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Jamie Schadt of Martin Bros. Distributing based in Cedar Falls, Iowa has earned the DSR of the Month honors for June of 2018, placing her in the AFDR DSR Hall of Fame.
Jamie has been a DSR since graduating from college. She played basketball in college and was offered a job when she graduated by a parent of a men’s basketball player. She went for it when he explained what she would be doing. Schadt did have operator experience as a bartender and waiter while attending college.
She explains to DSR Dave that learning products was the hardest part of the job when she first began. Jamie says that even learning what to call a product was difficult because each customer called the same product a different name. Schadt says that it took her about two years to feel comfortable enough to really help customers with products and to simply know how to get things done.
Technology is changing the DSR job now since answers are at the customer’s fingertips. To ensure her customers keep purchasing from her, Jamie strives to make herself so valuable they won’t want to change. She is doing this by knowing and learning how to use each of the tools that are a part of her toolbelt enabling her to be resourceful with anything, not just the items she sells, that one of her customers may need help with.
Sales Tips Jamie talks about in detail on this audio recording:
- Greenhorns need to dive into learning everything about products, not just what you might find on Google about a product.
- Become an expert on every business tool your company has to offer your customers, making you more valuable by knowing how to apply them.
- A/R – Collecting money gets easier every time you do it, and your customers will respect you more for managing their credit consistently and professionally.
- Never be negative about your peers or your company. In this business things go wrong most days, it’s how you handle it with customers and your peers that will separate you from your competitors.
- Treat everybody the way you want to be treated. Having a conversation with the person you might have a problem with will encourage them to work with you even more.
- Stay humble and don’t get a big head if you’re one of the top DSRs. Be relatable and help Greenhorns when they ask questions even if they’ve asked the same question over and over. You did the same thing when you were a Greenhorn.
- Ask your customers questions about products and how they use it even when you think you know all there is to know about it, chances are you’ll learn something new.
- Help veteran DSRs who might need some motivation, you might need it someday too.
- Greenhorns don’t be ashamed to ask customers questions about anything because they actually like the fact that you asked. When you pay attention and use what they tell you, it encourages them to be a long-term customer.
DSRs, Be a Resource…and Sell Something!
