“Hi 🙂 I’m new to the RV Industry, and am a Sales Rep at Giant RV in Montclair, CA.
I believe in being honest, and fitting the needs of my Customers. Any feedback for a newbie?” 
Reina sent this to me in response to an earlier blog about good, and not so good, RV sales reps. I’m thinking the mere fact that Reina is asking for feedback bodes extremely well for her future in sales. Do you agree? Here’s my reply to Reina, but I’m more interested in what you Woodall’s readers might add to help Reina.
Dear Reina, That you care about honesty and how you can benefit your customers virtually guarantees your success in sales, RV or otherwise. I’m honored you would ask for my thoughts. Just the past few months, my husband and I bought a nice travel trailer, traded it in, and bought a Winnebago “View”. The “View” is the right RV for us. http://www.gowinnebago.com/products/2011/view/
Based on our many recent experiences and comments from Woodall’s readers, I’ve learned great RV reps do the following:
1. Great RV reps respond with positive energy when they hear, “We’re just looking.” It’s incredibly encouraging to hear an RV rep respond with, “That’s great! I’m glad you came to see what we have. Welcome!” Note: We actually heard exactly that. We also actually heard exactly this, right in our hometown RV dealership, “Well, I can’t show you everything on the lot if you’re just looking. Go ahead and walk around and if you see something you’re serious about, ask for me. I’ll be in the office.” If only the owner knew.
2. Great RV reps listen carefully when you or your spouse speak, instead of mentally planning their next pitch. A particularly good rep we talked with took notes as we spoke, and later said, “Well, this coach could work for you, but you said high gas mileage is your third biggest concern. You’re just not going to get it in this coach.” We loved that. The rep had listened and factored in our needs, not just his need to make a deal.
3. Great RV reps don’t consider arrogance an optional sales tool. True story: We had a marginal experience with Rep A, from whom we bought our travel trailer. Months later, realizing we had the wrong RV for us, I returned alone to the same lot to see an advertised coach (hubby couldn’t make it that day) that we thought could be “the one.” We had already decided not to do business with Rep A. Rep B approached me, leaking an oily smile, and walked me across the lot toward the coach in question.
He stopped abruptly, got in my face, and said, “Wait—didn’t you work with Rep A on a travel trailer?”
I said, “Yes, but this time we thought we’d work with a different salesman.”
He replied, and I kid you not ,” Well, we don’t do that here. I don’t know what you think you’re trying to do. You already have a salesman. You should have asked for Rep A instead of making me come all the way out here. Here’s the key to that coach. It’s over there in that last row.” And he stormed off. This is a verbatim exchange.
I called out to his retreating back, “I didn’t realize we had no say regarding who we work with and I don’t know your rules. Sorry about that.”(Self-control is a benefit of growing older.) 
My husband desperately wished he had been there. We’ll never return to that dealership. Instead, we bought our lovely Winnebago View at La Mesa RV in Mesa, Arizona, where they treated us extremely well in all ways. We’ll refer others and certainly return to La Mesa RV if we upgrade. We’re looking forward to working with Steve Shapiro again, and Larry in financing was awesome. http://www.lamesarv.com/
Reina, perhaps being a great RV rep comes down to two things: integrity and a personal view centered on the customer, rather than self. An honest desire to place the right RV with the right people will result in the sales you need, as well as return business and referrals. You’re on your way, and the RV buyers near Montclair, California are fortunate. http://www.giantrv.com/DealerFiles/
Best regards,
Patti Faustini
So, Woodall’s readers, what can you add to help Reina stay on the right track in her young career?
Happy tales,
Patti