How to avoid being a "scummy" rep

[Jana Lewis]

Please don't make promises you cannot keep.

IE: " if this product dosen't move you can take it out" *cough* MAKE SURE you tell your accounts the truth.

Don't be a gossip monger! Good LORD! You wouldn't believe how small the optical world really is... I have had reps come in and tell me ALLLLLL kinds of stories about other O.D's and or Opticians and staff. Just be professional and keep it to yourself. :)

Please don't tell us about yur recent divorce and how your Mother locked you the closet as a child. We just wanna get the frames seen and ordered, you have a job to do and so do we. :finger:

And last but not least... Do not under ANY circumstances "PAD" an order IE: order more than youraccount actually ordered. This has become pretty common and now Opticians are calling the reps out on it... there is nothing worse than being an unscrupulous rep.

Good luck to you!

[Mr_Mitchell]

I strolled towards work this morning, tie hanging unknotted around my collar, visions of pre-work coffee in my mind...when I'm greeted by a frame rep who has decided to show up 30 minutes early--that's 30 minutes before we even open.
Being eager is great, but don't ruin someone's morning by making an 8 o'clock a 7:30 because it might be convenient for YOU, the salesman. It cost my rep a 12-piece frame order.

[Fezz]

Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Mitchell...........you will learn. The above situation would have never happened if you deal direct with the frame manufactures who do not have reps on the street! Reps(most, not all) are funny. They like to show up early and get a big order, but when you need them for a backordered frame, a comp for a grouchy patient, help with a credit...they are like a Las Vegas Magician=They vanish! The only time I would deal with an early rep is if they are at my office early on a Friday afternoon, ready to put the bags away, and get ready to buy me my first three rounds of the weekend. Oh Baby, a rep like that would warm this cold heart of mine!;)

[eyeque]

Just wanted to say thanks to each of you who responded. I have accepted a position selling frames for a large company - and am looking forward to putting your advice to work.:D

[FullCircle]

The unfavorable rap that reps get is by no means limited to the optical industry. It's across the board. In my prior existence I was a sales manager and then an independent rep in a completely different industry.

The advice you've received here is wonderful. Being a rep can be very challenging to say the least. If you're a good salesperson and willing to learn about the products you sell, comparitive products and how your customer sells them, you'll do well.

[KStraker]

Here's what a rep did to me the other day. Called at 10:30 and said he would be 20 minutes late. He showed up and hour later at 11:30 which is 30 minutes before my lunch time. I told him he could either have 30 minutes to conduct his business or he could come back at 1:00. He informed me that he could not come back at 1:00. I should have told him to leave, but I used the tags from old sales to guage what we needed. I wound up ordering some frames that were either in my return pile, or were already on the board. So, I got crappy service and then wound up shafting myself. I'm sending back any frames from this order that I do not truly want (which will be about a third).

Also, my rep looked like he had been up all night drinking and smelled faintly of liquor.

[Mr_Mitchell]

A rep called me recently to ask if he could come in. I gave him a time and date and he did (turned out to be a rather odd husband/wife team, with the wife "modeling" the frames whether I asked her to or not).
At any rate, I liked some of the frames so placed a 7-piece order, at which point the couple got angry and asked how dare I place such a small order. Twelve pieces or nothing, they insisted. Nothing, I agreed, at which point they decided they'd "do me a favor" and see if the company would accept my pathetically small request. The company, of course, did.
Needless to say, I won't be dealing with these two again--the only way I'll deal with the company in future is if I know these two reps won't be getting a dime in commission.

[Angels Rock]

I strolled towards work this morning, tie hanging unknotted around my collar, visions of pre-work coffee in my mind...when I'm greeted by a frame rep who has decided to show up 30 minutes early--that's 30 minutes before we even open.
Being eager is great, but don't ruin someone's morning by making an 8 o'clock a 7:30 because it might be convenient for YOU, the salesman. It cost my rep a 12-piece frame order.

Geez, the nerve of that rep. Actually leaving the house early to maybe avoid traffic so they could be on time. I guess they should have just sat in their car until the big hand got to the 12 and then went in.

Let me give you another way to handle this atrocity. Just say I can't see you until 8am. What is there to get angry about. If the rep gets there early, especially that early in the morning, whats the sense of not at least asking if you can be seen early. They are probably trying to not be late to make it convenient for you and you screwed them by withholding their 12 pc order. Don't think I ever got that one, "Sorry can't see you today, you're early."

[HarryChiling]

I strolled towards work this morning, tie hanging unknotted around my collar, visions of pre-work coffee in my mind...when I'm greeted by a frame rep who has decided to show up 30 minutes early--that's 30 minutes before we even open.
Being eager is great, but don't ruin someone's morning by making an 8 o'clock a 7:30 because it might be convenient for YOU, the salesman. It cost my rep a 12-piece frame order.

