[stelzerpaintinginc.]

A few things I say to new paint reps that I don't know:

-You don't need to ask me out to lunch or coffee, just reply promptly when I contact you regarding the occasional question/concern.

-Make sure the prices you quoted me are updated in every one of your stores.

-I don't expect you to know all the answers, so if you don't know, say so, and then try your hardest to find the answer ASAP.

-If I ask you your opinion as to the BEST product for my situation, I don't mean the best product your company offers, so if another manufacturer's product might be best, be honest, and I'll hold that honesty in high regard.

-On the rare occasion I call you out to my job-site regarding a problem with a product, I need insight, honesty, diligence and accountability. If the failure is due to one of your products, tell me, and we can both learn from it. But if you try to place the blame everywhere else EXCEPT for your product after I've exhausted all other possibilities, then you and I are gonna tangle.

-Try to stay up to date on all changes of products, discontinuing products, and new products, both from your store as well as other leading paints.

-Unfortunately, you'll only see me at my most frustrated, since I'll never bother you unless I have a problem, so I apologize in advance.


Am I missing some?

 

[PACman]

A few things I say to new paint reps that I don't know:

-You don't need to ask me out to lunch or coffee, just reply promptly when I contact you regarding the occasional question/concern.

-Make sure the prices you quoted me are updated in every one of your stores.

-I don't expect you to know all the answers, so if you don't know, say so, and then try your hardest to find the answer ASAP.

-If I ask you your opinion as to the BEST product for my situation, I don't mean the best product your company offers, so if another manufacturer's product might be best, be honest, and I'll hold that honesty in high regard.

-On the rare occasion I call you out to my job-site regarding a problem with a product, I need insight, honesty, diligence and accountability. If the failure is due to one of your products, tell me, and we can both learn from it. But if you try to place the blame everywhere else EXCEPT for your product after I've exhausted all other possibilities, then you and I are gonna tangle.

-Try to stay up to date on all changes of products, discontinuing products, and new products, both from your store as well as other leading paints.

-Unfortunately, you'll only see me at my most frustrated, since I'll never bother you unless I have a problem, so I apologize in advance.


Am I missing some?

Not going to happen very often with a SW rep. they get paid to sell one brand for one thing, and they probably don't know anyway. Same at HD & Lowes.

 

[PACman]

Actually I like to ask them if they are going to try to sell something today.

 

[DrakeB]

I wouldn't mind asking one if he could get his company to get "paint and primer in one" off the label.

 

[PACman]

"is your paint as good as Behr's paint?"
Or "is your paint as super as super-duper paint?"

 

[DrakeB]

"Is there anything above Super Premium, I'm not sure that's premium enough?"

"is your paint as good as Behr's paint?"

Some paint rep is going to be browsing this site and have a rage-induced brain aneurism from reading this.

 

[stelzerpaintinginc.]

Not going to happen very often with a SW rep. they get paid to sell one brand for one thing, and they probably don't know anyway. Same at HD & Lowes.

Agreed. I was lucky to find one of the few exceptions. His product knowledge was unparalleled; both in chemical composition as well as practical application. He'd give me, "off the record", advice which ended up steering me away from SW more than once. He went back to being a store manager after realizing the role of a rep was not a good fit for him.

 

[DeanV]

Don't say "No one else has had this problem" when EVERYONE/MANY have had that problem.

Don't change the formula and then say "we have not changed the formula" only to later announce that the product has been changed back to the original formula.

Do not change a formula and then not let people know the formula has changed.

 

[PACman]

Don't say "No one else has had this problem" when EVERYONE/MANY have had that problem.

Don't change the formula and then say "we have not changed the formula" only to later announce that the product has been changed back to the original formula.

Do not change a formula and then not let people know the formula has changed.

Hmmm. I don't believe I have heard of anyone else that has had that problem.

 

[PACman]

" How do they teach you to keep a straight face when you tell people that?"

 

[Epoxy Pro]

Our SW rep is the only one I have never wanted to talk to or have him come by the site. All he wanted to do was shoot the chit and drink coffee plus he didn't know any thing.. Go away I WORK hard and don't have time for that. Behr, BM and Cali reps are pretty good, they don't want to hang out, they have to much to do.

 

[stelzerpaintinginc.]

Our SW rep is the only one I have never wanted to talk to or have him come by the site. All he wanted to do was shoot the chit and drink coffee plus he didn't know any thing.. Go away I WORK hard and don't have time for that. Behr, BM and Cali reps are pretty good, they don't want to hang out, they have to much to do.

Have you tried to switch reps? Most painters just assume they are stuck with the rep they got, but you CAN request another rep. I've only done it once, but had no prob getting a different rep.

Seems like you don't use that much SW anyways, so might not be that big of a deal to you, but if he's getting ANY of your business, he should at least be earning it.

 

[stelzerpaintinginc.]

Don't say "No one else has had this problem" when EVERYONE/MANY have had that problem.

Don't change the formula and then say "we have not changed the formula" only to later announce that the product has been changed back to the original formula.

Do not change a formula and then not let people know the formula has changed.

