Day 71: 12/3/13
So today was the start of my sales career!! I got the tram in plenty of time incase it was delayed but it wasn't so I was early.
I was out with team manager called Chloe. The are four other girls on the team and two guys. In the morning they talked us through the sale pitch and we were supposed to practice it on each other. As I was new, they manager just talked me through it some more. We had a bit of a pep talk, doing star jumps and shouting!! We left the office at half ten, drove to the suburb of Newport, had lunch around half eleven and then we were to sell for the day. The manager gave each person a list of houses and streets they had to cover and dropped them off on their 'turf'! I'm getting the lingo already!! I was just going to be with the manager so I didn't need to worry.
We did some knocking today but not as much as the others as the manager had to do some extra things too. One of be customers had a sale with solar so the manager had to go to that house to verify that one. Then one girl felt sick and wanted to go home. The manager was saying shed have to fire her if she just went home but her boss said they needed to keep everyone. Eventually the girl met us and took her bag from the van. Neither her or the manager spoke to each other so I don't know if she's coming back tomorrow or what!! It was about 37 degrees today, which Is why that girl went home. During the day we delivered some water to the other reps because of the heat.
So I say a few sales anyway. We tried a few apartment blocks as they are cooler. We signed too people fairly quickly. They only had electricity which is kind of like only a half sale as you usually sign people for electricity and gas. I was surprised at how readily people went to get their bills- we are much cagier in Ireland.
The pitch is a bit strange. Chloe used the old pitch mostly which she felt was better for apartment blocks. She says that she's been informed that people are on the incorrect and if you get your bill for me I can fix you up with the right rate- nothing about companies or anything. One man stopped her mid track saying she was speaking too fast and he didn't know what she was saying. Then he questioned who she was and who she worked for as she hadnt said it. He didn't want a change in electricity retailer so he shut the door. He opened it again and took her details as he said it was a secure apartment block and she shouldn't be in there. She had gotten one of the neighbours to buzz us in and she says we were entitled to do that!?! Another woman didn't want to change and said that what she had said was false advertising and she had led her to believe she was a regulator or something. I would agree, but I just took it all in!!
The newer pitch that we are supposed to use states that there has been a rate increase and I can fix you with a rate reduction. If you get your bill I can just check if you qualify for it. The qualifying but is a lie. She sped through all that evey time and turned her back when she asked them to get the bill so they felt they had to get it. After a quick explanation she did the same thing when she wanted their Id. She had them signed up before they knew what was going on!! One woman pulled out when she realised what was going on- the others took a while to figure it out, but they signed! She also told them she was just registering their property today and leaving them with a welcome pack...which was definitely a lie!
I don't know if I would be able to mislead people as much. I think I could explain the advantages of switching well enough that I could be a little bit more truthful... But time will tell!!
The whole bus only made 9 sales, the manager making 4 of them. So this average of 3 a day that was supposed to be easy to get doesn't look so good! One guy though, who used to be a manager but is now working on field trying to help out newbies or people that are struggling, got 11 sales today. So it's definitely possible!
I enjoyed today and I liked talking to lots of people. Most were friendly enough. I'd say it will be different when you are on your own. I got the train with one of the girls and she was saying its a good job but exhausting. I had to go to the city after work and it was 8 when I got there, so pretty late.
I viewed too places. The first was in student accommodation but was advertised as a single room so I thought I'd check it out. Laura said she knew people in student accommodation and it was fine- it's bit just students that live there. This building however had a smell of drink and vomit! The room was a curtain around an area just slightly bigger than a single bed, with a load of Asians behind other curtains!! I won't be taking it!
The other room was nice and in a lovely building. It's a shared room with an Italian girl. There's an Italian guy there too. If they were a couple it would suit me as I wouldn't really be sharing the room wit her!! But I'm not sure if they are! It was after 9 when I was there and even though its really central, there are lots of offices there which means there is noone on the roads at night. So you wouldn't walk far. They are going to contact me next week to tell me if I got it, so I'll wait and see.
I got back to Laura's at 10- very late for me considering the usual length of my work day!! She had dinner left for me which was very kind! I checked up a few things online and then it was time for bed! I'll definitely save money for the few weeks in this job as I won't have the time or the energy to do anything!