In the mid 90's I went to Columbus for sales Boot Camp training to better represent TIE. One thing that stuck in my mind was the Toyota stated committment to Kaizen. Japanese for "constant improvement" we were told. I think that your machine sales force should strive to learn all they can about the product they represent. This is ongoing, I believe. Resources can be sales literature, a seasoned sales manager or even time spent with the product- practicing your walk around presentation. Another resource for improvement is your technical crew. A Toyota 4y has 5 main bearings and hydraulic lifters.... OK, so what is the benefit of this? This would be a good question to ask of your lead shop mechanic. Ask to see the next engine teardown to familiarize yourself with the parts.
I have seen a lot of new machine sales reps go through our area. Young guys without a working knowledge of the product they represent - so no honest way of answering the technical questions asked of them. IMO, this is where you can begin to build a relationship with a customer by: 1 admitting you are not sure of the answer and. 2 promising to find out ang get back with the customer AS PROMISED!
Steve