[daArch]

I dunno CA, I'm seeing signs of this February rage fest all over the interweb. Another forum I mod on has a thread called "I LOL'd", obviously for jokes, etc. It turned into an all out flame war yesterday. I threatened to post gifs like this one if the guys kept it up. They kept it up.

Even cute pics of widdle puppies couldn't dissuade their anger.

It's been my tactic to diffuse the fireworks by mentioning the phenomenon a few weeks before the season opens. Lately, the biological waste product has come in acute juxtaposition with the environmental exchange unit later in the season. Hopefully, keeping on top of it and diffusing the tempers at the slightest hint, throws a wet blanket on those flame fests.

And sometimes you just gotta start throwing the combatants out of the sand box before all hell breaks loose. It only takes a couple of trolls to drag others down to their level.

"Can't we all just get along"

 

[DrakeB]

Lately, the biological waste product has come in acute juxtaposition with the environmental exchange unit later in the season.

Had to read this twice :001_tongue:

 

[Wildbill7145]

It's been my tactic to diffuse the fireworks by mentioning the phenomenon a few weeks before the season opens. Lately, the biological waste product has come in acute juxtaposition with the environmental exchange unit later in the season. Hopefully, keeping on top of it and diffusing the tempers at the slightest hint, throws a wet blanket on those flame fests.

And sometimes you just gotta start throwing the combatants out of the sand box before all hell breaks loose. It only takes a couple of trolls to drag others down to their level.

"Can't we all just get along"

Obviously, this isn't your first rodeo.

 

[stelzerpaintinginc.]

Personally, I put em down even if they SAY the carpet is being re placed:yes:

If I could thank you more than once, I woulda.

 

[PACman]

Why are you pouring Promar 200 into that empty superpaint bucket? True story.

 

[mr4pt]

Why are you pouring Promar 200 into that empty superpaint bucket? True story.

Serious question..
Is sp that much better than pm 200?
I haven't been a SW rep since 2000, back then the 200 was more painter friendly than the sp.

 

[TJ Paint]

Had to read this twice :001_tongue:

That was the beam talkin.

 

[Clearlycut]

Seriously my uncle swears by sherwin has and always will. His work is top notch always has been.
Sherwin is not my go too.
Now that i have a decent relationship with most people at stores. I use whatever the homeowner would like. (Unless its garbage) and whats the closet to the job im working on.

Sent from my SM-G900P using PaintTalk.com mobile app

 

[PACman]

Serious question..
Is sp that much better than pm 200?
I haven't been a SW rep since 2000, back then the 200 was more painter friendly than the sp.

It used to be quite common years ago for painters to use SuperPaint for walls and ProMar 200 for trim. SuperPaint has a "drag" engineered into it to force DIYers and some painters to put more paint on the brush to keep it from "dragging". That was the great advance that was cause for it to be the Superist of paints.

 

[williamh51272]

Don't call me when I'm on a 40 foot ladder and expect me to answer

 

[BuckeyePainter]

My questions to ask a paint rep:

1.) " Do you really like lying?"
2.) "Why do you substitute a great brand with a crappy brand just because you ran out of stock?"
3.) "How come you can't make it to the site before lunch when the store isn't that far away?"
AND FOR THE WIN:
4.) "When is the last time you REALLY put a brush or roller in paint FOR A LIVING? 19-something?"

 

[SemiproJohn]

Here's something I actually want to say to a paint rep... "I need your assistance."

I am fortunate that my local SW store has two GREAT employees. One has over 30 years of experience with color matching and selling/knowledge of products. I think the fact that she got started up north gives also gives her an edge (she knows her oils and how wood should be prepped). The other employee was a painter for over 30 years and he does not mind sharing the techniques he used or answering my dumb questions.

Since I don't do large-scale stuff or haven't run into anything that I couldn't get an answer to from either of them or from Paint Talk, I really haven't had the need to use my rep.

 

[paintpimp]

My questions to ask a paint rep:

1.) " Do you really like lying?"
2.) "Why do you substitute a great brand with a crappy brand just because you ran out of stock?"
3.) "How come you can't make it to the site before lunch when the store isn't that far away?"
AND FOR THE WIN:
4.) "When is the last time you REALLY put a brush or roller in paint FOR A LIVING? 19-something?"

Answers

1. People don't "like" to lie. Human nature and circumstances bring out the worst in people. I personally stay away from lying for moral and professional reasons. But, I am lied to by clients on an hourly basis. Go's both sides of the fence.

2. If it's impossible to get you product in time for you to finish the job. I would substitute the next best level grade of paint.

3. Did you make an appointment? My job starts at my home office and I cover 4 stores. I may not live near that store.

4. Do you want me to be a "failed" painter that couldn't make my business work and go work for a paint company and try to help you with your business? That's like asking you why you weren't a rep before you became a painter. You want us to have real world experience. Help us with in the field experience.

 

[PACman]

Answers

1. People don't "like" to lie. Human nature and circumstances bring out the worst in people. I personally stay away from lying for moral and professional reasons. But, I am lied to by clients on an hourly basis. Go's both sides of the fence.

2. If it's impossible to get you product in time for you to finish the job. I would substitute the next best level grade of paint.

3. Did you make an appointment? My job starts at my home office and I cover 4 stores. I may not live near that store.

4. Do you want me to be a "failed" painter that couldn't make my business work and go work for a paint company and try to help you with your business? That's like asking you why you weren't a rep before you became a painter. You want us to have real world experience. Help us with in the field experience.

Sounds like you have a good amount of the "personal accountability" that I have been harping about. There seems to be less and less of it every day in the paint business. Well just about anywhere someone sells a product it seems.

 

[paintpimp]

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?

Why can I only see you are when you are most frustrated? Everything else you have listed comes from good relationship building. You want a rep to work for you, you need to work with them.

 

[CApainter]

I keep scanning this thread thinking there might be something I could contribute. Alas, there's not.

I have nothing that I haven't already said to my suppliers. Although I haven't always received a response in my favor. At least one I've been working with for twenty years has always made an effort to steer me in the right direction. However, I also made an effort to learn as much about coatings as time allowed in order for our communications to be expedient and productive. Taking the SSPC C1 course helped.

 

[stelzerpaintinginc.]

Why can I only see you are when you are most frustrated? Everything else you have listed comes from good relationship building. You want a rep to work for you, you need to work with them.

Why waste your time and mine by asking to visit my job-site when everything is fine? It doesn't build a relationship. I have reps that I communicate with regularly via phone call, text & email. My relationship with them would not be strengthened by having them take me out to lunch or coming to my job-site to make small talk.

I talked to one of my reps 4 times last week. I tried out a new product, gave him honest feedback, and all communications were by phone. How is this lacking?

 

[Gough]

To go back to the original question, here's what I'd like to say to one of our area reps:


Dear *** rep,

I waited a few months for you to get back to me with your company's recommendation for a product to cover the severe premature fading ( your words) of the previous product you recommended. Since I knew this failure was going to cost us $10,000+ to correct, I wanted to be sure about the product. Since I never heard back from you, I finally gave up.

After 25+ years of using your company's products almost exclusively, I jumped ship for BM and we couldn't be happier.

 

[paintpimp]

It's not lacking. It's actually great. Your last scenarios were not on your original post.

 

[stelzerpaintinginc.]

It's not lacking. It's actually great. Your last scenarios were not on your original post.

The first sentence in my original post is, "A few things I say to new paint reps that I don't know". This post is not about the reps we already know and trust. It's not a comprehensive portrayal of interactions with all reps...just the ones I don't know.