Your Perfect Frame Rep

[smithaboc]

My dear Optiboard Community! I have been gone forever and am back again for some advice!

I have been an optician for 21+ years now and am taking the jump into the frame repping world. I'm ambitious and motivated. I have seen my fair share of really amazing reps and really bad reps. I know what the great reps do and I know what the bad reps do. I plan on following in the shoes of those great reps. But, I want to know what YOU look for in a great frame rep. Imagine I'm new and want to introduce a new product to you. (P.S.- I have had many opportunities to be a frame rep in my career and I have finally found an opportunity to rep product I love!!!). An AMAZING product that i'm excited to show you. How do you want me to approach you? Email? Phone? Walk in? I certainly respect your time! I'm not trying to pimp my product, I'm more interested in what makes you bring in a new line and what impresses you with your great reps!

Thanks for your advice my dear Optical community! <3

Jaron

[Chris Ryser]

I have been an optician for 21+ years now and am taking the jump into the frame repping world.

As you have all the experience in the optical after miore then 21 years in the optical you will need no technical coaching in that new job.

If you have the best looking quality frames for cheap you will not sell any if you can not get in to show them. If you use telephone contacting you will be refused, as there are already too many reps on the road as you will told and learn. Any excuse not to see you will be used.

You need a to have a superb personality and drop in to try to make an appointment. Very often you have to make several attempts until you can even show your samples. If you are the too pushy type you will lose out. Take some sales psychology courses. Good luck.

As a newbie you will find out that it will take time to become successful even with a good optical background.

[Lab Insight]

As you have all the experience in the optical after miore then 21 years in the optical you will need no technical coaching in that new job.

If you have the best looking quality frames for cheap you will not sell any if you can not get in to show them. If you use telephone contacting you will be refused, as there are already too many reps on the road as you will told and learn. Any excuse not to see you will be used.

You need a to have a superb personality and drop in to try to make an appointment. Very often you have to make several attempts until you can even show your samples. If you are the too pushy type you will lose out. Take some sales psychology courses. Good luck.

As a newbie you will find out that it will take time to become successful even with a good optical background.

+1. Getting by the bulldog at the front gate will be your biggest hurdle. Leave a few milk bone treats each time you visit and they may eventually let you through the gates and give you some time to demonstrate your products.

Persistence, persistence, persistence and patience.

[walleye]

Look professional, don't be too pushy, bring one or two of your best frames to show the front desk, leave your business card, and possibly a catalog if one is available.
The OD or optician just may have a slow day and could talk to you and then perhaps make an appointment for a full sales pitch. You should know some of these techniques after being in the business 21 years. You definitely have the technical experience which is a big plus. Good luck in your new venture.

[Quince]

Look professional, don't be too pushy, bring one or two of your best frames to show the front desk, leave your business card, and possibly a catalog if one is available.
The OD or optician just may have a slow day and could talk to you and then perhaps make an appointment for a full sales pitch. You should know some of these techniques after being in the business 21 years. You definitely have the technical experience which is a big plus. Good luck in your new venture.

+1

Once your foot is in the door- offer food! Treats/ coffee/ lunch make us remember you

[Chris Ryser]

+1

Once your foot is in the door- offer food! Treats/ coffee/ lunch make us remember you

Never I let any of my sales people purchase bribes, they had to be better than politicians and liked for their personality and knowledge, not by influence peddling.

[rbaker]

Never I let any of my sales people purchase bribes, they had to be better than politicians and liked for their personality and knowledge, not by influence peddling.

Ahh, the good old days. My first color TV set was a Christmas gift from a local wholesale lab. B&L introduced the revolutionary soft contact lens to us on a weeklong cruise to the Bahamas. I nearly lost my liver back in the day around the holiday season with all the booze that the peddlers brought in, not just a jug but a whole case. Of course that was back in the day when salesmen were, for the most part, men. You needed big strong guys to schlep all that booze around their territory. Alas, the benefits of the good old days are no longer doled out to the minions. They have been lost to corporate headquarters.

Small wonder that opticianry is going to Hell in a hand basket.

[Chris Ryser]

_{Small wonder that opticianry is going to Hell in a hand basket.}

In 1967-68 I was looking for a new salesman to split the Province of Quebec into 2 territories and to relieve myself of going on the road all the times for my frame company. I had one salesman at the time so there would be 2 of them.

There was about 5 or 6 interested applicants and the last coming in was a young blonde female by the name of Francine, (Marilyn Monroe........ style).

Nobody at that time would ever hire a female rep to go on the road. She was a model with a travelling group of Fashion shows working across the Province introducing Fall and Winter fashions in August.

I was so impressed and hired her, even that she wanted to finish her contract with the fashion show and could only start to work for us by the end of October 1968 I believe it was.

Her fist reports after starting to work for us, was that all the customers she called for appointments, could not wait to her.

The sales reps for my competitors had been advertising her across the Province by spreading the rumor, that Chris Ryser had gone totally crazy, and put one of those sexy female blondies on the road.

She was an instant success and her commission cheque after the first month was already in the few thousand Dollars.

