Salesman calling

[flh801978]

Last week I made an appointment with a salesman for solar panels
Just to see what he said with regard to price etc
The company had said there would be no hard sell
When he arrived he wouldnt go any further when he learnt that swmbo wouldnt be present so he left
He was spouting a law that all solar companys couldnt deal with a house owned by a couple unless both were present

The company rang today and reiterated this

Is this correct?

Ian

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

poppycock...its doubtless some sales stat they have that shows a poor closure rate if the Missus isn't present because the decision wont get taken in a vacuum. But of course they couldn't possibly tell that to their prospects or it might look like all they care about is your money!

 

[RobinBHM]

Ive never heard of that, has the 1st of April come early!

The code of conduct is listed here http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/ ... t-can-i-do

I found this useful when looking into solar panelshttp://www.lawsociety.org.uk/supp ... ar-panels/

 

[Flynnwood]

Absolute nonsense.

And a good enough reason not to waste any more of your time with that company.

As an aside, make sure you do the maths on this regarding financial return. An aqauaintance of mine looked at solar panels in some detail and reckoned it wasn't worth the return on investment. So it's worth doing your own research into the variables involved.

 

[sneggysteve]

Rubbish

I had a salesman call in September and ask 4 times for my wife to be present. I told him to leave if it was a problem but he carried on.

Watch these people - my meeting lasted 4 hours when it should have lasted no more than 2 hours (I found out later on the RECC code of practice)

I subsequently sent a 3 page complaint regarding a number of issues where I felt I was being mislead to the MCS but that was a waste of time.

Don't trust anything they say until you have checked everything on the net

 

[CHJ]

I had one approach that insisted that despite initial installation costs I would be well in profit over a 10 year period.

Questions I asked :-
1. What the guaranteed life expectancy of the panels was and would replacements available in 5 years time be compatible with their system?
2. Who would provide on going maintenance/rectification/replacement during that period and at what costs.
3. What health plan were they supplying that would guarantee I would still be alive in ten years time to collect profits as I was very interested ?

Answers:-
1. Don't know, is there a difference in type of construction?
2. Our company would provide backup, at competitive rates. (my reply:-assuming you are still trading)
2. Ahhmmmm, I suppose that is a point, (my reply:- suggest you resist approaching white haired individuals that look like they are in their 70's)

Think I put a bit of a dampener on his glib sales patter for a few minutes anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for using free energy sources to their maximum, and understand that in some scenarios even national subsidies may be a viable option when trying to improve the general environment.
Just get annoyed at the glib soap box selling techniques of companies that are happy to ignore practicalities when hard selling products for short term company gains.

 

[Graham Orm]

To the OP's question, hogwash no such law. They can't make the sale if both home owners are not present.


Last summer I was in the market for solar and responded to a door caller making an appointment for their rep to come. My wife was present, (I don't remember the question being asked if she would be). He took initial details and made no attempt to sell us anything. He made a further appointment for their surveyor who duly came and did various checks including going into the loft. We signed up and he said that they had a 3 month lead time and someone would be in touch.

Throughout the process which stretched over a few weeks we were re-canvassed once a week, each time by a different canvasser, from the same company.........and always at meal time. The first 3 or 4 times we politely explained that we had already set the ball rolling and would they please cross us off their canvassing list. At about the 7 week mark I was livid that they kept knocking once a week, the strategy obviously to scoop the 'can't decides' and 'not-in's'. In the end I told the canvasser to cancel my order and asked him if he worked on commission. When he said he did I explained that he would never earn any as the company were sending a different team to the same area once a week.

We've had no more contact from them, and they haven't canvassed us since.

 

[flh801978]

Graham

Why can a sale not be made without both home owners?

Can I not write a cheque and buy something without my wife?

Ian

 

[finneyb]

.......Can I not write a cheque and buy something without my wife?

Ian

Well I can't; so I don't see why you can :lol: :lol:

Brian

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I can buy what I like without my wife ... but 10mins later she's on the phone. She's the bank manager.

