. It's time to implement those price increases that your manufacturers have been passing on and eating into your profit levels. Just because the price of a door might go up £30-50 doesn't mean you won't get that sale now. Just sell the benefits of the product and explain that raw materials prices have gone up. The last few leads I've sat I've explained how the current financial climate has caused raw material prices to go up, having a knock-on effect on our prices. They're are fully understanding as they know everyone, including themselves are having to pay more due to the rising cost of living.


Get your staff to do more. If you're busy and think you need to hire more staff, try using your current employees first before you add another wage to your bill. Perhaps give them a small pay rise to cover the extra work, but this will still be cheaper than taking on another member of staff when maybe you don't need to.


Increase your levels of personal service. You can command higher prices if the customer thinks you're doing more for them than the other company is willing to do. The more work they see you doing, the more justified the higher price becomes.


We don't have to be scared of higher prices. If we can embrace it in the right way, adapt to a more expensive market and communicate that well to the customer, there's no reason why companies can't start to recover their profit margins.

Kamikaze Trading

I read a brilliant article in the latest GGP Magazine about what Danny Williams calls 'Kamikaze trading'. He explains the frustration and stupidity of sub-selling very well:


The double glazing industry is not sophisticated. In fact, that is one of its charms. It is, in many ways, an 'Essex' industry, full of characters who, like me it must be said, have made their relative fortunes based upon the purest of human instincts - a desire for beautiful women, expensive cars, Rolex watches, big foreign homes and an insatiable need for cash to fund them all.


All joking aside (!) whilst the industry may have had its fair share of fast-buck cowboys in its heyday, what is left are people whom, I sincerely believe are in the main, serious about their business and who want to do well in an ever tougher market. No one is in it for the quick cash these days, because there ain't no such thing anymore.


What remains however, is a tendency to slash prices at the merest sign of resistance from a potential buyer, if indeed any attempt was made to offer a reasonable and well calculated price in the first place. It happens at all levels, not just the one man band, sticking in a house full a week to pay the mortgage, feed the family and buy his Friday night beer. The hackneyed 80% off for a decision now close remains of course, a bastion of the big national retailers who also appear to be unable to drag themselves out of the 'Seventies rut that passes for sales 'technique'.


The upshot is that with prices remaining at an all time low in the present market, the number of companies at every level of the market making any sort of money is now also at its lowest. With each recession or even the merest market dip, those happy to sub-sell even in those rare times when home owner are happy to splash their cash, are succeeding in eroding prices to the point at which wholesale bankruptcies are inevitable. According to some figures I saw recently, more than 2000 double glazing companies went pop last year, a figure that would warm my heart usually on the basis that most of them were cowboys. But we know that most of them re-emerged the next day under a different moniker to carry on just as before. it's like Groundhog day.


I know I am repeating what many before me have uttered and I am preaching to the converted; but the editor invited me to offer my opinions and so I will do just that. We just don't seem to learn, as an industry, with sub-selling rife at all levels. The fundamental principles of cost and margin calculations are ignored, with an eye only on getting the sale at any cost. Most white van man operations will know simple what their trade supplier is quoting and they will stick a few hundred quid on the price, often not enough to cover their basic overheads. I expect it will always be that way at that level.


What worries me however, is that so many window fabricators are also supporting this downward spiral of slashing costs without doing the most basic maths. I run a lean operation, buy well and constantly examine costs. So how can so many window makers sell at prices that barely cover the component and labour content of their products? It's like sailing towards an iceberg in the fog because they didn't buy a radar.


The key word in the fight against sub-selling is 'value', the mental estimation a consumer makes of the product or service they are considering. Make the buyer believe that they are receiving far more for their money than from any other supplier and the sale will be made. This is also supported by better products, service and support, with communication of all of those factors a key to it all - communicate to the customer through superb brochures, a website and direct communications and the rest will drop into place. Just don't give it away!


I know that I am voicing a complaint that has become perennial, one that is reeled out every time there is a dip in the market. The biggest offenders will bite the dust and, you may say, good riddance to them. But the damage that they wreak throughout is irreparable. Prices - and therefore margins - will never recover as a new line is drawn in the sand. Our principle suppliers must accept their part - their responsibilities in this, by refusing to re-supply the repeat offenders, the serial phoenixers and by intelligently supporting those manufacturers that strive to maintain and improve standards - and margins.


