R&L | My customers never see or hear from our R&L Salesman

Whats the deal, my customers tell me the reason we don't get any of their freight anymore is because they never see or hear from our salesman. Are these salesmen held accountable to anyone?
This person came from another freight carrier a while back, when our previous sales person went to one of our competitors.
Our previous sales person was always out visiting customers. I don't think this guy does anything.

Salesmen? R+L has salesmen? Where are they? Heard that plenty of times from people on my route. Only time we see them is when they have their goofy meetings telling us what a great job WE are doing DOING THEIR job!

Here at the Knoxville terminal we have Frank. He must work only part time and only show up for sales meetings. Most of my customers have never seen him.

Big Truck. We have the same problem. The area of town I work in never see are sales guy. I can tell him about this one and that one. And he looks at me like a deer in headlights. And if it's a national account he could care less. I guess he makes nothing on it. The problem with the sales end of R&L is the Term Managers dont have the power. I think to put a foot up the brown hole. I know at are barn all the P&D drivers have stop giving leads. We just gave up. When we gave a lead. We would go back and ask if the sales guy came out. They would alway's tell me no I have not seen him. I have not turn in a lead in six mo's.

I have a good salesman in my area.Ray is out there working and seeing customers.He was known by customer prior to R+L because he came from Yellow.

it seems that the only people who give a ratts behind is the P&D drivers. Everyone else is too busy twisting numbers to cover their a##. if they would spend that time getting and keeping business, we would be alot better off.

Go packers!!!

To Pin Oak and any other drivers that are having issues with their sales reps. Please ask them why they are not calling on accounts that you are getting negative feed back from. Give them specific accounts if you want a pertinant response. You have a right and a duty to work with your reps and to have them work with you. If you have specific conversations and still are not getting results or have reason to belive they are bs ing you, then bring this up with your TM. If that does not work then contact the reps director. You are being held accountable and the reps should be as well.

The key thing is to have this conversation with the rep first. If the rep has an issue with how you are doing your job, I bet that you would want for them to have the discussion with you first. . Are they talking with different people at this account than you are talking to? Ask them about it. If they are neglecting the dock staff at a shipper, let them know. The rep may be simpley calling on the wrong people or not all the people. If the rep is slacking and is aware that the drivers are watching, then hopefully they will be smart enough to tighten up. If not, we don't need them.

The bottom line is to open the dialog with the rep(s).

OH Boy, I am sure I will get replies on this one. Since I am in Sales for R&L. stilltryin may be right on his point. There are times that we are calling on the front end and the shipping dept does not see us. This is where you guys come in. If we are pulling prepaid freight and the shipper is not being called on, then he does not control the business. You are the guys that need to make sure he is getting the service and if he wants us to stop by and say Hi you need to let us know that. There are plenty of times where I have been told by a Traffic Manager that I am to call on him and not the shipping dept. @ Shadow- Ray does a good job for us. Not every sales person has the same way of selling or following up. As far as National Accounts go, we have to send the lead to the National Account Director who services our area. If the business is secured we do get credit for it as well as the National Account Director. I call on National Accounts when we secure the business so they have a local contact for any questions or issues that may arise on the local level. If the National Account person is not doing his/her due diligence then we are not going to secure the business. My drivers have my cell number and can call me anytime, I don't mind at all. And I always make a point to stop and say hello when I see a driver and he usually gets to raid my trunk with whatever supplies I have. OK , now your turn!

Freightgal Shame your not are rep. Are rep never picks up his phone. I can have shippers tell me have your rep come and see me. I will check back and he has never called or dropped in. I understand that when he gets someone to come on with us. WIL will not alway's give a good rate. So we lose the Account. But we had two reps in a row that did little or nothing. I ask everyone on my route. If the sale rep has come in. The reply on some is you have a rep. I have never seen him. I have used MYR&L and get the Company line. So as for me I am the sales guy on my route. I have got a few new pick ups due to me. And the other drivers in are barn have done the same. In are sales meeting I just sit and wonder how week in and week out he will say. We have met are goal. And nothing new in the works. Or I am working on this or that. But never see any freight. The best one is you will be getting about 20 skids a week from this guy. Then nothing. Is he just making it up. Or dose he have that many that back out. I have one guy that weill only deal with me. Will not let him in his warehouse. I know sales is a hard job. And it is seen as a I can do that buy the drivers.

Skeet, thanks. It is unfortunate that some sales people think they are doing their job. We are all under pressure to make our numbers. I keep in touch with 3 different terminals and hear from drivers about other sales people. I have to walk a fine line in saying anything when a driver tells me about another rep. I focus on my location and my drivers. Our monthly meetings, which I run, are meant to be informative and to assure the drivers that we are out there actively soliciting new business for our terminal. Our meetings are positive and not crying sessions from us. In two years the sales department at our location has doubled the outbound bill count. We also make a point of not going to areas where our coverage sets us up to fail due to stem time or customer close times. It is easier to go into an area where you know the drivers are there all the time. Leads are answered as soon as our drivers pass them on. Leads have been quiet lately with our drivers but that is because we are so busy and we understand that there are times where you guys just dont have time to talk to the customer. We have a great TM who keeps us informed and cares about us as well our drivers. If your sales person is telling you we are going to get 15 skids a week from a new customer and we dont, ask them what happened. Customers sometime commit then go back to their previous carrier and leverage our pricing to get better from the other carrier. It happens, not all customers are up front and honest about their intentions. This is where you realize you got used. There is not a lot you can do ( restrain myself from choking customer to death!). You move on to the next one. If you are really concerned, find out who the Regional Sales Mgr is and speak with them. The last thing a sales rep needs is their Mgr calling them about a driver calling and wondering why they haven't made a call on a prospective customer. Off to my drivers meeting today. Hot breakfast and touching base with our guys. Have a great day.

Thanks. I am at the point with are guy. Just waiting for him to go. I can not see this guy lasting much longer. But then who knows. We have a weekly meeting with him. But he is a no show to many of these meetings. I know eveyone on my route and some that don't use us. To me it's a game. It I can get just one skid from the ones that dont use us. When I get them to give me one it's like winning the game. I let them know it. So late in the day ai if it is slow I drop in and just come out and say. I see it late and you close in 30 mins. I can take the freight. And sometimes they will tell me sure I will send it collect. Screw who ever they are late and I want to go. Works on small mon and pop. Not so much on the National Co's.