Transitions: from End-User to Equipment Dealer

By Amos Rice, Guest Author -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 2/1/2008

Amos Rice Sales Representative Restaurant Max Inc. Atlanta

Changes. We have seen them many times in the business world through corporate buyouts, mergers, new sanitation and energy requirements, even gasoline costing us hardworking American’s more than $3 per gallon.

One of the most difficult types of change to deal with, in my opinion, is when it affects you personally. I recently made the switch from working in purchasing on the foodservice end-user side to sales for an equipment dealer. Fortunately, the change I endured was a good transition.

Before becoming a foodservice purchasing agent, my background was mostly in sales. While each side of the business has its own advantages and disadvantages, I chose to go back to sales for several reasons.

I enjoy having the opportunity to quote on a kitchen or dining room project and all that this encompasses. Having the ability to develop the appropriate equipment package and advise customers to help meet their goals and objectives allows me to be more creative and explore a variety of options.

In a more corporate environment, many people tend to have their hands tied by nature of the fact that someone from operations, engineering, marketing or training may have to sign off on specific decisions because these disciplines tend to be dependent on one another. A dealer, on the other hand, especially a smaller one, tends to be more entrepreneurial in nature, and this trickles down to all of the staff.

Customers can tell if you are really there to help solve their problems or are there to just make a sale. So, as a salesperson I have the opportunity to grow a deeper relationship with my customers. The company I work for is more customer-driven than process-driven, which suits me better, too, in that it allows me to work with clients one-on-one to leverage my foodservice knowledge. As a result, I can ask customers very pointed questions and subsequently offer advice that will help them make informed decisions that have a greater impact on their businesses. This approach is the key to providing excellent customer service.

Having worn the hats of both the end-user and dealer, I now have a greater appreciation as to the way equipment knowledge, great organizational skills, relationship building and focused listening come together to provide exceptional customer service. At the same time, I find myself evaluating the type of customer service I receive while conducting my personal business. This allows me to gather new ideas of how to approach my clients and become aware of which practices to avoid.

While it’s not for everyone, I like the commission aspect of sales. It provides that immediate gratification for a job well-done. In contrast, the reward process in the corporate purchasing sector tends to be slower and tied to an organization’s fiscal year rather than specific projects or results.

Bottom line, I see many career transitions every day. Many of my friends in this industry transition from one company to another or from one department to the next. So, my transition is not unique by our industry’s standards. But it is unique to me.

Ultimately, choosing the right seat on the bus makes one’s life a lot more prosperous and allows one to be at peace. There is more to life than climbing the corporate ladder. It’s enjoying what you are doing. As the popular motto goes, “Enjoy your job and you will never work another day in your life.”