Send them on a coffee run. ;)

[Angels Rock]

Send them on a coffee run. ;)

Thats better than getting mad and sending them on their way after they got up early, fought traffic and wasted gas, time and money.

[DragonLensmanWV]

Thats better than getting mad and sending them on their way after they got up early, fought traffic and wasted gas, time and money.

How many have had specific appointments made at a time that was before opening, for the Doctor's convenience so he wouldn't have to interrupt his patients.
I had that happen ponce, an OD said Friday morning, 7:30 AM - that way I can be done before I open. I arrive 7:25 AM, noticed a frame rep I knew was waiting also. We had the same appointment time, but since mine was a lens/lab work appointment, the frame rep agreed to let me go first.(BTW, he's still one of my current frame reps after 25 years)
We have to wait until the office opens at 8, since the doors are locked. After he opens the office, we go in. And wait. He's a new OD so he's not too busy yet. Finally at 9 AM, he sends his receptionist out to tell us he won't be able to see us after all.
Neither of us wasted gas, time or effort on him again. That's about the rudest I've been treated. Fortunately, I'm not a frame rep.I hear stories like that from them all the time, so I make it a point to never treat them that way, though I am paring several lines and reps from our store.

[Mr_Mitchell]

Thats better than getting mad and sending them on their way after they got up early, fought traffic and wasted gas, time and money.

Better maybe but not nearly as amusing to me. I do not invite reps; they call me and ask to come in. I say okay (well, not anymore), and they should then expect to see me at that time. Why would I care about their gas, time, or money? They don't care about my money and I don't expect them to.
I'm salvaging a business that reps drove into the ground with their "deals" as they preyed on a complete idiot. I now have hundreds of frames that are inappropriate for our business as anyone could have clearly seen.
Here's an idea--take your bags and stand out on a street corner hawking crap to idiots. I would actually have more respect for that.

[Jana Lewis]

Better maybe but not nearly as amusing to me. I do not invite reps; they call me and ask to come in. I say okay (well, not anymore), and they should then expect to see me at that time. Why would I care about their gas, time, or money? They don't care about my money and I don't expect them to.
I'm salvaging a business that reps drove into the ground with their "deals" as they preyed on a complete idiot. I now have hundreds of frames that are inappropriate for our business as anyone could have clearly seen.
Here's an idea--take your bags and stand out on a street corner hawking crap to idiots. I would actually have more respect for that.

Jeez... you sound so angry!

Perhaps waking up on the RIGHT side of the bed would serve you better.

[Mr_Mitchell]

Didn't mean to sound angry, but as I said my office was preyed on by reps in the past and now I'm here to clean up the mess. Going over past invoices, I see all these "deals" for large quantities of crap...and a lot of the "buy 20, get an ipod" type stuff. I blame the person who ordered the frames more than I do the reps, it's just that I now know reps were:
A) Giving gifts (sent to buyers house) to the buyer rather than the Doctor who pays for the frames, and
B) Out only for themselves...which is fine, just as it's fine for me to be out for my own interests and give reps the cold shoulder.
I'm sure there are great, helpful, honest reps out there. I have no desire to meet them, either.

[Fezz]

Didn't mean to sound angry, but as I said my office was preyed on by reps in the past and now I'm here to clean up the mess. Going over past invoices, I see all these "deals" for large quantities of crap...and a lot of the "buy 20, get an ipod" type stuff. I blame the person who ordered the frames more than I do the reps, it's just that I now know reps were:
A) Giving gifts (sent to buyers house) to the buyer rather than the Doctor who pays for the frames, and
B) Out only for themselves...which is fine, just as it's fine for me to be out for my own interests and give reps the cold shoulder.
I'm sure there are great, helpful, honest reps out there. I have no desire to meet them, either.

Wow!

You are truly jaded, Bro. I don't know what made you feel this way, but you should check into therapy. ;)

[Mr_Mitchell]

I'm not jaded, I'm honest--and if posting rules didn't prohibit it I'd be happy to share with consumers the huge markups we charge, part of which goes to pay frame reps.
I don't know why pointing out that reps are useless to me and in general hurt consumers is being jaded or indicates a need for therapy.
I really wish we could post your markups versus mine, we'd see who's jaded and who's fleecing customers.

[Johns]

I blame the person who ordered the frames more than I do the reps

So why are you blaming the reps?

I don't use them much, you don't have to either, but I've got nothing against them.

I blame the person that hired the buyer! Sounds like the OD and his money were soon departed.

[stephanie]

Ok here is the thing about reps...they are like anyone else in any business you have your good ones and your bad ones. Learn your customers....when I was seeing reps I hated the "drop by". Some don't mind but I always did because I hate the unexpected pushy rep.

