I thought of the notion of fairness during our recent trip to San Luis Obispo when I looked down at the hotel bathroom counter and considered the piles in front of me. To the left, my stuff: Toothbrush, hairbrush, deodorant, SPF 30 cream, serum, and multiple moisturizers, day, night, and anti-aging, although it doesn’t seem to be working because I’m still getting older. On the right, Fred’s stuff: Toothbrush, hair gel, and that’s it, and yet he still looks ten to fifteen years younger than he is.
It’s not fair. But we all know that there’s no justice in this world, because if there was, the Mariners would still be playing and I’d be able to easily find Talenti Key Lime Pie & Graham Cracker Crust Gelato in stores everywhere.
When I was subject to the Sales Scales of Justice, it could be difficult to think too deeply about how I spent my work hours, because there was nothing fair about it. Some companies were a dream to deal with, with deeply invested employees and curious and intelligent ownership, people who were fun to educate and open to new ideas and products. There was no B.S., complaints were dealt with swiftly and without rancor, and once we agreed on general pricing, there was little haggling and lots of loyalty. I loved those accounts, and if they’d allowed a bedroll and campfire in their conference rooms, I might have stayed for weeks at a time; but instead I was often pulled to the opposite side of the coin, hurrying to spend large chunks of time with angry customers so they could air their latest complaint about what time of day they were getting their product, or about the inside sales rep who hadn’t responded quickly enough, or about a product that wildly displeased them. Their sales reps could be demanding and expect my help with no promise of reward, ownership might be distrustful, and invoices were challenged. It killed me to look at time spent vs money realized, especially when I compared them to larger, easy-to-work-with accounts where I made a lot more money.
After decades of in-the-field experience and sales management, I came to know and accept that when it comes to selling, especially in the B to B world if the industry is not making any fresh accounts to call on, the scales of justice don’t exist. You stick with what you have, recognize that it’s not fair, and get the business that you can by giving each company what they want and need, and sometimes, as a VP of Sales once told me when I complained, “Screwing your friends because it’s easier.”
But 20 years after leaving the industry, there’s a bright side to that. Those friends I screwed are still my friends.
Cheers!
Pat Detmer
October 19, 2022