Technical Sales Representatives
Represent companies in selling a range of industrial, medical and pharmaceutical goods and services to industrial, business, professional and other establishments.
A day on the road with a van full of samples
You are a sales representative for an industrial supplies company, visiting workshops and factories to sell cleaning machines and chemicals. It is Wednesday morning. You have three visits booked, a delivery that has not arrived and a customer who wants an answer today. Each stop brings a different problem.
Choose what you would do. Then see what happens. There are often good reasons for each choice.
I need a cleaner for my engine parts and your most powerful model is what I want. I only have a small, poorly ventilated shed. Can you just sell me the strong one and I'll work it out?
Sell the most powerful model, because it is the customer's choice and it is a good sale for your target this month
Amira buys it, but the shed is wrong for it. The fumes are a worry, she is frustrated and the company's name is tied to a poor choice. A sale that does not suit the site is a problem waiting to happen.
Visit the shed, ask what she cleans and how often, then recommend a safer model that fits the space
A smaller model does the job in her shed and she trusts your advice. She asks you to look at her friend's workshop too. Choosing the right product earns repeat business.
Tell her the strong model needs a bigger space and offer to come back when she has one
It is true, but she has a real problem today and no solution. You could have had a better answer in the shed with a different product.
My order was meant to arrive yesterday and the line is stopped. I'm losing hours of work. I want you to promise it'll be here by lunchtime, or I'm calling your competitor.
Check with the warehouse and driver while he waits, then give him a real time and a temporary fix
The truck is two hours away. You arrange a loan of equipment so the line can restart sooner. Steve is still annoyed, but he has an honest plan and stays with you.
Promise it will be there by lunchtime, so he stays your customer
You do not know where the truck is. Lunchtime comes, nothing has arrived and Steve is angrier than before. A promise you do not control is a trap.
Apologise and tell him it is the warehouse's problem and you will pass the message on to them straight away
You are polite, but Steve is left without an answer. You are his contact, and he expects you to chase it for him. Passing it on does not feel like help.
Just between us, we'd love to place a big order. My team is going to a footy final next month and tickets are hard to get. If you could help with that, I'm sure the order would be yours.
Get the tickets, since the order is big and relationships are how business works
You have turned a sale into something that looks like a bribe. If it comes out, you and Tran could both lose your jobs and the company's name goes with you.
Laugh it off and change the subject without answering
It avoids a fuss, but Tran may think the door is still open. Staying vague with a request like this leaves the problem hanging.
Politely say you cannot do that, explain what you can offer on merit, and tell your manager what was asked
Tran is embarrassed but backs off. Your manager is glad you reported it, and the order goes ahead based on the product. Keeping business clean protects everyone.
How it went
At the end of the day you have matched a machine to the right shed, kept a stopped line moving and said no to something that looked like a favour. Technical sales is about knowing your products, being honest with customers and building relationships that last. Does that sound like a job you could do well?
This is a simplified, fictional situation to help you explore. It is not professional instruction or a test of your ability.
Case study: The machine that came with a lesson
A fictional case set in a fictional supplier of industrial cleaning machines and chemicals, selling to factories and workshops.
The situation
Dale sold industrial cleaning equipment for Ironbark Industrial Supplies. A manufacturer had ordered a powerful degreasing machine for their workshop, and the delivery date was tight. On the day of installation, the owner told Dale not to bother with the safety session: his team knew what they were doing, and the production line could not stop. Dale knew the machine used strong chemicals and a hot wash. He also knew a late delivery would upset the customer, and his manager wanted the order closed.
What they did
Dale explained that the session would take under an hour and covered how to handle the chemicals, protective equipment and what to do if something went wrong. He offered to run it in two short groups so the line could keep working. He checked that the supplied safety information was displayed near the machine and left a contact number for questions. His manager was not thrilled with the extra time but backed him.
How it turned out
Both groups attended. One worker later told Dale that he had been using the wrong gloves for years. The manufacturer reordered chemicals the next month and asked Dale to run the same session for their other site.
What would you do?
- Why do you think Dale offered two short groups instead of just insisting?
- What risk would there have been in skipping the session?
- Would you like a job where you teach people how to use equipment safely?