We had several questions last week...

1. Ok, be honest.  What is the general opinion of the sales people that visit your mill?

  0% No respect for them

17% They are just doing a job

66% Many are a partner on our team

11% We can'd do without them

  6% No answer

Comments:

>What mill could ever survive without the services of a number of sales people?
Except P&G where I rarely ever was allowed to meet sales people.

>I'm selling through technical expertise. I aspire to be a partner, but try to avoid
them being dependent.

>Most over-promise and under-deliver.

>We should view them as genuine partners in overall growth of our organization.

2. Presented with the opportunity to becaome a sales person, I would

  5.6% Jump at the chance.

27.8% Be terrified.

66.7% Have to think about it.

3. Only if you are female: Sales people's overall look and dress

11.1% Have no affect on me.

88.9% Not answered.

4. Only if you are male: Sales people's overall look and dress

22.2% Strongly influence me (positively or negatively)

27.8% Have no affect on me

50.0% Slightly influence me

Comments

>I once stopped by the mill controller's office who was talking to two young men
about a new phone system and let them know I would never buy anything from a
man wearing an earring!

>If too slick, I'm suspicious. Too messy, how can I trust their work to not be
sloppy?

>To overdressed is "too much" but too shabby doesn't work either.

>I still think good personal presentation indicates an attitude of mind that I want
to work with. However, if a guy turns up in clothing that they cannot wear in the
location where work is to be done it show lack of commitment. I always have
paper overalls if that may happen.

>Knowledge trumps appearance.

5. If a sales person tells me obviously confidential information from another mill

  5.6% I cut them off.

61.1% I am not likely to deal with them in the future.

27.8% I am not affected one way or the other.

  5.6% Not answered.

Thank you for your responses.

This week's quiz is here.

Want to get a jump on the surveys? Follow me on twitter, where they are posted early. You can do this here. (note: all respondents are confidential; the software is programmed in such a way that neither we nor anyone else can determine who responded)

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Want to be heard on other subjects? Be sure to watch for "Paperitalo Second Tuesday Surveys."