[Quince]

Never I let any of my sales people purchase bribes, they had to be better than politicians and liked for their personality and knowledge, not by influence peddling.

Younger has proven themselves long ago. Doesn't mean we don't anticipate pistachios at X-Mas!

[rbaker]

Determine who does the actual purchasing within the organization and contact them requesting their preferred method of contact and respect their wishes. Adapt your sales approach to your individual customer - some people like a quick, concise meeting while other people like to be romanced. Above all be attentive to your customers needs. Salesmanship is more about listening than talking. Listen, listen, listen.

Above all, remember, they really do not need you or the stuff in your bag.

[Chris Ryser]

Above all, remember, they really do not need you or the stuff in your bag.

Dick is right ......................

Before you can sell anything to a prospect, you have to sell yourself and get yourself liked. It may take a few visits.

[smallworld]

I had a rep walk in one day, a young guy, who offered me a half empty container of Wal-Mart cookies. I'm not sure if he got hungry on the way over from Wal-mart, or if he was just giving one to every account he saw that day and I was at the end of his list.

[Paul Smith LDO]

Wear the product you represent, knowledge of frame materials (including hinges and temple core), who the design team is, if it's hand made links and POP showing hand work. Show up on time. Have 2 to 3 trays with you if you come cold calling. Expect to drop by my office a few times before I place an order, as I want to make sure that both you and the company you represent are serious before I commit; we've all been burned before. I like the story behind the product when I sell. I bring my own lunch, I don't eat cookies, and you can't afford my beer or tequila.

[Chris Ryser]

Expect to drop by my office a few times before I place an order, as I want to make sure that both you and the company you represent are serious before I commit; we've all been burned before. I like the story behind the product when I sell. I bring my own lunch, I don't eat cookies, and you can't afford my beer or tequila.

That is how I learned when I started going on the road. These were the tough to get guy's, but when you finally made it with them they became the best customers you could find and and some even became friends.

[Jarhead Daddy]

Show up with your frame bags and a box of awesome cookies or pastries. Have an awesome smile and a unique product.

[mervinek]

Could use some advise here... I have rep that definitely has an alcohol problem. It is one of our Safilo reps and in the past she has shown up late (hour +) for appointments or not at all. Her voicemail message is her clearing her throat (very unprofessional) and has shown up with food stains on her clothing. Lately I had a situation with a patient that broke his frame and although he had it less than 1 year (which was under warranty) the frame was discontinued and there were none left. Usually if something like this happens we call the rep and the rep will give us discounted products to cover the cost of a new pair. After leaving several messages (5+) in a week, we ate the cost and took care of the patient. I decided I would discuss with the rep during the next scheduled apt. Here we are months later and the appointment had to be changed (because of our schedule conflicts). Already left the rep several messages and she still has not gotten back to us. I'm pretty much done with her. I have a ton of her product here. Do I... contact her regional manager and see if we can get a new rep to service us? Or see if I can bring in a new manufacturer who might buy the product in a swap out deal? Suggestions? Thank you!

[ajonesgirl]

Could use some advise here... I have rep that definitely has an alcohol problem. It is one of our Safilo reps and in the past she has shown up late (hour +) for appointments or not at all. Her voicemail message is her clearing her throat (very unprofessional) and has shown up with food stains on her clothing. Lately I had a situation with a patient that broke his frame and although he had it less than 1 year (which was under warranty) the frame was discontinued and there were none left. Usually if something like this happens we call the rep and the rep will give us discounted products to cover the cost of a new pair. After leaving several messages (5+) in a week, we ate the cost and took care of the patient. I decided I would discuss with the rep during the next scheduled apt. Here we are months later and the appointment had to be changed (because of our schedule conflicts). Already left the rep several messages and she still has not gotten back to us. I'm pretty much done with her. I have a ton of her product here. Do I... contact her regional manager and see if we can get a new rep to service us? Or see if I can bring in a new manufacturer who might buy the product in a swap out deal? Suggestions? Thank you!

Her boss definitely needs to know.

[AngeHamm]

Her boss definitely needs to know.

+1

[rbaker]

Be careful here. Your assumption that she has a problem with booze or drugs may be in error. There are some medical conditions (Parkinson's Disease, et al) that can mimic drunkenness and you are not capable of making this diagnosis based on the behavior that you outlined in your post. You can, however, inform her employer about her job performance:

"she has shown up late (hour +) for appointments or not at all. Her voicemail message is her clearing her throat (very unprofessional) and has shown up with food stains on her clothing."

Personally, I would just ignore the situation.

[Chris Ryser]

Personally, I would just ignore the situation.

Good advice

[mervinek]

Thank you for everyone's advise! Looks like I will be contacting the regional manager.

[Quince]

Anyone who has good reason to act in such a manner should have already notified their superior. If contact is made with regional then they will either explain the situation and why it could deemed excusable or they will take this as evidence and figure out why.

This could be nothing, or it could be the push the rep needs to turn their life around. Either way, I would certainly agree with reporting such behavior.

[rbaker]

And,of course, we don't know the other side of the story.

[Chris Ryser]

And,of course, we don't know the other side of the story.

Amen ..................................