Only then will we be able to re-invest in the wider economy with the lavish spending that otherwise would be the other typifying characteristic of double glazing man; or at the very least, allows us to run businesses on a sound, intelligent footing.


Danny Williams describes this inherent problem perfectly. There is nothing worse than losing a job to another company which has so blatantly sub-sold the contract. We come up against it every week. But we do as Danny Williams described; promote our products and services to the point where the customer knows what were are providing is far better than others, and then back this up with clear communication and provide good literature and a good website. We win most orders, even though other companies so obviously under-cut. It is however still very frustrating when we lose one to a company which sub-sells and damages their own business in doing so.


I now want to pose a challenge: if anyone is reading this and knowingly sub-sells, I urge you to respond to this post to defend what you do and justify it. There is obviously a reason as to why companies do this, and we would like to hear why you think this is good business sense.


You can find this article on page 74 of the latest GGP Magazine.

When Your Not Given The Time

When visiting a customer to quote them for a new conservatory, you would think that due to a conservatory being quite a big purchase, the client would dedicate some time to go through with you your product, company and all the other details entailed, to make sure that your quote meets completely their expectations. Well no.


A couple we visited this evening after making an appointment via our website seemed to care very little about what they were wanting to buy. We sat them down and tried pretty much in vein to go through the details of the product. But any question posed to the couple were shouted across the house as we were sat down with him, but she was in the kitchen! 


After the first half dozen questions shouted around the house, it was clear the husband was growing more and more irritable. You could tell that both of them weren't interested in the slightest demo of what we had to offer. It was a case of just going in, getting measurements, deciding on the design and just leaving.


When asking a company to come visit you at your home to quote for something as big as a conservatory, or a full house of windows and doors, isn't it common courtesy to allow that company some time to do their job. Plus, it's better for them to listen to what the company has to say so they can make a fully informed decision on who to choose. 

Tablets Will Change The Way We Sell

Those with even the slightest interest in technology will know that the recent wave of tablet devices such as the iPad from Apple are revolutionising the way businesses work.


Why? Well devices like the iPad are able to do what the smaller smart-phones can't. They can do everything a laptop or PC can, quickly, efficiently and it does it mobile. Tablet devices to sales people means a lot less paperwork, a more dynamic presentation of what they have to show and they can carry out their work quicker due to 3G wireless Internet connections.


I know some sales reps are already doing demonstrations of their windows and doors to customers using tablet devices. They can easily show the customer their products, possible handing over the device to the customer so they can browse images and information for themselves, rather than the sales person controlling the browsing. Showing your window and doors images on such a clear, bright and sharp display can only help persuade your products are the ones for them. 


I'm torn currently between 2 devices. Apple are due to announce the release date and specifications of the iPad 2 soon. But I've also been looking at BlackBerry's Playbook tablet device. Their Playbook boasts a dual-core processor, the smoothest touch screen of any of the devices currently available, has a HD display, multi-touch interface and is 2 inches smaller than the iPad. This is due to be released in May according to rumours. The easiest thing to do is take a look at both closely before deciding. But seeing as I already have a BlackBerry torch, and both devices can be paired with each other, I'm leaning towards the Playbook.


The tablet device will change how we sell and how we work, because it's mobile and can do everything the old devices like laptops and PC's can do. Those keeping up with technological advancements will benefit. Those currently behind the curve need to catch up with it. Has technology ever moved forward this quickly?

Advertising

Advertising. The selling of a dream or idea. One of the most important parts of a business.

Advertising can be split into two different types. The first is the typical direct advertising. TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, leaflets and now the internet. These are the most upfront ways of getting across whatever message or idea your trying to push. They can be as basic, or as elaborate, depending on what is being sold. More specifically to the double glazing industry, advertising tends to focus more on the cheaper end of the market. The BOGOF's and the 'Free Fitting' offers have cheapened what could have been a market which could have had a more revered image, possibly commanding more sensible, higher prices. However, business's egos to undercut and win every order has had a detrimental effect on this industry.

