Industry’s ‘Young Blood’ Fires Back

I’m disappointed I wasn’t mentioned as one of the youngsters.

I knew another “Beck” who was at one time my stock boy and became a complete failure as he ran Harvey’s into the ground as the head of the company.

I agree that it is imperative to have young and fresh ideas, and employees who specialize in IT/IP capabilities.

However, at 50, I can still out sell any of you young, “whipper snappers,” because you simply were never taught, (and we’ll never tell or show you), the finer points of the art form of sales.

We’ve created a generation of idiots who spend more time “texting” a client than using a phone for it’s original purpose, or spend worthless time and dollars creating new tree forts/club houses by joining BS organizations to be “certified” or to put yourself, “in the link,” to obtain sales leads.

The best analogy/situation I can come up with is this… Q: When your 4 year child has constant ear infections or sinus infections, do you trust the young doctor who persistently prescribes antibiotics which in turn destroys their immune system month after month? Or do you go to the older doctor who will immediately rip their tonsils & adenoids out a solve the problem immediately? 

Quoting a scene from, “Poltergeist,” “All are welcome, all are welcome…,” but just don’t get in my way because you don’t stand a chance.

I have to go now to my AARP meeting…

These articles about IP vs. Legacy, Old vs. Young are ridiculous.  Most end users don’t care what transmission protocols are used as long as their needs are met.  Dave’s point, although flawed in many respects, is correct.  I’d much rather have a sophisticated sales team that sold legacy equipment, than IP geeks who couldn’t sell a dollar for a dime.   

Just for clarification, I’m 29 and own a “mostly” IP based HA company.  Oh and Dave, I can’t help myself, I’d love to see you outsell me:)

Kai,
I do agree with you that the end result is all that matters. Unfortunately, most people in the field do not even understand or have never been taught the simple basics of how a speaker,CD or DVD player, etc., works… They just know how to make an IPOD play through them and program complex remotes and network IP protocols.
 
I too can’t help myself by taking your bait, but I’d like to see anyone or any company have the ability to sell the entire Microsoft IT team in Washington State, and presidents of Verizon, Verizon Fios, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson, Hartz Mountain, Pharma Pharmaceuticals, Hoffman La Roche, Chubb Insurance, Liberty Mutual, Prudential, the NY Giants & Jets, CBS, ABC, NBC, Bon Jovi, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Rupert Holmes, Mike Tyson, Chad Pennington, Phil Simms & Reggie Jackson to name just a few by only word of mouth. That means no website, absolutely no advertising in any medium, nor belonging to any organization, (outside of the NRA), to put a sticker/logo on my front door to attract clients.

Not to mention, becoming one of the only independent Oppo Digital re-sellers in the country when every sales rep I know of has tried to get themselves a dealership agreement to no avail. I’m more proud of that than my entire client list.

However, as I’ve always taught my students in my martial arts classes, “There’s always someone better than you.” Thus, I accept the challenge…

Just name the time and place and I’ll be sure to bring my pen and Ben Gay to give you a run/limp for your money. Please keep in mind that the competition must be over by 3:30pm so I can catch the, “Early Bird Special,” at the local restaurant and change my Depends.

Dave, you had me at “Bon Jovi”

I could listen to old guys wax poetic for hours. I love how everyone in the industry originally traces back to just a few big AV companies then branched out on their own, I find it comforting.

I’m not an integrator, I’ve always worked for manufacturers of very complex products.
I don’t have a favorite customer. The old timers can be frustrating at times because they don’t understand the technology, on the positive side, they know when to stop before getting in deep water and ask for assistance.

The younger crowd usually understands the complex technology which can be refreshing, but they also think they know how to make it work or can figure it out rather than read a manual or ask for help before it’s too late.

I’m sure its ideal to have a mix of both types in your organization, there’s no replacement for years of experience and a source of legacy information that is still applicable.

Dave,

As one old timer to another. I must take issue with a comment that you made. Mr. Beck (formerly of Harvey) was handed the keys to a car that had no transmission. He was not at fault, just the fall guy.

Franklin,
You & I know each other very well… I’ll give you a clue: Dave & Sandy @ Stereo Warehouse Paramus. I’ll give you another clue… Who had to drop off an envelope to me every month so Mr. Teichman, (the store manager), wouldn’t know I was making more money than him?

I agree that he was the fall guy, but by you & Harvey’s giving him that position after you yourself left the company, it was totally irresponsible.

I personally liked Mike… We worked & partied together for many years, and he was more than a frequent guest in my home. However, he simply was not smart enough to handle the job, and his ego got in the way. The only one who was more incompetent to run a business was his brother Rich who I still personally owe an ass kicking to.

Are you still in the business Rich, or did you get tired of ratting on your fellow employees to the bosses to climb up the ladder? BTW: Arnold Drucker says, “Hello.”

@sanfransoxfan04, Thanks for the kind words. I also appreciate you putting it in writing because I can’t remember when I started forgetting.

I have no idea who you all are talking about, but a Bon Jovi reference and this gem right here:

“..who I still personally owe an ass kicking to.”

Make this thread a new personal favorite.

@sanfransoxfan04,
Remember when we all had fun and sales people went through hours of training regarding/learning the new innovations of Dolby noise reduction & DBX compression technology…? Well, Pepperidge Farm remembers…

I’ve have to run now… My Efferdent tablets have stopped fizzling in the glass and I can’t find my Friday night Spats.

