Salesman/Project manager.

Me an' the big boss don't disagree on much, and that's probably because I'm a jackass and he is quite the opposite. One concept that is contrary to the situation though is the involvement of the salesman in a project. My feelings are that once the job is "sold", the salesman should hand it over to the project manager and move on, not necessarily absolving himself of any future discorse with the customer, but certainly leaving any future management decisions/promises to the PM. On this we disagree. Thoughts?

ya know whats funny?folks ar more impressed with A salesman with all e trimmins of A con man than they are A plain talkin experienced roofer.I don't get it. on the other hand,I'm in contct with some folk in Tenn.that are local,have been,and don't do the door to dor.they have all their marketing done,prior to the season and have leads for someone to run. that suits me better.I'd liketo just get back to bein the sales guy thats laid roofs and now transitioned to sales.

I almost killed a project manager from a company i was subcontracting from years ago. He came on my job complaining about a little scratch on a garage door of the previous job we had finished and was saying F this and F that. I came off the roof yielding my Plumb roofing hatchett and headed for him in a sprint with the hatchett held way up high over my head. The black marks he left in this customers driveway getting the F out of there were Wayyyyy more damage than the little scratch. I just knew i had lost my job when about an hour later the owner of the company showed up. However, the owner did not know what had happened so i felt i better tell him before this other guy. He said man, Willie i'm really sorry about that. I'll make sure he never comes on your job again. lol

"unpaid" salesmen. That is like "satisfied customers" Both refer others to you and that is the best advertizement. Free if you can do what you say, and most jobs are negociated.

I can see how the right salesman could prove valuable to all sides. He could (pretend to) be an advocate for the client as an intermediator over disagreements or problems. A cushion between the roofing crew and an A-hole customer, for example.

Nah, but I think it's a feeling that's inherent in the field guy. Solderboy wrote in another post, something to the extent that most roofers don't realize how much a salesman is needed.

I am happy to turn a project over to my field personell, and they have my full blessing to act on behalf of the company for whatever decision needs made. Many of our customers have a maintenance forman that speaks the language of the roofer, and it's a perfect fit. But there are customers that don't want to deal with the field guy. His relationship is with the salesman. That salesman is the guy he wants to deal with, and that, to all my dear roofer friends in cyberville, is a very valuable relationship. Without the sale, nobody works. Don't piss on the relationships that make it possible.

Thoughts? Thoughts. THOUGHTS!!!!!

Ok, I think you're a fraud. I think you're not from Louisiana at all. I think you're really from Dover, Ohio, I see you everyday and you're my General Superintendent.

There ya have it folks. Jed isn't a jed at all, he's a Ben.

LOL

Damn salesmen! You can never trust them can you. Tell him it will be done when it is done and not any sooner. That is what they do to you!

Depends. If it's residential, then I believe the salesguy has to continue the conversation with the client. If it's commercial, then it should be the project manager. Reason? The former has a lot of "non-written" understandings and agreements, and the latter is "usually" much better documented in terms of what is to be done. Besides, in my book, a salesman's job is to ensure that the client's experience is good throughout the process, from the initial contact, to the post-sales support and wrapup.

Hi, I did all the sales and project managing for years before i ever had a salesman. So when i did finally hire one, He did the selling and I did the project managing. We still do it this way today and have for the last 5 years. Everything works out fine as long as the salesman does not skimp on letting you in on the details of the job. Our forms have a place to put all information related to the job so i can order materials, get with the crew and get everything done that was told to the customer. Only occasionally having to speak with the salesman. However, doing it this way should have a lower commission than the salesman who has to do it all. :)

As long as the sale person is tied up, watching or running his job. That means he or she is not selling more jobs, therefore they are not making you anymore money. PM is the only way to go. As long as your sales force writes everything down and everyone is in sink.

If he does, he had better leave you with a complete file telling you exactly what his intentions were as far as the details. No sense having to "re-invent" the wheel!