What is your relationship with architectural product reps? I have the worst time trying to get information. Examples: I have been told to call other numbers one which was a private residence in South Dakota, the other a small business that had nothing to do with roofing, when I tried to get a new catalog (since ours was from 1982). I have been told that if I have access to the internet that I should go there for my answer (the answer was not to be found on the company's web site, I wasted a half hour looking). I have left messages to reps that never seem to be near thier phone with specific requests, I have metioned specific jobs, left all my contact info and have never been gotten back to. Multiple times. I have gotten thru to a rep to request a sample and she spewed "well what do you want me to do about it, I'm in my car on my cell phone, driving!" Excuse me. I told her she could get back to me, never herad from her again. I have asked for samples over the internet-official-fill-this-out-for-samples and I am still waiting for my toilet partition samples, 18 months later. In summary, over the last three years I have had maybe two useful experiences out of dozens with such people. Does anyone know how to crack this rythym?
I recently took over our interiors library as our interior designer quit. The reps are really great, they answered my questions before I could ask them, they are pleasant to talk to, and they send me GIFTS! What a difference.
Any comments on similar experiences or suggestions to be more effective?
I've found Architectural reps to have that attitude as well. Sometimes you are screwed because you may have 3 choices for a particular roofing material vs 50 carpet companies carrying 100 lines each. All I can say is threaten never to use their product.
Good luck.
Yeh, you can threaten that, and I have too, but it's pretty meaningless, isn't it? Not to mention childish. Often I am contacting them cause I like the product and want to know the specifics or get samples to show the client or ask about accessories, etc. I think they are architect wannabes cause more than a few have told me that they went to architecture school.
I wonder it these people make more than I do... I bet they do.
Funny enough, they don't like to feel like you are 'shopping around', they also don't like to be asked too many questions, many of them could care less about the product they carry, they could as well be selling donuts if they could make the same commission, I think that about the best thing you can do is find someone within the company (if you really like their product) that can give you the service you expect. the other point which is an obvious one is to simplify your life by using the best in the industry per product.
They do make more than you, but their job sucks, too. Thing is, they're busy dealing with real orders on buildings under construction, and you're just some designer looking for free info. and samples with no promises of business in return. If your spec allows for alternates, their incentive to spend time on you is even smaller.
I agree that it's stupid of them to treat architects like this, but bidness is bidness, and salespeople are more concerned with hitting their targets for this month than with a project that won't go to bid for another 9 months.
If you must, just remind them that if you can't learn about the product, you can't spec it, and they're guaranteed to lose business.
I have never had a problem trying to get info - maybe I was just lucky? One guy I used to work for said he could never get samples or info from people, but I started doing it for him and always received very prompt info, samples, etc. Maybe it has to do with attitude? Not assuming anything of you, just a thought...
Also curious - are you a woman or man? Maybe that has something to do with it. For some reason I think because I am a woman people I call think I'm "admin staff" and are usually very polite. That was a pure assumption I made though.
I also liberally use "thank you very much", "when convenient", "please please please I'll be so grateful", etc. And I try to make sure I get the right name and number of the person I need to talk to up front - it's sort of like doing research on library catalogs - if you do it a lot you become adept at knowing how to do the search to get you the results you need.
Thank you for all your input. I am a woman, I usually introduce myself as intern architect or architect and I always say something to make them know that I have a real job in front of me and don't intend to waste thier time. (for a while I thought it was the intern part that gave me less than desirable results. lately intern is a naughty word. but saying i am an architect gets me no further)
I go out of my way to say "Thank Yous" yada yada and I really pay attention to my demeanor on the phone. Anyways, whatever... probably just need more experience.
I've never had any problems with reps. While perusing the materials library as an intern I found some sweet 3x3 samples of some white rocks cast in resin used for countertops etc. I thought they would make great coasters so I promptly called and requested 6 samples. I may have mentioned something about needing them for a job, I don't remember. I also got along with the software and hardware reps really well. I got numerous lunch invites, and even ventured out on some side projects with the software reps. During my internship I was on this Healthy Choice microwave dinner kick, so the mornings I found out the reps were there with free lunch I was excited.
Actually, I find that if you give reps specific "no later than" dates they are usually pretty good about getting you the info. I'm ready to get out of school and experience the "human factors" involved in architecture.