Someone please dial 911 for me… I ate too much and I think I broke my hip. Not only have, “I’ve fallen and cant get up,” I can’t find my Crestron remote and the batteries in my, “Clapper,” are dead! OMG, one of my 30 cats just carjacked my Little Rascal Scooter and is recklessly running through my home with a crocheting needle in its paws!

Please also tell the paramedics for me that my Cialis is kicking in and I’m not ready yet!

Franklin - Kudos for the backing of Mike.  The wheels were off of that car long before Mike was handed the keys.

In regard to the “old versus new”  debate.  I started out in this industry in NYC back in 1986.  I was as green as one could be, but for some reason, the company that gave me my first sales job in the a/v industry gave me a shot.  All I had to do was sit back and listen.  I did just that.  I was never the #1 sales person, but I learned how to sell.  More importantly - I learned to listen.  Listen to customers, listen to managers, and listen to co-workers.  Now at the “ripe old age” of 46 I run a slightly profitable A/V integration company.  I took all the good stuff I learned and filtered out the bad.  And I still listen.  Whether you are 21 or 41, if you can listen to the needs of the customer, and not stagnate yourself by not keeping up with ever-changing technology - you will survive and maybe even flourish. I also believe a mixture of young and old is the only way a company can continue to move forward in this day and age.  No youth - no continuity.  No seniority - no quality on-the-job-training for the youth.

-Aaron

Dave,

In your first post…

“(and we’ll never tell or show you), the finer points of the art form of sales.”

Then in the next paragraph…

“We’ve created a generation of idiots”

Too bad the generation before you, you know the one that spent the time to show and teach your generation these “finer points” wasnt available to us. 

I guess thats why they are called the greatest generation. 

Thanks for nothing.

Aaron,
I find your post to be a very intelligent reply, and I agree with you on most points. Mostly by never repeating the mistakes of others or yourself.

However, I disagree with the premise that is was not Mike’s fault that Harvey’s failed. 

Franklin states that, “Mike was handed the keys to a car that had no transmission,” and your statement that, “the wheels were off the car long before Mike was handed the keys,” only leads to one logical conclusion… Who’s stupid enough to get behind the wheel and accept either scenario?

This was a public company so we can safely assume that no one was hiding the numbers behind Mr. Beck’s back. Therefore, if he decided to attempt to bail out the Titanic with a shot glass, was it his incompetence or ego that led him not to get into a life boat? Even though it may appear that my intentions are to bash him, remember, he was my friend… I have nothing against him. However, he pissed off a lot of people in this business with his, “untouchable,” attitude which without question led to his & Harvey’s demise. 

In any case, the rest of your post is right on the money. As an, “old timer,” I follow some very simple rules;

1. A good salesperson is one who listens more than he/she speaks.
2. A better salesperson is one who knows how to close a sale.
3. The best salesperson is the one who knows when to walk away from a sale in order to prevent a dysfunctional business relationship before it ever begins.

The old saying, “The customer is always right,” simply holds no water in our business. Example: If a client wants to purchase a pair of Wilson Watt Puppies and wants to use his all-in-one Electrophonic stereo 8 track, turnatable, and tuner combo to drive them… what would you say?

The inverse to this situation is that any system that pleases the end user/purchaser is a good system, and our opinion of which brand is better than another means nothing.

Which leads us to the next quandary… Even if the system purchased pleases the listener/viewer though it is totally mismatched, would you want to sign your name to it when that customer’s friend visits his home and says, “Who the hell sold you all of this sh*t?”

Once again, the only dues that should be paid by any dealer is not to any organization… It has to be earned through experience in the field.

I have to go now because the senior citizens bus is here to pick me up to go food shopping, and I can’t find my 2 for 1 coupons for Fancy Feast.

Hi Guys,

Interesting comments. Sorry for being a little off topic but it came up here. Is Harvery’s still in business. Your mention caused me to look them up and I can’t find any web site or links that appear they are in business. Are they gone?

JoeAV,

Harvey Electronics is now gone. Its area of business was the tri-state NY region. It was (IMO) run into the ground by a very poor upper management team that certain bloggers here were part of.  I worked there for a few years.  I always say it was the best and worst 4 years of my a/v career.  And I got out before it got REALLY UGLY. 

Dave,  what do you mean by this comment?
“Once again, the only dues that should be paid by any dealer is not to any organization… It has to be earned through experience in the field.”

To me this makes no sense.  I believe that I do owe at least one or two young salespeople in our industry a bit of the wisdom that I took from people that came before me.  It is the only way an industry can survive. 

And in regards to calling someone stupid for taking a dead-end job like the one Mike took from Franklin????  You mean you wouldn’t have taken it?  Please…..  It doesn’t make Mike stupid.  Honorable - maybe.  I believe Mike was with Harvey for over 10 years probably closer to 15.  I worked with him here and there.  Always found him to be an o-k co-worker.  Ran into him a few times in NYC after I had started my own business.  Sarcastic - yes.  Stupid- no way.

On a side note - the last retail audio job I held was working for a company that took over the Drucker store location on Rte 46 in Little Falls.  Someone wrote the following on the wall in the upstairs stockroom:

Dick Beck before he dicks you!!!!  Never worked for him, but I heard about him from others in the industry.  Never got those vibes from Mike.