This is probably one of the most annoying things I come across doing this job. Meddling sons and daughters who organize for their mum and dads’ windows doing!
That isn’t the annoying bit, the annoying bit is the part where you are showing them what options are available and they tell you that they only want the cheapest, without giving their parents a chance to see what they want FOR THEIR OWN BLOODY WINDOWS!
Plain and simple, it’s what I like to call Will Watching. They are there to make sure that their parents choose the cheapest spec, spending the least amount of money, and then proceed to try and barter the sales person down even further! It really infuriates me! Yes there will be a degree of protecting the parents involved, making sure they’re not duped by dodgy sales people. But let me tell you, not all elderly people need a helping hand in this process, a lot are still very sharp and know what is right or wrong, and they certainly don’t need their children there making sure they spend as little of their inheritance as possible.
An example today. I saw a mother and daughter last week, I was told that I was to deal with the daughter only and to just ignore the mother – despite it being the mother’s house! All the way through the conversation the word cheapest was mentioned and that it was ‘mum’s money’ that was being spent. I got a call today that they went ahead with a much cheaper quote. Quality, company history, reputation never came into it. But the good news is the daughter now has a few extra quid coming her way!
What the kids seem to forget is that by ushering their parents into the cheapest possible option, they will be compromising them on quality, energy efficiency and most importantly security. JUST TO SAVE A FEW HUNDRED QUID! It’s their money, let them spend it how they want and not how they are told!
I think one of the worst things is is their attitude while you are there. They act as though you’re there to take all their parents’ money! They look down at you and show very little interest, just as long as you tick all the cheap boxes! The whole thing is wrong, devious and terribly dishonest. I know that I certainly wouldn’t do that to my parents. Their money is their own and they can spend it as they want!
I have come across this throughout my 6 years in sales, and I’m certain I’m going to see it until I retire. It’s just one of those things that happens I suppose. Rant over!
My sales guy went to quote an older man a few weeks ago, the customer walked round the property saying “make that a fixed” on every window, some people are just plain stingy!
I have never come across this phenomena. Perhaps I’ve been lucky in being in commercial aluminium for so much of my career. Is there someone out there who has a strategy for handling this situation?