Gentlemen Start Your Engines
Friday I made six sales calls without ever turning my engine off.
The day started with a jolt. My truck battery was dead and I jumped it to make it on time to my first sales call in Brooksville.
The SUV had been in the shop the day before for maintenance; so I chalked the dead battery up to the fact that they might have had my doors open throughout the day.
I'm great at rationalizing everything; so off I went calculating that my battery would charge up during the one hour drive.
I did the sales call, dazzled my client with my knowledge, charm and hypnotic selling effect. I closed the deal and headed back to the SUV.
There's nothing quite as much fun as having to head back to the clients front door and sheepishly asking him to help me jump my vehicle!
The Vultures were circling
The SUV started after several attempts and I immediately determined that my only option would be to keep the vehicle running throughout the next few sales calls.
Now of course I considered more reasonable options like stopping at an auto parts store and buying a new battery.
I quickly dismissed that option because I hate to be late for sales calls and I was on a winning streak (still am) that most people in this crazy business would never believe.
My next call was in Lakeland which isn't exactly close to Brooksville.
This home was nestled in a wooded area so my fears of someone jumping into the idling truck while I was doing my call seemed rather unlikely.
I carefully left the truck running making absolutely sure I could get back into the vehicle after the call.
This taxed my mental capabilities because I wasn't completely sure that the key-less entry would work on a running vehicle (it does!)
My second call went perfectly. Security Film and Vista won the day.
I kept looking at the truck in the driveway explaining why I had left it running.
Two calls-Two sales behind me, I headed to call number three in Apollo Beach.
Tougher neighborhood and no driveway, I parked it in the street.
I rang the bell and my potential client opened the door; restrained his three huge dogs offering up the standard apology that his dogs are friendly (some people ask if I'm afraid of dogs?)
I quickly explained the tale of the dead battery and why I had left the truck running in front of his house.
Oddly enough this guy acted more concerned about my truck getting stolen than I was.
He talked quickly while he remained glued to his front window keeping guard on my truck.
That didn't make me feel any better.
I zipped through his home taking measurements like I was in a "fastest measurement contest."
I whipped out my trusty calculator to figure out the square footage. .
In the meantime I hear my new friend yell out to some neighbor's kid to stay away from the truck.
Two more calls later I finally make it back to my local Firestone store (the same guys that had the truck the day before)
I pull into their parking lot, shut the engine for the first time since 9 AM and head into the store.
The guy from yesterday's oil change asks me what's wrong?
I tell him the battery is dead and he instructs me to drive the truck into the bay.
He looks at me like I'm nuts and tells me I should have just let the truck run.
The day started with a jolt. My truck battery was dead and I jumped it to make it on time to my first sales call in Brooksville.
I'm great at rationalizing everything; so off I went calculating that my battery would charge up during the one hour drive.
I did the sales call, dazzled my client with my knowledge, charm and hypnotic selling effect. I closed the deal and headed back to the SUV.
CLICK-CLICK-CLICK
There's nothing quite as much fun as having to head back to the clients front door and sheepishly asking him to help me jump my vehicle!
The Vultures were circling
Now of course I considered more reasonable options like stopping at an auto parts store and buying a new battery.
I quickly dismissed that option because I hate to be late for sales calls and I was on a winning streak (still am) that most people in this crazy business would never believe.
My next call was in Lakeland which isn't exactly close to Brooksville.
This home was nestled in a wooded area so my fears of someone jumping into the idling truck while I was doing my call seemed rather unlikely.
I carefully left the truck running making absolutely sure I could get back into the vehicle after the call.
This taxed my mental capabilities because I wasn't completely sure that the key-less entry would work on a running vehicle (it does!)
My second call went perfectly. Security Film and Vista won the day.
I kept looking at the truck in the driveway explaining why I had left it running.
Evidently this new selling technique earned sympathy as well as several funny anecdotes from my new client about his history of car breakdowns and dead batteries at the worst possible time.
The thought occurred to me that I should use this again someday?
The thought occurred to me that I should use this again someday?
Two calls-Two sales behind me, I headed to call number three in Apollo Beach.
This call was a challenge.
Tougher neighborhood and no driveway, I parked it in the street.
I rang the bell and my potential client opened the door; restrained his three huge dogs offering up the standard apology that his dogs are friendly (some people ask if I'm afraid of dogs?)
I quickly explained the tale of the dead battery and why I had left the truck running in front of his house.
Oddly enough this guy acted more concerned about my truck getting stolen than I was.
He talked quickly while he remained glued to his front window keeping guard on my truck.
That didn't make me feel any better.
I zipped through his home taking measurements like I was in a "fastest measurement contest."
I whipped out my trusty calculator to figure out the square footage. .
In the meantime I hear my new friend yell out to some neighbor's kid to stay away from the truck.
"How much is it?"
"When can we do it?"
"How long will it take?"
"When am I going to get a new battery?"
"When can we do it?"
"How long will it take?"
"When am I going to get a new battery?"
Two more calls later I finally make it back to my local Firestone store (the same guys that had the truck the day before)
I pull into their parking lot, shut the engine for the first time since 9 AM and head into the store.
The guy from yesterday's oil change asks me what's wrong?
I tell him the battery is dead and he instructs me to drive the truck into the bay.
I tell him that I turned off the engine!
He looks at me like I'm nuts and tells me I should have just let the truck run.
I tell him that I'd never have thought of that!
Posted by Mike Feldman at 5/15/2011 8:28 AM 
Categories: Car Tinting Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater-Pasco, Humor Unusual Weird
Tags: dead battery leave the car running
Categories: Car Tinting Tampa-St. Pete-Clearwater-Pasco, Humor Unusual Weird
Tags: dead battery leave the car running
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