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I work in sales. I do very little over the phone. I meet with customers in person. I use events and conferences to meet and connect with people. I use video conferences to be able to be seen as well as heard.
Now, if you're talking about straight cold-calling, trying to "market" to people you know nothing about other than a way to contact them, then yeah... I truly hope that crap dies. I've been pretty fortunate to not wind up on a bunch of call lists, but I completely understand the fury of people who get sick and tired of responding to calls trying to sell them to get their money as opposed to solving a problem.
I don't think that is the case at all. Yes, for the "simple" sale, there will be fewer sales people. But complex sales still need sales people and people to help guid them through the selling process.
I have worked at or consulted for a lot of tech companies. They all have sales teams. And the sales people still use the phone, as well as things like web meetings. But complex sales are still done mainly in person.
The difference is, buyers no longer use sales people as information gatekeepers. The information is easily available, but there is always space for a consultative sales person.
Sales was once the kind of profession that you DIDN"T have to take 4-10 years of college courses to do well in.
Even if you sold a complex/techy item, many companies would give a chance to someone with personality, ambition, and empathy. And, once hired, companies would train the sales person towards the goal of he/she learning the more complex aspects of the job.
Are sales positions today so deeply technical/complex that companies only want to hire those who have several years of advanced technical education, or are their other reasons that a relatively intelligent and well-read person encounters a barrier to entry with technical sales?
Phone sales, and other fringe type sales mediums are declining.
However professional sales people will always be with us. I am speaking as a professional salesman who never drew a salary since I got out of the Navy in August 1954. By the time I was out of the navy for 1 year, I was drawing in today's dollars more than $ 125,000 to $150,000 in commissions selling furniture in a furniture store.
At one time in the furniture sales career, I worked for one of the best department stores in the nation. The furniture, major appliance, carpet and electronics departments paid a commission to attract top people. I have seen where I had sales to one customer, where I made more money on commission and spiffs (bonus money for selling certain items paid by the manufacturer), in one sale than the clerks in other non commission department made in for an entire years work.
We already have seen, to a certain extent, the decline of the business-to-consumer salesperson, be it in furniture or elsewhere. I worked with a guy that worked at Best Buy in the late eighties/early nineties and he made, three times as much as he would working there now. That's not a "today's money vs 1989 money" comparison. They don't pay commissions, just hourly employees, and consumers check their price against one on Amazon, and away they go. The car business still has it, but again, its changing. There is more info available to the consumer, and the margins just aren't there anymore.
Business to Business will continue, but the more commoditized the product line is, the less need there is.
it's natural that someone like myself who started high school in 1989 would be drawn to the sales profession, for a decent living doing something I enjoy doing (talking to others and sharing ideas).
The "Car Vending Machines" (Carvana) I can see as being a huge disruptor, possibly putting tens of thousands of living wage earning Car Salespersons out of work.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PriscillaVanilla
I think telemarketing has declined over the years, due to the "do not call" lists. But it's been replaced by more and more businesses sending people door knocking to sell. This is even more irritating than the phone calls. Putting up no soliciting signs doesn't help.
In our city it does help. We have a law that requires anyone selling door-to-door to have a city license, and that requires a background check. The law also forbids calling on a home with a "no soliciting" sign.
People do complain and the police do arrest violators. This has cut way back on them, because it's too much effort.
But sales in general is the act of persuading people that (1) they want a widget or service in category "X" and (2) the widget or service I am selling is better, cheaper, etc. than the widget or service somebody else is selling. These activities go back thousands of years and aren't going anywhere.
That is one view of sales.
Here's another: it is the process of (1) deeply understanding a customer's need or problem, and (2) recommending a suite of products & services that would solve the customer's problem.
Another concern is that Car/House vending machines (such as Carvana) will subvert the salesperson entirely, leaving thousands (if not tens of thousands/hundreds of thousands) of 2018 sales professionals completely unemployed by 2023.
I just don't see that type of company taking over. When it comes to a large, expensive item like a car that is purchased very infrequently the idea of ordering it online seems too risky. I still want to go in person and see all the options as far as interiors and upgrades. No online service can replace that.
I just don't see that type of company taking over. When it comes to a large, expensive item like a car that is purchased very infrequently the idea of ordering it online seems too risky. I still want to go in person and see all the options as far as interiors and upgrades. No online service can replace that.
Carvana offers a 7 day trial period, where the car can be returned if it doesn't meet up to the buyer's standards.
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