dsimms Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 For those that use locators...when your locator finds you something, what do you say to the business when you get there? Since you have no clue what they talked about on the phone, nor do you truly know if it they really said yes to a placement... So how to you approach the business, what do you say to them when you get there... I am looking for (contact name) then what? I have been pondering this for a few days now...since I do not know what the locator said to the business, did this promise this, did they promise that, did the locator really get permission for placement. as posted earlier, a locator found me 8 locations...I went to the first location, "You do not have permission too do that" This made me look like a complete golpher... so instead of driving to the other 7 locations, I called them all, and they all said no, corp said no, or some such.... and do you think it is better to call or just drop in...? I did that with the first location, and missed the manager by 5 min, but they still said no..so it did not reallly matter if he was there or not. Call or just show up??? Waste gas.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyman007 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My Friend, Check out our Drop Off Process, it should help you out, link below. We speak with businesses sometimes 3+ times before you go there. Generally they are not looking for another confirmation call. However, do what you're comfortable with. If you follow the drop off process that we send to our clients your success rate will greatly improve. http://www.kickstartlocations.com/Drop_Off_Process_8_8_2008_PDF.pdf Regards, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePlate Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Most of the locators work with the locations on charity 100%. I assume the locator's script sounds something like this "I'm calling from XYZ charity and we would like to place a small vending machine to help raise money to support kids with cancer". If the location says "No" , the locator pushes back with "Cancer research funds for children is really important. The machine does not cost you a dime and is very small." The locator takes (I assume) take a position like he is directly from the charity. I go into the business and look for the contact person: "Hi I'm _________, I own a local vending company and have teamed up with (your charity here) you received a call earlier this week to help hildren with cancer (or homeless puppies). Where would you like the machine?" Response #1: "I have no idea what you are talking about" ME: "Hummm......are you (contact name)?" "No one called you?" "This IS (say address)?" - Then go for the placement. "Well I'm not sure what happened, but I assume your interested in helping kids with cancer, let me show you what I have and what I do......" Response #2: "Corprate won't allow it, sorry" "Wow, I drove out here because out locator got the OK on the phone, is there someone at your company that can approve this?" Response #4: "That machine is not what I expected" - From this point try to accomidate the location - maybe a single head. Also, don't be afraid to play both sides of the fence. I do commision locating and I will walk into a location and tell them I'm in it to make money and I'll give them a split of what I make. Business owner understand the need to make money, sometimes better than giving money to charity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsimms Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 My Friend, Check out our Drop Off Process, it should help you out, link below. We speak with businesses sometimes 3+ times before you go there. Generally they are not looking for another confirmation call. However, do what you're comfortable with. If you follow the drop off process that we send to our clients your success rate will greatly improve. http://www.kickstartlocations.com/Drop_Off_Process_8_8_2008_PDF.pdf Regards, Rob I will read it. I would have not called anyone. I did not with the first location, and had no problem with placement, but the red flag was 8 apparment complex's, and when i went there and the first one said no...I just had a bad feeling about the rest of them...It would have cost me a tank of gas driving all over the city for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsimms Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 Some of what you say I agree with...this is what I do not agree with. I am not paying location fees so that when I walk in, then I get a no, then I have to become the salesman, and convince them why I should be allowed to place the machine. If i have to become the salesman, then the locator did not do his job correctly as with my case, he should have never sent me non-confirmed placement locations, period... I should be able to walk into a business as with the first placement..hello, I am looking for cathy..my name is david, I am with MN vending, we rec'd a call that you would like a candy machine placed...she says "oh great, you are quick, I just rec'd that call yesterday" (true story) so lets put it over here...can you provide cashews on your next service...I said I sure can, if there is anything else I can do for you, my number is on the machine...have a great day... hence, the locator did his job perfectly.... thus, she was expecting me, and there were no surprises.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Sounds like the locator did a job on those apartments. Since the locator can not get enough "yes" replies, ... 1. They simply get you a lead since no one actually said "no" and hope that you have the sales skill to place it. 2. They do not get permission from a high level manager, but rather a front line worker with no authority. 