There are multiple places I’ve connected with sales reps. I’ve had them email my private email. I’ve had sales reps connect with me on Linkedin, or facebook. There are plenty of calls to my office when I move to a new company. How does one deal with unsolicited calls? How does one ask a sales rep to give them more information without signing away the farm?
First, I’m a big believer in hierarchy of a business. If you are a manager, your responsibilities are different than a director. Your director level individuals have a long term scope and goals for the department managers to manage. Yes, managers can have aspirations for their people and the department, but director’s goals and bonuses are generally set around these types of budgeted changes within a company. It ain’t really sexy, but it’s the difference between a sous chef and the head chef.
Ah food, my favorite analogy cook book! First you have the sous chef who ensures the food is prepped and ready to go. As the sous chef, you are responsible for the other junior chefs in the kitchen. You direct them on if the sauce is thick enough, or the meat is cooked to perfection, but you don’t decide what they’re making. The head chef is the one who makes the recipes in the first place. They add the spices and decide what kind of meat to use. The sous chef takes all that amazing information and makes it work with a staff of others. Same goes for the AP manager and the AP director or controller, depending on who you report to.
Why was this analogy relevant? Well, the sous chef will not change the recipe without talking with the head chef. In the same way that an AP manager can’t just sign a contract with a vendor to update an automation in AP. The AP director has the vision of what is happening in five years. That director may not be interested in automating that particular part of the AP process because they know that in eighteen months that process will be digitized and the effort to add an automation for a year is over budget. So- the first piece of advice to you is to know who would be the one approving the relationship with the vendor.
Second, sales reps get a bad rep sometimes. I’ve met amazing people who really know their product works and they are working for the company because they believe in the product. These sales reps are the best people to talk to because when, together, you both talk through the problem AP is having (because that’s what they should be trying to do – solve your problem) it will become apparent if their product would work or wouldn’t. Sales reps that know their product wouldn’t work with your company but continue to try to make it fit, are not good sales reps.
Third, it’s perfectly fine to say that you want documents or information but aren’t able to give up time for a demo. It’s fair that as a manager you need to go to your director for direction- (pun totally intended… ha!). Because I get calls when I moved jobs, I generally have to learn more about the business I’m working in before I decide if the product I am presented will work. I’ve also learned that products you heard about years ago while you are in an industry or department that may not benefit from the software can suddenly become relevant when you move into a new role. Realistically, if you are a consultant and bounce around from company to company, this is also relevant. So, keep those names in your rolodex or address book… I generally keep them in my Linkedin contacts and look back when I see a product might work for a certain company.
Remember that sales reps are out there to help solve problems. That’s why they became sales reps. Take the ‘used car salesman’ vision out of your head and try instead to take the information they provide for your own use. Sometimes just knowing that the technology is available is important, especially in AP where technology is what will make your department world class!
What is Accounts Payable? 