 

[Chrispy]

Graham

Why can a sale not be made without both home owners?

Can I not write a cheque and buy something without my wife?

Ian

I think it is something to do with signing a loan agreement probably using the property as security would need both owners agreement.

 

[finneyb]

I think it is something to do with signing a loan agreement probably using the property as security would need both owners agreement.

B***er that, a loan on the family home for something that is discretionary spend - I don't think so!! Far too dangerous for me

Brian

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Pretty sure you're all barking up the wrong tree on this. Re-read my first post. This is nothing whatever to do with legality or contract law, its to do with sales management strategy. Sales management don't want their sales force focusing on business that wont close because they have stretch targets to meet. They have learned through bitter experience that man and wife teams don't make decisions in a vacuum. That is to say neither will make a decision about the household without the other's sanction (for obvious reasons).

Thus, investing sales capital in a prospect who will never close or at least has a low closure success rate is time wasted. So they want to limit their selling time to those prospects where both decision makers are present. So....what they're doing with their weasel words about "why we need the wife present" is a load of cobblers. What they're actually saying is "I wont make any money out of you if you cant make a decision and since we know its unlikely you will only make a decision if both parties are present, I don't intend to waste any sales effort on you when I could door knock a prospect where both parties are present". (In a roundabout way).

In the business of sales management speak....you are being qualified "out" as a serious prospect. If your response is please come back another time and I'll promise the Missus will be here then you're likely to have him take you up on that because suddenly you're a decent prospect again.

Of course, sales people aren't going to admit this to you because they would then look lower than a snakes *** in a wagon rut! But that's what they're doing.

The old adage applies: some will, some won't, so what. It's called the SW rule and it's one means by which professional sales people keep themselves motivated. You really are just cannon fodder to them I'm afraid

 

[Graham Orm]

Graham

Why can a sale not be made without both home owners?

Can I not write a cheque and buy something without my wife?

Ian

I think it is something to do with signing a loan agreement probably using the property as security would need both owners agreement.

Yes of course you can but you will say to the salesman yes I love it and I'd sign right now but I'll have to run it by the wife first so I'll give you a call. Of course the wife wasn't present at the sales pitch so she will speak with common sense and say 'lets get another quote'

They're looking for a signature there and then and its recognised in the industry that both parties have to be there or you won't make the sale.

 

[flh801978]

Graham
Just be be clear about what you said

"To the OP's question, hogwash no such law. They can't make the sale if both home owners are not present."

Is that they CAN'T make a sale legally or they prefer/need both to be present to sign
This is if I agree to cash or cc and no loan from company

Ian

 

[woodfarmer]

I have installed my own solar heating system.

To do this I installed 4,000 solar powered mini factories which extract carbon from the air to produce an easy to store non toxic fuel called wood.

Well that is my take on it. The cost of each panel (or tree as old people call them) is nothing to a few pence. Repairs are easy and a coppice will work for hundreds of years, a minus carbon enterprise.

 

[Graham Orm]

Graham
Just be be clear about what you said

"To the OP's question, hogwash no such law. They can't make the sale if both home owners are not present."

Is that they CAN'T make a sale legally or they prefer/need both to be present to sign
This is if I agree to cash or cc and no loan from company

Ian

There is no law against buying something without your wife's knowledge........it can be punishable by death but that's another story.

It's not illegal to sell to one party.

 

[rafezetter]

Last week I made an appointment with a salesman for solar panels
Just to see what he said with regard to price etc
The company had said there would be no hard sell
When he arrived he wouldnt go any further when he learnt that swmbo wouldnt be present so he left
He was spouting a law that all solar companys couldnt deal with a house owned by a couple unless both were present

The company rang today and reiterated this

Is this correct?

Ian

It's b......t - so don't deal with that company under any circumstances - it's classic "hard sell salesmanship 101 rule #1:"

"Talk to the wife, she makes most of the decisions"