Depends on who the customer is....

May 09, 2012,06:58 AM
 

Before retirement I spent many years selling services (not goods).  I found I did fabulously with some customers and terrible with others.  It seems I have a terrible habit of if I am asked a direct question I will respond with the best honest answer that I know.  So in real life with customers who wanted to know the actual truth as I knew it, I did great.  But with customers who are were more comfortable having their prejudices and fantasies reinforced, I didn't do so well.  I suspect the same would be true if I sold watches. 


Best wishes,
Glenn 

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Would you make a good watch salesman?

 
 By: AndrewD : May 6th, 2012-18:18
Most of you have interacted with industry salespeople. Do you think you could do their job better? Is it just a matter of enthusiastically knowing your product? Andrew

I definitely wouldn't...

 
 By: sidneyc : May 6th, 2012-18:45
It would be my worst nightmare... I would cry seeing every stunning piece leave my hand in return for a plastic card

Nope.

 
 By: ralph_george : May 6th, 2012-19:04
I'm too blunt and I'd probably chide some poor undeserving schmuck for wanting a quartz Hublot instead of a mechanical IWC for roughly the same money. Besides, turning pro would only #@*& up a perfectly good hobby.

I've tried and I stink!

 
 By: aaronm : May 6th, 2012-19:19
Many years ago I did just that, and I wasn't all that good at it. I might be better today with more knowledge and different co-workers, but I doubt I'll find out A

No way...

 
 By: KIH : May 6th, 2012-20:17
I wouldn't want to sell what I don't like. Simple Ken

NO. I have no interest in selling anything...

 
 By: dxboon : May 6th, 2012-20:45
...especially not watches! Daos

oh yes

 
 By: ei8htohms : May 6th, 2012-21:08
I'd never tell a potential customer that the movement in the watch they were looking at was a concession to manufacturing economics dressed up to give the appearance of old world handcraft. I promise. _john

LOL, BUT

 
 By: amanico : May 6th, 2012-21:45
They never speak about the movement, which is: 1/ Much wiser? 2/ Honest? 3/ The evidence that generally, salesmen know almost nothing about watches? Best, Nicolas

all of the above :-) (nt)

 
 By: ei8htohms : May 7th, 2012-10:16
Nt

Good one, my friend. [nt]

 
 By: amanico : May 7th, 2012-11:28
No message body

Heck. No. I haven't the patience.

 
 By: cazalea : May 6th, 2012-22:05
Having just been in a watch shop celebrating its first anniversary, but, seeing watch reps I've met over 10 years in 3-4 shops ... No, I couldn't do it. Could not stand the BS, the travel, the packing and unpacking watches, etc. Cazalea

well, I wasn't exactly a salesman, but I have more experience than most with this ?

 
 By: SteveH : May 6th, 2012-22:07
I have no care or desire to sell a watch or not. I found that because I was representing a company (people!) that I respected and products that I really liked, I could simply share my passion and it would translate to most. Some people simply don't care a... 

The key to a happy life ...

 
 By: AndrewD : May 6th, 2012-22:22
Yes, Steve, I think that's the key to a happy life: have a job that you love doing ... And the key to a happy watch salesman: sell a watch that you love and believe in ... But the difficulty and frustration must come when you work in a dealership and have... 

as would I [nt]

 
 By: SteveH : May 7th, 2012-09:34
No message body

I think I will be able to do better

 
 By: Quan : May 7th, 2012-01:19
By focusing on what the customer needs and especially his coffer, add some spice so he will spend a bit more and feel happy, this will be the general customer's expectation as most of us forgotten here.....LOL

Too much knowledge is bad for business ...

 
 By: Marcus Hanke : May 7th, 2012-03:46
I stood in watch shops long enough to realize that enthusiasm and knowledge for the products sold rarely pays off. Especially in the luxury business, where 90% of the customers are interested to purchase a luxury object, which for us is an object of fasci... 

We are a small minority

 
 By: AndrewD : May 8th, 2012-17:20
I agree with your comments, Marcus. I initially thought that I would be able to impart my enthusiasm for a watch or a company to a customer and that would be infectious enough to encourage them to buy. But I have seen the response I get when I talk watche... 

that is exactly right

 
 By: tdblackmon : May 9th, 2012-01:19
I could not agree more Marcus! A lucid argument you make. Tim

i'd do ok selling used pieces

 
 By: G99 : May 7th, 2012-05:31
i've sold a lot of different things over the years as a way of supplementing my collecting and done ok with it. not sure i enjoyed it much though. G

No.

 
 By: cen@jkt : May 7th, 2012-09:52
Not because I couldn't do it, but I prefer to be the owner of a watch company. Why would you want to be an employee if you could be the boss cen@jkt

An interesting question.

 
 By: patrick_y : May 7th, 2012-10:18
Thank you for asking this question. Hope this question gets asked every year or so.

No, no, no

 
 By: jporos : May 7th, 2012-11:39
I think I have angered most of the watch jewelers here in the state of Mississippi because they have mistaken my enthusiasm for financial means. I agree with the thought stated above that enthusiasts are the smallest market segment of watch buyers.

angered most watch jewelers because they have mistaken my enthusiasm for financial means

 
 By: cazalea : May 7th, 2012-13:07
Bravo! You said this and I think it could be stated this way by many of us: " I think I have frustrated most of the watch jewelers here in _____ (insert locale here) because they have mistaken my enthusiasm for financial means " We just have to manage our... 

Yes, indeed. It is sad, but true ...

 
 By: Marcus Hanke : May 8th, 2012-23:49
... that I hesitate to enter most of my local watch dealers, since I can really feel their anger rising: "Oh no, here comes that weird guy again. Just wants to look at the watches and talk about them, when he should rather buy them!" On the other hand, th... 

So true

 
 By: Fesalu : May 9th, 2012-03:16
I am always upfront with sales staff, I will declare my intentions, as to whether I am buying or considering for a future purchase or just killing time (mind the pun). It's how the sales person treats you when they think you aren't buying that is the key.... 

I will be more than a good salesman

 
 By: xsw : May 9th, 2012-00:45
some of the things I will bring to the role is ethics, honesty. and things like putting your interests first with regards to suitability and so on it will be fun!!

Depending on what are you selling?

 
 By: ling5hk : May 9th, 2012-03:56
Everybody can be a good watch salesman in Rolex boutique because you don't need to do the talking. Regards Ling

Depends on who the customer is....

 
 By: Duke2Earl : May 9th, 2012-06:58
Before retirement I spent many years selling services (not goods). I found I did fabulously with some customers and terrible with others. It seems I have a terrible habit of if I am asked a direct question I will respond with the best honest answer that I... 

No way

 
 By: rnaden : May 16th, 2012-02:48
Most of the people I've seen walk into watch stores to buy one are concerned over two things only - would people know that this is expensive (big criteria for those flashy people) and how much will it cause them to stand out among their peers. There is ab... 

I hope so

 
 By: RobCH : May 19th, 2012-06:44
...as that's my job, mostly ! I cannot say I am very high-pressure though, maybe I'd sell more if I was, but that's not me. I prefer the low (no) -pressure long-term relationship building...It seems to work so far. Maybe someone else here who's visited my...