[rep]

I'm not jaded, I'm honest--and if posting rules didn't prohibit it I'd be happy to share with consumers the huge markups we charge, part of which goes to pay frame reps.
I don't know why pointing out that reps are useless to me and in general hurt consumers is being jaded or indicates a need for therapy.
I really wish we could post your markups versus mine, we'd see who's jaded and who's fleecing customers.

Having been on both sides of the business for over 20 years, I don't think anyone is fleecing anybody. Independent surveys for years have shown that the return on equity invested in optical dispensaries averages 15% to 17%. That is certainly not fleecing the public in comparison to other independent businesses.

How are frame reps responsible for huge markups? Frame reps average 13% commission with most companys net of returns and we pay for everything receiving a 1099 at the end of the year. This is what you think is responsible for "huge markups" - 13% of the WHOLESALE cost! of the frame? Surely you should be reducing you prices considerably since you don't have those huge cost anymore - if you want to be honest like you say you are.

I don't think your dishonest, I don't think you have a clue about what your posting and I am stunned that you want to play, you show me yours and I'll show you mine, at a public forum. Most responsible managers know better.

Rep

[Mr_Mitchell]

I said part of the markup goes to reps, not all of it. Opticians are also out there demanding more money when clearly the public consensus is that they're not worth it.
This whole industry is enough to make one a cynic...Frame reps get a cut for carrying bags, opticians get extra money for taking the ABO (honestly, the easiest test since 7th-grade math), and the customer pays for all this.
Whether or not I have a clue can be shown by the math...
Monthly average before me...9500 (it's an MD practice, glasses not a priority)
Monthly average since I took over...15000
That's in a few months. I was the top seller in my district at LC, top retail manager at LC, and top seller in district at a wal mart, even though it was a new store.
I make money for my employers, rep, and that's why I'm making good money now. When I need advice from a frame rep I'll either kill myself or sell pretzels on the median on Roosevelt Boulevard.

[rep]

I said part of the markup goes to reps, not all of it. Opticians are also out there demanding more money when clearly the public consensus is that they're not worth it.
This whole industry is enough to make one a cynic...Frame reps get a cut for carrying bags, opticians get extra money for taking the ABO (honestly, the easiest test since Th-grade math), and the customer pays for all this.
Whether or not I have a clue can be shown by the math...
Monthly average before me...9500 (it's an MD practice, glasses not a priority)
Monthly average since I took over...15000
That's in a few months. I was the top seller in my district at LC, top retail manager at LC, and top seller in district at a wal mart, even though it was a new store.
I make money for my employers, rep, and that's why I'm making good money now. When I need advice from a frame rep I'll either kill myself or sell pretzels on the median on Roosevelt Boulevard.

Any reason other, than your charming personality, and uplifting outlook that this is your fourth position?
Quite frankly your numbers are pretty poor for an MD office, Most Md's see 30 to 40 patients on days they are not in surgery and write 20-25 Rx's
So of the 200 to 300 Rx's he writes monthly, you only make $15k profit a month? What's your capture rate of prescriptions written?

Are they joging or sprinting out of the office ?
:bbg:
Rep

[Mr_Mitchell]

Capture rate???? My God, you sound like the second-sleaziest type in this industry--THE CONSULTANT!
And how are my numbers poor? I'm making them more money than they were making before. Period. Full stop. Of course I hope to make them more, but no one on my end is complaining.
The funny part about this is, when I first started buying I loved reps--then I read good advice on this board about how reps are useless at best and a drain on the bottom line at worst. But Rep, those posts didn't offend you.
What bothers you is that I simply don't like reps! I hope my competitors buy exclusively through reps, thus ensuring you a long career.
In fact, any rep in my area can send me a list of the opticals he or she calls on, and I'll personally tell those opticals how I can't live without the rep in question. "I thought we were making money...then I realized we could get a George Foreman grill with a 40-piece order of the same style and color frame...without the grill, how would we cook low-fat burgers? How?"

[optirep]

I am interested on what product you can buy without a rep. I know it is none of the top 20 or 30 names.

I know not every place is the same but if you are in a middle to higher income area you have to deal with reps to get the products people want.

Every finacial story - every trade and industry story talks about how Higher end brands are driving the industry.

Independents do more 20% more eye exam but 20% few frames than the chains. They are going to the chains for the brands Names. This is a trend that is starting to reverse because many independents are going for the brands.

Still without all the demographics I don't think anyone can tell you how to run your shop without all the info. Plus just because someone tells you they do business one way does not mean they really do it that way.

Please list the product or some of the products that have no reps!

[Mr_Mitchell]

Look, Optirep, you're showing up on Optiboard and contributing tells me you're one of the good ones--with you, the added cost may come with an added value. With most reps, however, this ain't the case.
As for what brands I can get without a rep...I sell unlabeled Chinese factory rejects exclusively. It's the hot thing in Hollywood right now.