How to Repair Your Tech or Salesperson’s Confidence

My first couple of months in HVAC/R sales was terrible.  I knew it.  So when the boss asked me to breakfast, I thought it was to fire me.

The “boss” was Mike Bellissimo.  A hard-nosed Vietnam Veteran from Baltimore.  He was an excellent technical trainer; and he treated his service men like his kids.

In 1988, Mike founded Service 1^st.   The company focused on commercial services and repairs.  The office was located in West Monroe, LA.  (Yes – the Duck Dynasty West Monroe.  Our shop was 2 streets south of the Duck Commander building.)  He hired me into the position of Sales Analyst.

My official first duty was to take the company from $55 an hour to $75 and hour.  I had to do this through new customers exclusively.

Initially, I was very excited about the opportunity.

But after 6 weeks of no sales, my excitement faded.  I began to have doubts about myself.  Things were getting bad in my head.

See, I fought hard to get a guaranteed salary before I would go to work for Mike.  I negotiated $30,000 a year; plus benefits; plus 10% commission after I paid back my draw.  That was a lot of money for a small business that was only doing about $1 million in commercial services.

Back to breakfast.  I order a sausage burrito.  Mike had the same with coffee (details are important.)  I couldn’t eat.  Mike had no problems enjoying his breakfast.

Once Mike was done, he asked the question,

“Todd.  How are sales going?”

“Terrible.  I haven’t sold anything,” I said.

“Why not?”

After several minutes of trying to honestly express my own disappointment, Mike asked,

“What would you do if you were me?”

“I would probably fire me,” I said.

Then Mike said something that will be with me the rest of my life:

“Todd’o my boy, just take care of the customer.  The money will always be there.”

I loved him for that.  I still feel gratitude towards him for those words.  That began the process of repairing my confidence.

Mike’s decision to encourage me, not fire me, paid off.

The company added $2 Million in annual sales.  The vast majority of those sales came through my new clients.

So, shortly after that meeting, I took the following steps with Mike’s blessing:

How to Repair Your Tech or Salesperson’s Confidence

1. Education:  Mike gave me the opportunity to learn about the trade.  And, he continued to pay me while went through my education process.
   • So, I dove deeply into training.  I committed to being a tech (not a salesmen) for a season so that I could learn about the business.
   • I volunteered on Saturdays at no charge; and I absorbed everything I could get my hands on the topic of HVAC and Sales.
   • Training and education is a common thread of the successful.  Owner’s and team members alike understand that learning turns into earning. 
2. Baby Steps:  Mike focused my goal on the first sale.  There is power in just “slapping the ball.”  He gave me ideas about whom I could contact from my previous relationships.
   • The first contact I thought of was Benny Bean from The City of Bastrop.  Benny gave me a small job for about $600.  That job led to many more with the City and the Parish.  I eventually had the entire City under agreement, and most of the Parish.
   • A friendship I made on the Golf Course with Ben Krueger (WalMart HVAC/R tech) led to my first client job with WalMart.   That relationship is still in place, and today Service 1^st works for WalMart as a premier provider in 5 states.
3. Time:  Mike invested in me.  Often I would have dinner with him and his wife Kalinda at their home.  He took time with me personally.  For Mike, it wasn’t all business.

You can see that I have a great fondness for Mike.  After all, he gave me my start in this business.

When I left the company, it hurt Mike.  Mike invested a lot into me, and wanting me to stay.

Tip for Business Owners’:  Great Team Members are usually a gift to steward.

Tip for Team Member’s:  Great Team Leaders provide a gift today that you must share tomorrow.

I left for the opportunity to continue my education by working for Clockwork Home Services.  I started as a trainer, and then become the Director of Success Academy.  Eventually, I left Clockwork and pursued life as a business owner.

Even though it will be 10 years in 2014 since I last saw Mike, I’m still grateful.  He taught me a lesson about confidence that I am still sharing today.