Double glazing salesman.. don’t you just love’em
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2019 5:56 pm
Decided to bite the bullet and invite one in for an bum raping tonight. Need two new external doors. Thinking about my strategy earlier today, do I open with “I’d offer you a coffee but you’re not staying long”.. buy into the “you’re my new best friend” bullshit or just run with the phoney one off “manager special deal phone calls” while he’s sitting in his car and I’m having my tea.
He was early, not Nick as expected, but Mark, “don’t worry it’s not a deal breaker just yet, unless you wanna change your name by deed poll quickly to make sure..” I said, 30 seconds into the conversation. “You crack on and measure up I’ll make a coffee.
He tried a few ice breakers.. clocked a crash helmet “oh what do you ride?”
“I don't” that was that.
“Who fitted the back door?”
“I did”
“Great job”
“It’s poop, don’t bother with the sweet talk, I’ll finish making the coffee..”
Got down to the nitty gritty, worked through the spec, “best coffee ever”
“Blue door please”
On so on.
The bit I don’t really get (I don’t get any of it tbh) is the computer spits out a price which is way over inflated.. £8k for essentially two doors. Then as Dick says, the fun begins.
So do I..
a) Keep quiet and let him see what he can do.
b) Give him his one best shot at a price “do you feel lucky punk? approach
c) be vague if he asks where do you want to be with the price.. “a fair and reasonable price that puts bread and water on your table and me a decent door”
d) An open enquiring stance, “What can you do for us? approach.
e) a combination of the above
The bit that gets me is why start off with a silly price which is enough to frighten anyone off any chance of doing a deal. It was way too far apart for me and I was half tempted to stop proceedings then.
Cut a long story short went for a combination of the above, mostly waiting to see what he could do which included a managers call.. full credit, genuine speakerphone jobbie, maybe staged but hey, at least he wasn’t talking to himself.
Price relatively quickly down to £6k more of the “what can you do” “fair and reasonable deal” another speakerphone conversation.
£4.5k and getting warmer.
We’ll sign on the dotted tonight for £4k take it or leave it.
All done at £3997.
Still a little top end, though the best
swmbo’s happy and only a slightly sore bum.
He was early, not Nick as expected, but Mark, “don’t worry it’s not a deal breaker just yet, unless you wanna change your name by deed poll quickly to make sure..” I said, 30 seconds into the conversation. “You crack on and measure up I’ll make a coffee.
He tried a few ice breakers.. clocked a crash helmet “oh what do you ride?”
“I don't” that was that.
“Who fitted the back door?”
“I did”
“Great job”
“It’s poop, don’t bother with the sweet talk, I’ll finish making the coffee..”
Got down to the nitty gritty, worked through the spec, “best coffee ever”
“Blue door please”
On so on.
The bit I don’t really get (I don’t get any of it tbh) is the computer spits out a price which is way over inflated.. £8k for essentially two doors. Then as Dick says, the fun begins.
So do I..
a) Keep quiet and let him see what he can do.
b) Give him his one best shot at a price “do you feel lucky punk? approach
c) be vague if he asks where do you want to be with the price.. “a fair and reasonable price that puts bread and water on your table and me a decent door”
d) An open enquiring stance, “What can you do for us? approach.
e) a combination of the above
The bit that gets me is why start off with a silly price which is enough to frighten anyone off any chance of doing a deal. It was way too far apart for me and I was half tempted to stop proceedings then.
Cut a long story short went for a combination of the above, mostly waiting to see what he could do which included a managers call.. full credit, genuine speakerphone jobbie, maybe staged but hey, at least he wasn’t talking to himself.
Price relatively quickly down to £6k more of the “what can you do” “fair and reasonable deal” another speakerphone conversation.
£4.5k and getting warmer.
We’ll sign on the dotted tonight for £4k take it or leave it.
All done at £3997.
Still a little top end, though the best
swmbo’s happy and only a slightly sore bum.
haha, an amusing read Mike