Reasons "Brands" Don't Trust What Others Say

Thirty years ago at Eddie Bauer, I'd receive a Monday call from a sales person responsible for weather software. Not a call every few months. A call every Monday.

"Hi Kevin, it's Tom from Weather Solutions. How's your family doing? Listen, I don't know if you noticed, but there is a cold front coming down from Ontario that is going to change everything. Temperatures will be fifteen degrees below normal in New England this weekend. Are your stores ready?"

I'd explain that we were an outerwear brand. I'd explain that our stores were always ready for a cold front. He was undaunted. "Kevin, imagine the sales gains you'd experience if you followed the advice of our software like leading brands do, and you put your outerwear at the front of the store? Customers would notice. Sales would surge. All because of our software. That's the opportunity you are missing out on."

We'd have the same inane discussion in May. "Kevin, it's going to be fifteen degrees above normal in Ohio this weekend. Imagine how sales would surge if you had this level of intelligence and put swimwear at the front of the store ... all because of our software."

For this guy, every problem was a problem that would be solved by moving products to the "front of the store".

After awhile, I'd see his number on caller id and take the call just because I wanted to hear this week's sales pitch.

And awhile later, I stopped taking his inane calls.

He probably thought ... "another dumb brand with employees who just can't see the future."

You're probably dealing with somebody who wants to solve your "AI Problem" for you. You know you'll solve problems with AI in the future. But you won't hire this guy. Nope. Because you don't trust this guy, in the same way I didn't trust the weather pundit from 1996.

Or, you're dealing with somebody who wants you to focus on neuroscience that generates emotional engagement. 

I used to deal with a Forrester Research sales professional who spent months figuring out the weak link in our salesperson defense program (it was a Credit Vice President). I'd attend a 10:00am meeting, walk in the room, and there was the guy, smiling at me with a look that said "you can't beat me". Well, I can beat you ... as a consultant I never once recommended Forrester Research because I couldn't let my clients run into this guy. Short term gains, long-term pains.

Sometimes "brands" simply don't trust what you are saying ... the employees aren't stupid, the employees simply have been burned so many times by vendor reps who make life miserable for their victims that they simply shut down and stop trusting anything.

We've all worked with vendor partners who are brilliant, kind, and have our best interests at heart. If you find an individual like this, hold on to him/her like grim death.