In my book, "You're Going To Be Great At This!", I use "dumb stories" to shine the light on the crazy and absurd things that happen in the business of sales. Some readers seemed to enjoy them more than the rest of the book and I even had a couple of people ask me to put together a sequel of just "dumb stories". Maybe one day, but for now, I'm content just letting them happen organically.
In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to regale you with one that happened just a few years ago. As usual, I'm going to change the names of all parties involved to protect myself from any legal action.
I met "Mary" at a networking luncheon. She was actually the speaker and told us about her job at a state run office that assisted seniors with various issues. Considered the "Google" of the office, Mary would take incoming calls from people who needed help with everything from legal aid to putting a roof on their homes, and she would refer them to whichever agency she felt would be the most appropriate at solving their problems.
Even though she wasn't a polished speaker, she did a fantastic job of explaining what her job was and giving us a few examples, all with humor and a smile. When she tried to explain the job, she said, "I didn't know I even existed", which meant she didn't even know there was such a position. We all laughed with her.
After the luncheon, we all mingled and I approached Mary and told her she did a great job. She was in her mid-twenties and was very relieved that the ordeal was over. I gave her my card and said, "If you ever need anything let me know." She was receptive but there were others also wanting to talk with her so I moved on.
A few weeks went by and I got a phone call one evening from an older gentleman. He said he had been referred to me and needed some "financial help". I wasn't sure what that meant, but I agreed to meet with him and his wife a few days later. Before we ended the call I asked him where he got my name and number and he said that Mary had suggested he speak to me.
As usual in a case like this, I called Mary and expressed my gratitude for the referral. "I don't know if you can help him out or not. He was kind of evasive on the phone," she said.
When I arrived at the home of the couple, whom I'll call Bob and Sue, I noticed they lived in a nice newer development on the outskirts of a small town in our county. Most of these types of neighborhoods are filled with retired transplants from "up north", as we say. Sue greeted me as if the Grim Reaper had come to visit. I did my best to smile and exude some southern charm to no avail. She just looked at me like I was a rube.
Bob walked in with a look of real concern. He had some papers in his hand as he was ready to forego any small talk and get down to business. "I keep coming up short every month!" he exclaimed as he handed me the papers. "Usually by a thousand dollars or so." I sat down at a counter and realized he was asking me to examine his monthly budget.
Itemized into categories such as "utilities" and "mortgage", Bob's paperwork showed the previous six months' expenditures. "This isn't quite what I do, Bob," I explained. "I am an insurance agent, but if you want a second set of eyeballs to take a glance I'll do my best." He nodded to let me know he wanted me to proceed.
One item kept jumping off the page. His credit card bill was sporadic and unusually high in my opinion. I asked if he was paying it off every month and he said yes. The balance fluctuated between $1500 and $2000. "Bob, can I ask what's going on with this credit card? That's quite a balance you're paying each month." Bob looked nervous.
"We just moved here and I'm having to buy stuff!" he huffed. Sue, looking as if she was going to pop a vein, just sat there with her arms crossed. "We needed a TV or two. Things like that!" His voice trailed off and he changed the subject to his homeowner's insurance. I apologized to both of them for not being of more help, but if they needed any life insurance to give me a call.
I walked back to my car and tried to assess the conversation, from the angry wife to the vagueness of Bob's credit card bill. A colleague of mine called about that time and I shared the details of my appointment with him. "If I didn't know any better, I bet old Bob has an internet porn addiction," I joked. We both chuckled.
The next day I called Mary to say thanks again for the referral and that I wasn't much help. Without getting into too much detail I let her know what happened. When I explained the problematic monthly credit card shortage, she was quiet for a moment and then she said, "I wasn't going to say anything, but Sue hinted that her husband loved to get on the internet and watch porn. She suspects he's running up quite a tab on the credit card."
I usually like having my hunches verified but in this case I wasn't going to pat myself on the back. Mary and I kept in touch even though she moved on to another career path. We sometimes bring up Bob's expensive "habits" and wonder how Sue puts up with it.
Chris Castanes is a professional speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. He's also the author of "You're Going To Be Great At This!", a humorous look at sales. For booking information, click here. He's also the president of Surf Financial Brokers selling life and disability insurance in several states.
Comments
Post a Comment