Nov 4, 04 1:43 am ·
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whats with arch reps
What is your relationship with architectural product reps? I have the worst time trying to get information. Examples: I have been told to call other numbers one which was a private residence in South Dakota, the other a small business that had nothing to do with roofing, when I tried to get a new catalog (since ours was from 1982). I have been told that if I have access to the internet that I should go there for my answer (the answer was not to be found on the company's web site, I wasted a half hour looking). I have left messages to reps that never seem to be near thier phone with specific requests, I have metioned specific jobs, left all my contact info and have never been gotten back to. Multiple times. I have gotten thru to a rep to request a sample and she spewed "well what do you want me to do about it, I'm in my car on my cell phone, driving!" Excuse me. I told her she could get back to me, never herad from her again. I have asked for samples over the internet-official-fill-this-out-for-samples and I am still waiting for my toilet partition samples, 18 months later. In summary, over the last three years I have had maybe two useful experiences out of dozens with such people. Does anyone know how to crack this rythym?
I recently took over our interiors library as our interior designer quit. The reps are really great, they answered my questions before I could ask them, they are pleasant to talk to, and they send me GIFTS! What a difference.
Any comments on similar experiences or suggestions to be more effective?
I've found Architectural reps to have that attitude as well. Sometimes you are screwed because you may have 3 choices for a particular roofing material vs 50 carpet companies carrying 100 lines each. All I can say is threaten never to use their product.
Good luck.
Yeh, you can threaten that, and I have too, but it's pretty meaningless, isn't it? Not to mention childish. Often I am contacting them cause I like the product and want to know the specifics or get samples to show the client or ask about accessories, etc. I think they are architect wannabes cause more than a few have told me that they went to architecture school.
I wonder it these people make more than I do... I bet they do.
Funny enough, they don't like to feel like you are 'shopping around', they also don't like to be asked too many questions, many of them could care less about the product they carry, they could as well be selling donuts if they could make the same commission, I think that about the best thing you can do is find someone within the company (if you really like their product) that can give you the service you expect. the other point which is an obvious one is to simplify your life by using the best in the industry per product.
They do make more than you, but their job sucks, too. Thing is, they're busy dealing with real orders on buildings under construction, and you're just some designer looking for free info. and samples with no promises of business in return. If your spec allows for alternates, their incentive to spend time on you is even smaller.
I agree that it's stupid of them to treat architects like this, but bidness is bidness, and salespeople are more concerned with hitting their targets for this month than with a project that won't go to bid for another 9 months.
If you must, just remind them that if you can't learn about the product, you can't spec it, and they're guaranteed to lose business.
I have never had a problem trying to get info - maybe I was just lucky? One guy I used to work for said he could never get samples or info from people, but I started doing it for him and always received very prompt info, samples, etc. Maybe it has to do with attitude? Not assuming anything of you, just a thought...
Also curious - are you a woman or man? Maybe that has something to do with it. For some reason I think because I am a woman people I call think I'm "admin staff" and are usually very polite. That was a pure assumption I made though.
I also liberally use "thank you very much", "when convenient", "please please please I'll be so grateful", etc. And I try to make sure I get the right name and number of the person I need to talk to up front - it's sort of like doing research on library catalogs - if you do it a lot you become adept at knowing how to do the search to get you the results you need.
Thank you for all your input. I am a woman, I usually introduce myself as intern architect or architect and I always say something to make them know that I have a real job in front of me and don't intend to waste thier time. (for a while I thought it was the intern part that gave me less than desirable results. lately intern is a naughty word. but saying i am an architect gets me no further)
I go out of my way to say "Thank Yous" yada yada and I really pay attention to my demeanor on the phone. Anyways, whatever... probably just need more experience.
I've never had any problems with reps. While perusing the materials library as an intern I found some sweet 3x3 samples of some white rocks cast in resin used for countertops etc. I thought they would make great coasters so I promptly called and requested 6 samples. I may have mentioned something about needing them for a job, I don't remember. I also got along with the software and hardware reps really well. I got numerous lunch invites, and even ventured out on some side projects with the software reps. During my internship I was on this Healthy Choice microwave dinner kick, so the mornings I found out the reps were there with free lunch I was excited.
Actually, I find that if you give reps specific "no later than" dates they are usually pretty good about getting you the info. I'm ready to get out of school and experience the "human factors" involved in architecture.
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