The second form of advertising is a bit more subtle. Presentation. And not just how you present the product, but how you present the business, the environment in the building, how you present yourself. Everything you have and everything you do is advertising. All the time you are creating an image and impression for your customers. For example, we wear suits to work. We want to create the most professional image the second we walk into someone's home or when someone visits us at our showroom. And because we represent the business and the product we sell, our image is advertising our business and product.


We don't carry around sample windows. How can you tell how that product is going to transform someone's home from a small sample window, which probably isn't going to be in that sample style anyway? All our windows and doors in the showroom are fitted into mock brickwork to show off how they would look fitted. A more subtle form of advertising which works subconsciously. All our offices are clean and organised, every customer gets a welcome the second they come in from our reception staff, all to make sure we give the best impression of ourselves. A lot of the above seems quite simple stuff, but yet some or all of it is ignored by a lot of companies, and not just in double glazing.


Advertising is both in your face and subtle. Use the 'in your face' marketing to pull people in. Use the subtle ways, the things you say, the way you present yourself and your company, and the way you act to cement a sale. Sometimes that works better than the direct approach.  

Fair Price Guide: Pros And Cons

Over the past 48 hours or so there has been some great and fevered debate about the prices we should be selling our windows and doors at. This is brilliant, as price is one of the main, if not the main debating point for us all.


Mike Bygrave on Glasstalk brought up the idea of a fair price guide. Bodies like the GGF or FENSA could publish guidelines indicating what items should cost. For example a door ranging between £500-£1500. The advantages from a customer point of view is that they get to use the guideline to help plan their budgets, and they get to avoid the silly tactics of the nationals when they start off at astronomical prices only to come back down again. That's from the customer view point.


There are some problems that installers would have to overcome. One obvious one is differentiation. If a customer sees this guideline, they will be thinking they can get themselves a £1500 quality door for £500, when we know that isn't the case. This would make it harder for those selling at the higher end of the price range to justify their prices. For this reason implementing this sort of thing would probably be strongly fought against by most small to medium businesses, maybe most of us...but not the nationals, they are a law unto themselves!


In times of hardship prices are scrutinised terribly. I don't think we would be talking about price if the years were 2003-2006, they seemed to be the best years most recently. Plenty of leads, plenty of people willing to spend money left right and centre, no recession. Pricing debates probably wouldn't even be thought of, even though there was no Glasstalk back then!


Price guidelines are a good idea, but unimplementable. The best thing for everyone to do is to choose your product, choose your margins, and price based on your costs and quality of product. Simple as that. 

Morals, Values And Losing Sleep

A debate about door prices got me to thinking; can a company/salesman have morals and values and still get on in this industry.


I'm on the side of the fence which says you can. When the company I work for started 30 years ago, one of their selling rules was to not do the 'hard-sell'. Be honest with the customer as much as possible and don't take advantage of those who could be taken for a ride.


Customers, now more than ever, are aware of the pricing tactics many use to try and get a sale, dishonestly. I never charge more than the set amount of profit or commission than necessary, but we still make a healthy profit and I do well out of selling that way. I've never been short of money, I've always done well for myself. 


Now for a scenario: a large national company quotes £3300 for a door, my price is way under that. There are some which say I could have charge a lot more than normal, still look cheaper and pocket the the extra. But to me that's just taking advantage of someone who may not be as wise to this. Maybe I'm lacking something but I just couldn't bring myself to knowingly over-charge a customer and dishonestly pocket their extra hard earned cash.


And to show that my way of doing things works, I managed, by selling according to my morals and values, a 56% conversion rate in 2010, in what was a tough trading year. My rates didn't drop below 66.6% for the last five months of that year.

Selling At The Right Price

In a time where it's imperative for double glazing companies to be selling their products at the right price, the industry is still plagued with companies who are too price focused and hence go bust a phoenix time and time again. 

How do we educate both the public and financially un-sound businesses out there that for a great product, you have to make the right margins and the customer has to pay the right price for it too. Robert Foy has made the point that the smallest installation companies and one man bands should also be charging the same as bigger companies do. Just because they may not have the overheads they do, doesn't mean they shouldn't be able to charge the same. People and in business to make money, that's what they should be doing.

