Document zQO58ObpV51ed0jr12JjKmVan

"The Union Camp Mill was assigned to me as one of my original accounts. So as my first step, I called its purchas ing department -- and was told that Thursdays were the on ly days that salespeople could call on the purchasing manager. So from that point on, every Thursday I showed up at the mill's purchasing department -- and sat, waiting for my turn to see the purchasing manager. My turn never came; the purchasing manager was either too busy to see anyone else, or was just getting ready to leave. "As I was getting nowhere, I decided to check around and find out who was in charge of the shop so that I could call on him instead and just bypass the purchasing manager. It didn't work. "Between September and December of 1981, the mill's purchases from us were zero. In January of 1982, they bought $10.06 worth of goods from us -- but in February, March and April, purchases were back to zero. In May and June, the mill's purchases went back up, averaging about $10.00 each month. Now, keep in mind that all of this time I was still calling on the mill's purchasing manager every Thursday, and I still hadn't gotten in to see him. "By July, I decided to try NAPA's Fleet/Industrial Account `Door Opener' Program. I wasn't really sure if this would help, but nothing else was working either, so I decided to give it a try. The first letter went out that month. "The mill's purchases for July shot up to $118.00. I was surprised. Was this just a coincidence? "I watched their purchase record closely after the next letter went out, and hoped that they wouldn't consider the letters redundant. They didn't; the mill's purchases from us increased again, up to $200.00 for the month. "When the last letter was mailed, I called to make an ap pointment with the purchasing manager. Not only did I get the appointment, but when I arrived I also received a tour of the mill operation. "Before leaving, I gave the purchasing manager his NAPA Gold Hat and a copy of NAPA's Products for Business, In dustry and Agriculture catalog, which really seemed to im press him. "I no longer have any problems calling on the mill. As a matter of fact, they're glad to see me -- and the mill's pur chases from us last month exceeded $600. "The mill was only one of five prospects I signed up for the program. Another firm I signed up had been averaging less than $25.00 a month with us. Since they've been on the program, they've been averaging between $400 and $500 a month and last month purchased $800 worth of goods from us. . "I also enrolled a Hertz branch in the program, which had been averaging maybe $50.00 worth of business with us per month. Since the program, our business with this account has also increased, with their purchases now ranging be tween $500 to $800 a month. "As far as I'm concerned, three out of five isn't bad -- and the program really is a door-opener." Jack Glidden, Outside Salesman Brooks Auto Parts, Savannah, GA FOR A REAL EYE OPENER