Beware the Tin Man

As incredible as it sounds many window salesmen actually go to classes and are schooled in these sales and closing "techniques". They may then go on sales calls with "veteran" tin men as trainees to watch (and possibly assist) the sale. Here are just a few of the "Sales techniques" customers have told us about. If you've had a new one tried on you, email and tell us about it. We'll put it here with the others.

The Routine Some slick salesman calls you on the phone or approaches you at a home show, car show, grocery store, in the mall or even shows up at your home canvassing your neighborhood, can't give you any prices over the phone or at their booth and can only come out and give you an estimate if both you and your spouse will be present (usually during your dinner hour). Sometimes they even try to charge you a fee to come out and give the estimate and measure (fully refundable, of course, if you buy the windows from them). If they show up at all, they (the salesman and a "trainee") give you a slick, fast talking 3-6 hour sales presentation, start their per window price at $1,000, $1,200, or even as high as $1,700 per window and try to get you to sign a contact tonight. After they leave (or you kick them out) they will call you back in a few days explaining that something has happened and they can now give you a lower price for some fabricated reason and try to close the sale again. You have just fallen for a very scripted, practiced and proven courting dance designed to pressure you into an over-priced, over-sold, highly financed and complicated routine just to get you to buy new windows.

There are many variations ( email us your story ) and if you are not on the receiving end of this courting game, it is kind of interesting to observe to wit:

The salesman gets mad at you. You are "costing him money" because you won't sign the contract. Look, he is on commission. He knew that when he took the job. Part of that job is to go out and explain and demonstrate his product to potential customers. You may be trying to get estimates so that you can budget for your remodeling project. You may just be trying to see what is available. Many people are very non-confrontational and will sign just to avoid the confrontation. Don't be pressured. Invite them to leave and send a complaint to Angie's List.

The "FREE" offer. "Free" offers like buy two, get one free, buy four get two free, free $50.00 gas cards, free kitchen knives, free groceries, etc, etc. Now...when was the last time you got something free, really. If you have to buy something, if you have to endure a 4-6 hour "free estimate" to get your "FREE" anything, it's not free at all, now is it? It's all just a ruse to get into your home and pressure you into making a snap decision to purchase over priced windows. Don't fall for it!

The Bond Deal. If you go for this window "deal" you will get or become somehow involved in a government bond deal where after so many years (5-10) you will get ALL of the money back you paid for your windows. Google this one. This is another convoluted, "go around the world to get there" scheme, that is designed to get you to sign an over-priced window contract. Do you really think you will ultimately get your windows FREE? (Hint: see The FREE offer above.)

Free financing. Hello! The finance charges are already built into the price! The financing deal will be so laced with conditions that you will, in all probability, not be able to comply fully with them. Then watch what happens to the free financing. Doesn't matter anyway the finance charges are already built in to the price. Ask yourself this question " If you had $1,000,000 would you loan it to a complete stranger free or invest it where you could make interest on your $1,000,000? Buy what you can afford! If you absolutely must finance, go to your credit union. They are much more reasonable and forthright. (Hint: see The FREE offer above.)

We won't bid or do jobs less than $3,000. As incredible as it sound we've actually heard this one several times. If you want the favor of buying from these guys, you will have to buy at least $3,000.00 worth of windows or they won't give you a bid or take your job all. ("But I only have $2,999.00. Well......OK!)

Minimum window orders. Minimum of 4, 5 or 6 window order. What? If I only need 1, 2 or 3 windows, you're going to charge me for your minimum anyway? This is simply a technique to expand the order and, incidentally, your COST. Call someone else!

Your Spouse must be present or no appointment. This is a closing technique to try to remove a potential objection to your making a decision NOW. If your spouse is not present, has had a job transfer and moved ahead to the new home, is in the hospital, whatever. You can't even get an appointment. If you want to run this major decision by your spouse first (and you should), the salesman can not possibly CLOSE the sale right now.

What is your budget for this job? How much money do you have? What difference should that make? If you tell them what you want and what you want to accomplish, they should give you a price, pure and simple. If they know your budget the possibility exists that 1st, you will not have enough money in your budget to do then job and then 2nd they will miraculously be able to help you out buy making a special deal that IS within your budget. Probably more at first but they will call back and "help you out" by reducing the price to your exact budget amount. Hummmm..... (Oh yes, you will probably also have to settle for a lower quality window.)

You get a "special deal" if you sign this contact tonight, right now! Yeah, you will get a "special deal" alright! But just wait a few days... they WILL call back with a lower "special deal" that you have to act on right now to get. In fact they (or a representative of their company) may call back several times with lower "special deals". What's the rush? If you have time to think about it; to sleep on it; to get other estimates; you may just pick another "special deal". DO THINK ABOUT IT.

Call back at a later date with some excuse that the price will be lower than originally quoted if you act right now. Again, a high-pressure technique. Actually it's a combination of high pressure and checking to see if you have found another alternative. Question: What is this Tin Man REALLY telling you? Answer: I couldn't take advantage of you before, let me try again! LOOK, just give me your best price. One time, plain and simple. Don't come up with some lame excuse to keep calling me and testing the waters. It's real simple If I need you, if I decide to do business with you, I'll call you. (Hint: See "special deal" above.)

Sign now, prices are going up! Just a cheap tin man tactic to urge you to make a rush decision. Vinyl, steel, aluminum, glass; all commodities. Prices on ALL commodities fluctuate. It is the inescapable nature of a market, of commodities (of all types) and of the ever forward march of technological change and innovation. (Remember how much TV's, computers and even a simple calculator used to be?) But not to worry. If you DO wait, the price will go DOWN. In fact it will be dropped by the very Tin Man who told you just days before that the prices would go up. HE WILL CALL BACK WITH A LOWER PRICE!

There is no need to get another estimate; this is the best deal you are going to get. Again, another high pressure, tin man tactic. DO NOT BELIEVE IT! The reason they want to rush you to sign now is they are afraid you WILL get another estimate and you WILL get a better price.

I can't give you a better price but I'll have a friend that works for another company call you. They have better prices. Who is he working for anyway? His company or his "competitor". (That's the kind of loyalty I like, how about you?) Not to worry. The two companies are probably owned by the same person or they at least they have some type of commission, kick back or revenue sharing arrangement. They have some type of arrangement. But not to worry, the second guy already knows all about you before you ever meet him. Saves time!

Home Shows. A great place to get remodeling ideas. Pick up some free drink holders, pens, rulers, tote bags, etc. OH NO! There's that FREE word again!

Car Shows, Motorcycle Shows. Question: What, exactly, do cars, motorcycles, RV's and boats have to do with replacement windows for your home? Answer: Nothing. The Tin men are just trolling. If they snag just one prospect and ultimately a sale, at the prices they expect to get, the prospect or sale actually paid for the show for them.

If you have a personal story about your experience with The Tin Man, email us. We won't use any names; we just want an educated consumer. That's how WE sell windows!

Copyright 2006,
Little Big Mouse, LLC.