Changing a pricing culture that seems to have been in the industry since it was born is going to be difficult. It may be one of those things where if people keep the issue on the table and as a point of discussion, attitudes may change as the idea of charging a bit more for products starts to bed in. What we could also do with is the bigger companies in this game, like the manufacturers, talking in the same manner. After all, they are the ones raising the prices to start with!

A 3x3 Victorian conservatory for example, should be selling at around the £9-10K mark. For that manufacturers can get a fair price for their glass, roof and frames. The builder and fitters get a decent wage, the company should be making the right amount of profit (bearing in mind they will have to guarantee it for ten years) and the customer is paying the going rate for a conservatory sold in 2011.

I really would like to know if I'm on the right tracks with that, or if some of you think that is too much, or not enough. Either way, our wares are being sold too cheap at the minute and something has to change.

Personal Relationships

Selling is a job that allows a person to form a sort of relationship with a potential customer. 


Many people outside this job don't appreciate what sales people have to do. They don't understand that we have to go into someones home who truly doesn't trust you as far they could throw you, persuade them to part with thousands of pounds of their hard earned money, and convince them that your company is the best.


If/when you get the customer to sign with you, that's when they (usually) let their guard down and you really get to know them as a person. This doesn't happen with everybody, but the majority of my customers we are able to have a laugh and be more relaxed with them.


One other aspect is that you also get an insight into their lives. I've been dealing with an elderly couple these past few weeks. She is suffering from the early stages of dementia and he has had a stroke and so struggles with his speech. They are both perfectly nice people who I get on with brilliantly, but when you see genuine people struggle on even though you know they need help, it's very hard to watch. It's at these points you have to remember that your only a salesman doing a job, not their son, not their daughter, not their family friend of 20 years. You don't really matter.


Looking on the positive side, doing a job like this means you get to deal with someone new everyday. You get to know some genuinely nice people that restore your faith in humanity!

Using Your Company's Green Credentials

As companies we have a responsibility now to become greener, become more self sustaining and do our bit to help our environment, plus it saves us on our fuel bills!

But, how many of us actually use it to help sell our products? And do the public really care?

For a few weeks, on every demonstration I did I talked to the customer about what we recycle and the steps we have made to limit what goes in our skip and what goes on to landfill. And my honest opinion is that it meant very little to the customer. Of those who went ahead with me I asked them why they chose us, not one of them said that it was because of what we do to help the environment.

The general public I believe are still not tuned in to being more environmentally friendly. The responses I got from my customer when I talked to them about it were numb at best. All customers are interested when buying windows and doors is the quality of the product and price - not what we do with their old frames and glass. And you can see why. Why would they be bothered about their old windows when we'll be taking them out in a few weeks and they aren't interested in the first place?

It's going to be a while before the consumer starts becoming more interested about what companies do with their old windows and doors. So for now, those who own businesses need to start making the changes necessary to help reduce their carbon foot print, and hopefully over time it will become more interesting to the customer.

I'm More Of An Afternoons Person

I don't know about you, but I don't really like morning appointments.

The thing with morning appointments is that you always seem rushed. I get into the office just after 9 (probably should get in earlier, but that's the advantage of being self employed!), have breakfast while planning out the day ahead, then by the time I've done that I'm back out on the road to my first appointment. Problem is I'm still not 100% alert in the mornings so when I get to the customers house I'm just about ready in my head!

I much prefer afternoon leads. I've had chance to catch up on any paperwork that needs doing. I'm not rushed to get out on to the road. I'll have probably done a showroom demo so I'm in the swing of things and in my rhythm of speaking. I tend to speak better and more fluently in the afternoons after a demo or two.

But when it comes to evening appointments I'm on fire! I've had a full day of talking product, I'm in my selling rhythm and chomping at the bit to get going.

I guess I'm a bit like starting a car on a cold morning: bit spluttery at the start, but once I get going I'm relentless!

I've Had No Training!

It may surprise some, or not at all, but since I started selling, I've not attended one single training course. Nor did I have any selling courses before I started. I was given the tuition of my Dad for a few weeks before I got out on the road, and then I was on my way.

Since starting in 2006 I have managed to increase my conversion every year. And I feel that every year my techniques, product knowledge and accumulating experience help me up that learning curve.