3. They are reselling you the locations that another vendor rejected or may have even placed many months ago. Post your results in the locator review section to warn other vendors. Most locators simply act as middle men and contract the work out to work-at-home moms. The quality of work of these work-at-home moms is all over the place and none of them are really supervised. The locator needs to man-up or step-up and take ownership of this and replace those accounts, The problem is that they will most likely pull the same stunt and you will continue to waste time and be frustrated. That's why 100% upfront is a bad deal for us vendors. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsimms Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share Posted August 21, 2009 dealing with corporate is another animal..in most cases it will be a no...I am very surprised to see some guys in corporate break rooms period when the store sells the exact same stuff on the shelf, it baffles me, but ok... the point is..if I wanted a "lead" I will just run around to all the appartment complex's myself, or around town, I would have all the leads I want.....What I am paying for is "location" service, not a lead service, and hope for the best... now he did appologize, and he said he would make it right, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I am just saying this should not have happened at all.... we are buying a "locatoin" service to have our machines placed, this means the "location" service does all the foot work to get us in there. We should only be walking into the business to place the machine, not work a lead because the locator did not, or properly failed too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaletail116 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 You pay for what you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePlate Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Simms, Re-read your posts. "I don't want to be a salesman", "when I go to corperate most like a no" - Bulk vending is competitive. Anyone wit $50 in there pocket can start a business. Anyone can call a locator and have the work done for them. The people in the market that seperate themselves from everyone else in the market will win. There is a vendor in my area who does 2 gumballs for 25 cents, he has made signs that say "gourmet gumballs" - he is very successful with the model. It boils down to: The best locator in the world will never pay your mortgage or you car payment. You are in control of your own destiny and success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaletail116 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Well said, Blue Plate. You sound like Plato. Quick question: I know many locaters use the charities to get the machines placed, but are they also willing to work on behalf of commission based vendors? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Well said, Blue Plate. You sound like Plato. Quick question: I know many locaters use the charities to get the machines placed, but are they also willing to work on behalf of commission based vendors? I was just going to ask that.. I read the link that Rob posted and I don't think I feel comfortable with how he says I'm expected to act as a representative of the charity. I have no problem participating in the charity programs; I think they are a great idea but, I don't have any connection to this charity other than the vending sticker contract. BluePlate, if you owned say a manufacturing company, and you hired a salesperson to go out and sell your product, would you expect that person to just get leads and expect you to "close the deal"? I see locators as an outsourced salesperson. If I want leads, I'll just pick up a phone book. If its a money issue, I would gladly pay more for an honest locator that didn't do what happened to dsimms. Maybe that was his problem. It looks like the company he used is at the low end of the fee range. Bulk vending is a legitimate business; I don't want my company to be cheapened with overzealous telemarketers and charity gimmicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whaletail116 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Excellent post, Mike. You've got my respect. I don't want my machines placed based off a scam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePlate Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 BluePlate, if you owned say a manufacturing company, and you hired a salesperson to go out and sell your product, would you expect that person to just get leads and expect you to "close the deal"? I see locators as an outsourced salesperson. If I want leads, I'll just pick up a phone book. I would want the salesperson to do what it takes. The salespersons bottom line job is to make profitable sales. A successful salesperson uses every means possible to keep the leads flowing to get the sales. With that said, if the salesperson keeps going to locations and they customer is not at at least a warm lead, they need to have a long hard talk with the person sending the leads. But if your out in the field, you are not going to walk away without trying and complain someone else didn't do their job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsimms Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 I would want the salesperson to do what it takes. The salespersons bottom line job is to make profitable sales. A successful salesperson uses every means possible to keep the leads flowing to get the sales. With that said, if the salesperson keeps going to locations and they customer is not at at least a warm lead, they need to have a long hard talk with the person sending the leads. But if your out in the field, you are not going to walk away without trying and complain someone else didn't do their job. If you want to use a locator just to give you leads so you have to fill in the blank..be my guest... myself, I would rather use a locator, that locates and secures, and all I have to say is HI, I am here to drop off the candy machine, and off to the next location drop off...If i wanted a lead service, I would call a lead service, I am sure they are much cheaper... