Almost every time a company hires a new rep, they call and say they "just wanted to reach out" to me. I stopped this kid in the middle of his sentence and said, "No. Do not 'reach out' to me. Just e-mail whatever information it is for the product you want us to sell for you; or, call and make an appointment to stop by the office. But, you don't 'reach out' to me." And, if anyone in their 40s and 50s says they are "reaching out" to me, it is almost inevitably a middle aged ****** bag who dresses, talks, and has his hair cut like a 20-/30-something. Grow the f*ck up. Talk to me like a man or GTFO of my business.
I agree that the best salesmanship could be done in person, but unless they have an establish rapport with your company, is it worth making the trip during this era of expensive fuel costs unless they can gauge your interest via phone first? If it's a matter of using a different phrase from "reach out," sure, but do you expect all potential vendors to drop by your doorstep or schedule appointments without gauging interest first? PS: 30-something here, but early 30s so still feel in 20s unless the toddler's around.
First - I'd like to reach out to you. Second - please edit out the "in their 20s and 30s" part in your title to increase accuracy.
It is companies we have contracts with, some stretching back to the 1980s. Yes, I expect them to come by. They are the ones trying to get us to continue to sell their products. I even want those for whom we do not yet have contracts to schedule a visit. I want to know who we're dealing with, who will be responsible on their end of the deals. In a place like the Metroplex, I expect visits. We're not out in the middle of nowhere. There must be a generation of kids who is afraid to look people in the eye. It's terrible.
Millennials use electronic devices more than any other generation of age, so it's not necessarily that they're afraid to look you in the eye, but rather, they're used to dealing with communication by other means than in-person. This might be why so many are unemployed or underemployed
I hear you. Dope-headed nephew met his girlfriend from a "dating app." They go to the same school! I can't even imagine. Part of the mystery of asking a girl out back in the day was not knowing anything about her. You talked, flirted, and found out what you needed to know in person. Or, you tried to cajole their roommates and friends into telling you stuff. And, sometimes you become more interested in the roommate or friend as a result!