So do I need to go on a training course? Some of you may say yes, some no. Personally I don't think I need to. I also don't like the 'being back at school' type of environment. I left my A-Level course 1 year early for that reason!

The Importance Of A Good Showroom

With all the developments of products and specifications on the Internet, and with ever improving brochures and literature, the showroom is still one of the most important tools.

And it's got to be a good one. No matter how many pictures or sample windows a customer is shown, they still want to see some fitted examples in a showroom, that's what I've found.

We present our products in our showroom as they would appear fitted in a home. This gives the best chance possible for the customer to visualise in their minds what the product will look like on their property.

The showroom is also a tool you can use to confirm the sale. Bringing customers into your own environment gently puts pressure on them to leave the building having put their name on your contract.

Getting Your Salespeople Motivated

Having motivated sales people on board is vital. Conservatory Girl on the GlassTalk website has voiced frustration at the lack of it, resulting in depressed conversion rates.

There are certain things that really get salespeople into that much needed groove. Firstly, commission only sales reps, I think, work the hardest. They have to put the extra effort in every time, knowing that if they don't they could lose out on a sale, and possible their only wage for the week. Those on a basic can become a little lax, knowing that even if they don't get every sale, they are still going to earn.

One thing to note is that sales people are vein (and that includes me!). They like nothing more than to come top of the pile at the end of the week. They also hate it when they come last. Internal competition is good for business. Publish the sales figures at the end of every week. Show who's come first and who's come last. We do, and we all have some good banter from it, but it also drives us to do the best we can. We also compare conversion rates. Again we always want to have the best conversion rate for the week or month.

Don't overload sales reps with distance and appointments. It's OK covering a wide radius, but trying to cram in 2-3 appointments a day while driving 250 miles is hard mentally. The driving is tedious. The long drives take your mind off the up coming appointment, which means when he/she isn't in the right frame of mind. Do that 2-3 times a day and leads won't be worked to their potential.

Call leads back. Ask the client questions about the call. Was he/she on time? Did you understand everything the sales rep explained. Etc. If you start to get negative feedback you know where you need to improve, if it's positive you know the sales people are doing their jobs right. It also puts pressure on them. The last thing they want is a follow up call to reveal that they had just played at the lead and couldn't really be bothered.

Those are just a few, but some of the main ways to try to get sales people in the mood to sell. Try them, but don't blame me if they don't work! If they don't, you probably need to get rid of the sales rep!

The Ideals Of An Outdoor Showsite

I'm a great believer that if you are going to display conservatories, they need to be outside. Having them outside means the customers gets the true feel as to what to expect from their new conservatory as they are going to be exposed to the weather.

Companies can boast dozens of conservatories on display, but if they are inside, surrounded by artificial light and air conditioning, I believe customers aren't getting the true showsite experience. They are in their own climate, protected, when the real thing is going to be subjected to all sorts of extremes of weather.

For example, how do you demonstrate the benefits of the heatguard roof inside?! We have a conservatory with a heatguard roof, next to one without, and that allows us to show properly the difference between roofs, and the obvious benefits. We don't have the biggest showroom, but because it's outdoors, customers often tell us that they can get the true picture by coming to our outdoor showsite as opposed to other indoor ones.

It's Just A Job

Customer's regularly tell me: 'the other salesman just didn't seem interested'.

This is a problem for our industry, and is caused by two things. The first is the basic wage. While a basic wage gives the cushion incase the salesman has a bad week, it breeds low motivation. I'm only paid on what I sell, totally comission only. And I can assure you that it makes you work damn hard, harder than others on a basic wage. It makes you enthusiastic, it gives you urgency and forward thinking. This creates a much better impression with the customer, and can help win the order in the end.

The second reason is lack of motivation, otherwise known as lazyness. For a lot of people, selling is just a job, not a career. It's just something that pays the bills. Which is why they only settle for the basic wage, and if they sell 3 jobs in the week then it's a bonus. These types of people should not be out there selling as it pushes that stale image our industry still has. We need people selling who wake up motivated, ready to do the best they can, everyday, be energetic and click with the customer straight away. Do that, and the results will come.