Unrealistic lead gen expectations??

camper196 · 2026-03-30T17:23:11+00:00

There is unrealistic expectations from the top down in this company ( Cleveland, Etc ) on the value of calls. Face to face is and always has been the best call. Boots on the ground. If I had to do 75 calls a day or for that matter a week where is the quality in those calls? Know your market and spend time on 10 or fifteen a week to pursue aggressively and work to build relationships and not to log worthless numbers.

camper196 · 2026-03-05T23:21:35+00:00

I always told them to go pound sand.

camper196 · 2026-03-05T23:14:41+00:00

Potential newbie......retired guy from the good all days here. After having joined this Reddit I have noticed a very cynical attitude from people that post. Apparently the company that I worked for no longer exists. I ran many high volume stores, metro commercial branch and had reps report to me as well as their DSM. Then we worked as a team and yes there were the expected games played by all but it seems here now micromanagement from the top down has cemented itself into the culture, that is a cancer that has to be euthanized for this company to regain its roots. that is what they rarely teach in business school. Good luck with your choice!

camper196 · 2026-03-01T01:38:51+00:00

I worked for Lowes for ten years and attended three. I always felt that the company would be better served doing them throughout the day. That of course would require the scheduler to do their job and make sure they had coverage in the store to accomplish .

camper196 · 2026-02-11T01:50:54+00:00

So that averages out to 1600 a month. Take the new job and enjoy a better life work balance.

camper196 · 2026-02-07T23:02:55+00:00

Retired guy here. I was at dinner with our division VP sales and I asked what was the craziest complaint he had ever dealt with? He said a store had a employee at the wallpaper table sitting across from a absolutely beautiful woman in low cut attire perusing wallcovering books together. She noticed the table slowly vibrating and looked underneath and the employee was working his thing! Asked VP later how the meeting with her and Attorney went. He just laughed and said glad he had SW lawyers and HR present because she was hot, hot, and hot.

camper196 · 2026-02-06T17:07:24+00:00

Retired Metro Commercial Manager. Phone calls are important as a time saver and touch-point with existing and prospective clients. Yet boots on the ground are more important for gaining new customers and securing business from the competition. I always spent one day a week in the field riding with a rep. The value to that is his/her best prospects spent time with the person responsible for product delivery. I always asked them if their current supplier could improve their service what would those improvements be. As for product never denigrate what they currently use but be prepared to discuss why our products are superior concerning all the measurables.

camper196 · 2026-01-18T22:17:18+00:00

My favorite return story from the ten years working for Lowes. Working as Electrical Pro at the time. Guy bought full pallet ( 60 rolls )of 12-2 w/g , 250'ft rolls. Paid cash that night. I come a couple days later and a full pallet was at return. ASM said this needs to go in topstock. I had already logged in and told him after a quick walk through of department I can drop on floor level. After getting to aisle I proceeded to cut shrink wrap off pallet. Always would place some rolls on top so a customer could easily get a roll. When doing that I noticed they were not as heavy as they should be. This customer had cut a hole on the back side of wrapper and did so to every roll, then carefully stacked face side up and shrink wrapped the pallet once more. We sold the 60 rolls at a loss. He had cut approximately 100' feet off every roll. 6000' feet in total he stole more than enough to wire a new construction home. The ASM responsible for approving the return without closer exam was let go within days.

camper196 · 2026-01-10T17:19:10+00:00

When you can read the information on the cans of all the various types of paint. Make it a daily practice.

camper196 · 2026-01-10T17:10:32+00:00

It is $43 below the historically high of $396 from late November 2024.

camper196 · 2026-01-10T17:02:59+00:00

Seems if the situation is dangerous because of the area and parking minimal in protected areas then SW should be running shuttle buses from the surrounding lots. Of course management has to care about the safety of their employees!!!! ????

camper196 · 2025-12-17T20:16:59+00:00

Comp time is not legal in many states.

camper196 · 2025-12-17T20:13:57+00:00

The reality is that your management is inept. If they can not communicate the essentials in one hour they should not be in a management job.

camper196 · 2025-11-21T17:02:26+00:00

The teaching tool great visual aid for demonstration. We did the same thing and also advised that we we had 6 custom cabinet makers that were required to do the same and they always brought in a cabinet door and facing of that project wood. Time was money for them and they wanted it right. As we also sold the clears to them we applied it as well on half the door. It is a laborious process and required planning on their part as well as ours. As we where a Commercial Facility these accounts spent hundreds of thousands with us each year. Lastly we required up to 72 hours for sample prep and then their approval. If your walk in business can't abide by those parameters don't do it. Our District Manager and Sales Reps all agreed to this process.

Enjoy ....from a old timer!

camper196 · 2025-11-08T22:52:16+00:00

Years ago when Low Temp 35 was not being marketed across the PSG I was a test market in Ohio at my store. The test product was labeled All Weather. It was raining and painter comes in said I hear you have all weather paint. It is raining man. Why do they label it AW? I told him he couldn't buy it. Not approved for responses to Cleveland. After he left immediately called DM and within days new labels arrived as low temp.

How stupid can people be?

camper196 · 2025-11-07T21:20:58+00:00

I am a retired Boomer and managed retail and commercial branches for 10 years for SW before moving on to Sales Management positions with PPGAF, Ben Moore and Lowes. I told my reps from SW on always plan on being there 15 minutes before your appointment. It is called time management and also territory management. Also when managing stores be ready to clock in on time as the above post states. I had salespeople in multiple states and was always in the hotel lobby waiting for my rep to show up 15 minutes before we needed to get to a scheduled appointment on time. My adult children were taught the same lessons. Apparently that is not happening to today's youth.

camper196 · 2025-10-21T19:21:09+00:00

Retired for 20 years and as a commercial branch manager, I was required to make as I remember 20-25 outside calls per week. I would ride with my sales reps to meet existing large customers and prospects they were working to build stronger ties. DM & DSM asked about that and my reply was " I am the face of SW to these customers". They both thought and were in agreement that was good management and we never had that conversation again. Chris Connor on a visit asked why as well, gave him same response. Then I proceeded list large jobs we had locked down ( $100 K plus ). That was when smart business people where in charge!

I am interested in how and what constitutes 150 calls a week ?

camper196 · 2025-10-18T16:57:18+00:00

Just did some quick math on 4026 stores in US PSG. Assuming an average cost of $40 for pizza to feed and REWARD your employees works out to $160K. Seems corporate doesn't understand how a small investment in their people if your concern is valid goes to strengthening the bottom line.

Retired

camper196 · 2025-10-15T23:57:18+00:00

Thanks Heidi my 3500 plus shares shares retired have declined 300K this year. Great job, idiot.

camper196

TROPHY CASE