The synthetic turf manufacturing marketplace has well and truly entered a new era.
The days of dedicated sales managers with experience…and knowledge, are disappearing into the past. I served my time in this sector of the industry in the days when a synthetic turf sales manager had to operate as a professional, with a true understanding of the impact of poor advise on behalf of our clients, we weren’t ‘carpet salesmen’, we were sports system specialists.
Nowadays, in my position as Principal Consultant sadly, I’m finding it difficult to talk to people in a sales role who can solve my problems with me. It’s important to bear in mind we’re working with professional sports people, athletes. I recall a poor-quality tennis system being sold when I was with a company years ago where a professional tennis player fell owing to the surface having fused together. As a result, he broke a collar bone and that was that, 3 months off the circuit…this stuff is important!
‘Profit over people’
A synthetic sports surface sales manager should have a high level of understanding these systems and their applications. They should be capable of dealing out honest and considered advice to their clients, and offering the best system to their clients on a ‘horse for courses’ basis, protecting them and their investment. It has become all about profit and competitiveness, less regard for quality and solutions with longevity…
