Have your service meetings become sales meetings?

**HenryT2** · 08-12-2011

Luckily, at most of our monthly tech meetings, we are asked if we have run into UNUSUAL problems, and what the solution was . These are productive, as we can discuss the how's and why's of the problem .

When SALES get involved it is normally NOT a tech meeting ; it is just a meeting . ( Breakfast ?? meeting ?? , WOW ! I've never heard of such a thing . )

As a TECH, we all understand the value of sells ; they sell , we service . they sell , we service . Life is OK

As a sales person they DO NOT understand the value of service; they sell , we DO NOT service , they do not sell to that client again . Soon we have nothing to service 'cause they cannot sell to anyone . If there is no service , intelligent people will not buy the product !
Was it PT Barnam that said " there's a sucker born every minute " ? These are the ones that will keep buying, even if there is no service .

GOOD LUCK TO US ALL

**CompyTech** · 08-12-2011

There are service meetings with our service manager, and then there are "sales" oriented service meetings usually involving the boss.

**Lagonda** · 08-15-2011

A meeting implies some sort of democracy, we actually run a benign dictatorship around here.

**prntrfxr** · 08-15-2011

At most meetings in the states, Lagonda, the meeting is there to appear to be democratic. If you get the opportunity to ask anything or say anything you are quickly shot down. If you make the boss look bad in front of the rest of the help (you will know if his/her face gets red), there WILL be some form of retribution later. Meetings are usually designed to find "troublemakers", assign blame, and to keep everyone in line.

When I was service manager for another company, sales was not invited. If they were, they were observers and not allowed to comment until the very end. Management decided the meeting idea should be their idea and took it over. The meetings became 2-3 hours long after that, with no training sessions and very little work getting done. These meetings were nothing more than, management talking about how great they were and what they did for the company and how pathetic and stupid the technical staff was. Did they ever learn their lesson in management, you ask? I don't know, but they certainly paid for it. I say this because that company had so much potential and they messed it up. All the good techs left, including myself. The accounts receivable manager embezzled money from the company and was arrested. (I warned them about that one. They chose not to believe me.) The company is now out of business and I heard (not verified) some of them got in trouble for drug possession, lost homes, and are currently serving time. I'm not saying that poor meetings led to the demise of the company, because there was more than one thing, but mismanagement of good employees was significant in the downfall. If you are in management, do not let your meetings turn into screaming sessions. It will come back to haunt you. Treat others with respect and they will respect you. Respect is earned. Take care of your good employees or they will leave and you'll have no one 'to get your back'. My 2 cents.