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudLeiser Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 If you want to use a locator just to give you leads so you have to fill in the blank..be my guest... myself, I would rather use a locator, that locates and secures, and all I have to say is HI, I am here to drop off the candy machine, and off to the next location drop off...If i wanted a lead service, I would call a lead service, I am sure they are much cheaper... For once I am completely with Dsimms. If I pay a locator I shouldn't have to close the deal. All I will when I place is say "Hi I'm here to drop off the charity vending machine" That's it. If I have to do more then that, then they are going to hear about it. Will I re-close? Of course I'm there anyway. But I'm not going to continue giving money to a locator who can't close. I can spend that $50 at the titty club and get more yes's then I will with a bad locator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsimms Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 For once I am completely with Dsimms. If I pay a locator I shouldn't have to close the deal. All I will when I place is say "Hi I'm here to drop off the charity vending machine" That's it. If I have to do more then that, then they are going to hear about it. Will I re-close? Of course I'm there anyway. But I'm not going to continue giving money to a locator who can't close. I can spend that $50 at the titty club and get more yes's then I will with a bad locator. Bulk is expensive as it is. it is important to watch those costs, it is more important watch locating costs and that they are doing their jobs, so the cost maybe worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLAYTOWINBOB Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 hy guys got my money back from alantic vending group about a month ago,after much time yelling and threating.tryed alantic vending groups 1-800 # today is been disconnected.please beware don't try them!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poplady1 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 In doing my research on my book and after talking to soooooo many locating companies, it is my understanding that telemarketing locations for bulk charity (leads) are cheaper then face to face leads with bulk machines. If you do not want to be involved in the "closing" then you need to have a face to face locator come and deliver your machines for you which as I understand it..is more expensive plus you need to order enough locations at one time to justify the cost of a face to face person coming into your town. To me both as a previous owner operator I understand the difference between telemarketing leads and face to face work. On the question of the charity receiving 100% of the proceeds, I haven't heard that from the companies I have spoken with during my research. They apparently tell the location a portion of the sales goes to the charity and the route driver receives the balance for their cost allowance. I am putting this information out there because I want the information I am using to actually represent what is going on in the market place. So if it isn't, I want to be aware. Blue Moose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candyman007 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 I must respectfully disagree about telemarketing vs in person. 1. Telemarketing can result in a 100% close rate at every location. If the location is pre-sold on the phone then it is as simple as dropping a machine off. 2. Telemarketing is about equal price wise as in person. However, if you consider cost, telemarketing has vast advantages over in person. First, total cost of a location comes out to how long you end up keeping a location secured and how much money that location produces for you. Second, your total cost per location is far higher with in person locating because they don't offer the awesome extended warranty options that some telemarketing companies do. In person locations are ephemeral, telemarketing spots are enduring. 3. Revenue generated from in person locations is lower on average than locations secured via telemarketing. Telemarketing enables you to target genres of businesses that are known to do well for certain types of machines. In person locating targets a geographical area, generally the first street the in person guy/gal starts working on, instead of types of businesses that are known to do well. 4. There is a myth that in person locating is faster than telemarketing, not true. On average it takes two weeks to have an in person locator arrive your city and ready to locate. In a two week span a telemarketing company could locate the same 30-50 machines into far better money making locations. Regards, Rob P.S. I'm in the midst of writing a book as well Bev! Mine isn't about locators or locating but it's about the experiences of creating Kick Start. 16,000 words so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurtsman Posted November 19, 2009 Share Posted November 19, 2009 Great reply Rob. If you can do 30-50 in two weeks, should I expect all my locations this saturday? There is a clear cut difference in the ability to target based on preferences vs geographical proximity. That is why KS can get me locations that average more than the ones I get myself. The guarantee is a huge part also though, it is a sinking feeling to get a lame collection and not have a warranty in place to get a new location. If I had started my business with more good locations, I could have grown faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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