Oh, and don't have a sale where anyone off the street can go in and get better pricing than mine...at least not without telling me first.

 

[PACman]

Oh, and don't have a sale where anyone off the street can go in and get better pricing than mine...at least not without telling me first.

Now who would do such a thing? And why are there retail prices so high to begin with? Hmmm.

 

[JoeAntilla]

When you call me up and tell me your in a contest with other sales reps to see who can sell the most of a certain product, maybe tell me what you'll win and we can split the prize.

 

[woodcoyote]

Have you tried to switch reps? Most painters just assume they are stuck with the rep they got, but you CAN request another rep. I've only done it once, but had no prob getting a different rep.

Seems like you don't use that much SW anyways, so might not be that big of a deal to you, but if he's getting ANY of your business, he should at least be earning it.

Everyone that works at my store is my rep. Of course they have outside sales reps, but they ALL work for me when I ask them to. If I have questions, even the little guys that haul paint around will start making calls to find answers. My store's got good customer service and hustles hard to get things done.

Just my experience*.

 

[epretot]

Thank You.

 

[Different Strokes]

Our margins weren't as good this year as last, unfortunately my company will have to start paying you less for paint.

 

[daArch]

Give me the same recommendations or answers within the same year.

When working retail, we were advised how much tint could be put in a neutral base. Less than a year later, we were advised a customer's paint flashed because of too much tint - which was under the maximum amount - I know, I mixed it.


Years ago, when we showed up the next morning after applying s/g trim, the finish looked like someone had sprinkled fine dust on every surface. The paint had "seeded". The rep told us it was past it's shelf like. Again, less than a year later, seeding was due to moisture in a batch of paint.

 

[Ric]

A few things I say to new paint reps that I don't know:

-You don't need to ask me out to lunch or coffee, just reply promptly when I contact you regarding the occasional question/concern.

-Make sure the prices you quoted me are updated in every one of your stores.

-I don't expect you to know all the answers, so if you don't know, say so, and then try your hardest to find the answer ASAP.

-If I ask you your opinion as to the BEST product for my situation, I don't mean the best product your company offers, so if another manufacturer's product might be best, be honest, and I'll hold that honesty in high regard.

-On the rare occasion I call you out to my job-site regarding a problem with a product, I need insight, honesty, diligence and accountability. If the failure is due to one of your products, tell me, and we can both learn from it. But if you try to place the blame everywhere else EXCEPT for your product after I've exhausted all other possibilities, then you and I are gonna tangle.

-Try to stay up to date on all changes of products, discontinuing products, and new products, both from your store as well as other leading paints.

-Unfortunately, you'll only see me at my most frustrated, since I'll never bother you unless I have a problem, so I apologize in advance.


Am I missing some?

Hey Stelz…

I agree with everything you have said. Your comments, frustrations and bullish*t detector are spot on - I can relate to, and appreciate, all those things you've mentioned and experienced…

Having said that, I am not a painter (way too hard of work for me)…nor am I a paint rep - but fair is fair, and if these things need to be said to paint reps in the field, I think it's only fair that (some) painters need to hear what frustrates paint reps…

Many paint reps in the field are very experienced and knowledgeable about product & application - many (certainly not all) have as much experience in the industry as the painter has…Having application experience does not necessarily outweigh the in-depth knowledge of a product's performance characteristics and limitations, especially when product has been applied in a manner inconsistent with product directions…

Paint technologies are changing everyday - credit must be given to those who study and understand this stuff. Changing technologies often times require changing application techniques - how a painter has done things for the last 30 years, is pretty much irrelevant to many of the new technologies - yet this is often the argument when a rep is called to resolve a complaint. It tends to be a bit counter-productive.

Believe it or not, threats, and bullying, are common when reps attempt to resolve a problem. Threats of taking your business elsewhere….Idle threats of lawsuits…threats of going over a reps head to get satisfaction…unreasonable demands for labor restitution when, at the very least, the painter shares the responsibility of a problem or failure…and, yes - even physical threats (usually made out of frustration but knowing that a salaried rep cannot respond). A couple years ago, a painter threatened to throw me from the peeling roof of a barn he had painted because I would not defend his application as proper - he felt he was entitled to several thousand dollars compensation for a hack job most painters would've been embarrassed to say they had done. This particular complaint was "amicably" settled in court with him having to strip, re-prime and re-paint a 5000 square foot roof at his own expense…I say "amicably" because he threatened to kill me, in graphic detail, outside of the courtroom - and in front of a sherrif's deputy, who whisked him off into what had to be a really fun police car ride. I actually get a lot of threats (sigh)…

I know there are frustrating company reps out there - I've seen 'em in action… I also know there are painters out there that I've often wondered who helps them tie their shoes in the mornings. The truth is, there are many good painters out there too - craftsmen in their field - that even I have consulted in times of complex and baffling issues. But there are also good reps out there too that can make a painters professional life so much easier if they'd just listen, and respect that what a rep does is equally important to a successful paint job as the application.

I'm sorry for the rant - and I don't mean to piss anybody off, but frustrations, like respect and communication, goes both ways.