As a salesman I can tell you that earning a living selling is as tough as any job out there. Imagine how a tech would like to be paid a percentage of the profits, after the repair job was paid for by the customer. I will give you an example of how long it takes to get paid commission. Lets say I visit a customer in May first to sell a new forklift. The customer wants a visit to make sure the spec is right. So now you drive to the site and spec out the truck. He wants an evaluation on his trade-in as well. He is not sure if he wants new or used and wants two quotes. One for new and one for used. You prepare a quote for new and scour around for a good used unit. Now the customer wants to try out the truck so you get a unit delivered and you demonstrate it. The customer then wants you to sharpen your pencil and he wants a price with and without a cab so back to the office for more quoting. You deliver the quote and you see the competition's unit on demo. It is a Chineese unit. Now the customer wants your unit at the Chineese price so back to the manufacturer for more assistance and another quote. Now a couple of weeks go by. Still no order and no money in my bank account. A call to the customer and you finally get hold of the person making the decision. They are ready to place an order. How long before we get our truck is the first thing they say. 12 weeks!!! Ok you have an order as long as you give us a free loaner because the cometition has promised the same thing. Ok back to the office and lets see if the boss will give away a free loaner for 3 months. Ok a loaner is delivered and the truck is ordered. Gross Profit 4%. Out of the 4% comes my commission but wait,,, I dont get paid until the end of the following month truck is delivered and paid for. The truck sold for $25,000.00. The GP at 4% is $1,000.00. My commission is 20% or $200.00. From the first call to the customer until I get my $200.00 is now almost 6 months.
As I said it is tough to survive as a salesman.
Howard Gifford.