Computers, Software and Copier Sales People
The company I work for has about 25 employees. We are a mid size dealer in New Jersey, and I estimate we gross in between $4-$6 million is sales annually. We have seven reps with 2 being owners that sell. Out of these 7 sales reps, 5 are computer illiterate (or we could say computer challanged). I would estimate the average age our reps would be 51 years (ouch are we getting old)!
Most of us were in our teens in the sixties and seventies (seventies would be me!). As we all know computers in the office environment were introduced in the mid eighties. The first computer that I remember is the Osborne, this was a portable computer with a 9 inch amber screen, you had to load the operating system with a disk in order to use the computer and then keep the disk in the computer. I going from memory here and lately my memory from 20 years ago leaves a lot to be desired. However this is what I recall about the Osborne. Unfortunately our generation did not grow up with computers.
In the “old” days when preparing our quotes, we were either hand writing sales orders or giving them to a secretary in the office to produce the final proposal or order on an IMB Selectric Typewriter. Do your remember the white out, the correction fluid and how many sheets of letterhead you threw away? Our only way to add color was to change the ribbon. I tend to remember a foil or an overlay that we could use to change the color or the proposal. We would have to take the foil, which had a paper backing, and a colored top sheet and then we could run them through a copier. The heat from the fuser made the color foil adhere to the back toner on the page. The result was a document in color, I remember the most popular color was gold. At the time it was awesome technology and got your quotes noticed.
With the introduction of faster PC’s in the 90’s, laser printers and fax machines, some of us saw the need to become computer literate, others just went along for the ride and balked at taking the time to learn how computers work. More or less, most of the people from my generation did not take the time to learn the advantages of computers and software and most wanted no part of them.
In the early nineties, I was building custom computers for my clients. I had no prior experience, no school, just the DESIRE to learn. To me it was similar to building a stereo system. You just had to add the right components to get the desired system that you needed for the hardware and then applied the right Operating System and software applications. It’s the same old FAB, Feature, Advantage and Benefit.
Our industry is faced with an aging sales force, and I estimate that 80% of us are computer illiterate. What is computer illiterate? I believe it is a number of items. Not knowing how a computer processes information, not knowing what each hardware component does, not knowing how to load software, not knowing how to set up an email account in Outlook or adding a new email account. Not knowing how to back up your computer, or how to add programs, and importing and exporting data.
Most of us have computers on our desks at work, and many of use email on a daily basis, surf the Internet and download music. Are most reps capable of knowing how to add values to an excel spreadsheet? Do they know how to add pictures, graphs and charts in a word or excel doc? Can hey combine different documents from different applications to create a final proposal? Can they import or export information from one device to another? Are most of us just Internet Surfers and that’s how we view the computer. Are reps knowledgable about other types of software other than software applications other than MicroSoft Office? Are your reps aware there are many types of “off the shelf” software that will improve a companies productivity?
The answer is most of us in our generation can't do these simple tasks. My brother-in law and Sister-law have two computers, basically they have there 7 year old helps them with opening files and programs. You cannot teach and old dog new tricks, or can you? The desire to become competent, and the desire to learn has to come from within.
Younger, computer literate people are making their way into our profession, they are replacing our aging sales force. The demand from clients to work with sales people who are computer literate is increasing every day. Take a look at your staff and see who is closing or selling the most or who is making the most money. My bet is they are either very literate with computers or they are from a generation that grew up with PC’s in the school or the home.
Sales people who are not computer literate are going to find themselves with out a job in the near future. It will be their fault for not embracing or taking the time (their time) to learn computers and software. It comes down to this, who are you going to buy from? The rep that wants to replace your aging copier with a new one, or the rep who adds value to a box with a software solution that will save you time and money? The sales rep with the best solutions will win.
Can we still learn? Yes, if we have the desire, and YES if you believe in yourself! In our company there are a few sales people who are still moving boxes and still making money. One person in particular states that after 5PM “this is my time and I do not want to work after 5PM”. He is happy making his $5K or $6K per month. People are buying from him, because he has strong closing skills. He does not see the need NOW to advance his skills with computers or software.
We recently had a document-imaging seminar with Ricoh, out of the seven reps from our company only three attended. One left by noon and another left by 2PM. Three (one was sick, I question the other two) called in sick that day and one said he had an important appointment. None of them has every sold or proposed a document imaging solution, or software that added value to the customer.
What can dealers do to increase their employees computer skills? There can be many creative ways to get this done. Identify who needs training and what type of training is needed, should it be hardware or software applications. Offer to pay for continued education for computer classes at a local Junior College, and then give a bonus for completion of the course. Conduct computer workshops during business hours, and train your people on the applications that will benefit your company and the clients that you service. Drive home the need to become CDIA or AIIM certified for the sales and support staff. Continue to preach that your future sales and commissions are going to directly related to your knowledge of hardware, software and solutions.
If you are reading this and you have been putting off selling solutions, learning and experimenting with software……. The time is NOW and don’t go crying when you start losing deals to someone who has taking the time to learn their craft! They beat you fair and square!
Original Post