A clean car and a netbook for travelling salesmen

One of the most important pieces of equipment that a salesman uses is of course a car. As well as enabling them to visit new and existing customers across the country, a company vehicle is an advertisement for the firm that they are representing. For this reason it is important for sales representatives to ensure that their car is well maintained and kept scrupulously clean at all times. When travelling to many different locations in the space of a few days, organisation is key. Instead of dragging around bulky box files with details of every client that you are planning to visit, entering all the information on a portable computer is the preferred way to go about things nowadays. In addition to basic details, businessmen can take video presentations along with them and hook their PC up to a digital projector in order to show potential customers what their company can do. Whilst most salesmen are happy to collate information on clients they are not usually that keen on cleaning their company car. Fortunately, there is an alternative. Mobile care valeting services can be found in many areas of the country and are able to clean vehicles inside and out for a reasonable price. A thorough clean can include polishing the windows, cleaning the upholstery with shampoo and dressing the tyres; in short, everything that most people are loath to do. A laptop with a wireless Internet card can come in handy when looking for a valeting service whilst travelling.

Accurate records

To make sure that your vehicle is in the best condition possible it is also important to have it serviced on a regular basis. Owners that keep a record of all services, whether individual drivers or companies with a large fleet of vehicles, usually get a better deal when they come to sell the car in the second hand market. Accurate records of visits to potential customers’ premises are also useful to salesmen as they can review the details of each trip at their leisure and plan their next move. If the company that you are visiting does not object then it can be really helpful to have a video recording of any meetings that take place so you can work on your technique by studying what worked and what did not, after you return home. Footage that you shoot of the inside and outside of your car before taking it in for a service can be used as a record of the condition of the paintwork and upholstery in the event that any of it is damaged whilst it is being serviced. A garage can claim that they did not scratch your paintwork but if you have a dated video of the vehicle in question then they will find it harder to disclaim responsibility for the damage. Cameras that shoot moving pictures are easy to carry around these days and a digital camcorder can also be used in your private life, for recording weddings and other important family events.

Altered perceptions

Any salesman that has been in the profession for a number of years will know that if he turns up for an important meeting in a dirty vehicle, with mud on the paintwork and empty crisp packets inside, the client that he is meeting with is likely to form a negative opinion of the firm that he works for. As it is so easy to have a vehicle cleaned these days, there is really no excuse not to. If you use a video camera to make your own promotional films to show to clients, it is also vital that the end result looks professional if it is to have the desired effect. A video that looks like a small child shot it will do nothing to persuade a client that your company is capable of meeting their requirements and is more likely to convince them to look elsewhere. If the car valet service that you currently use is not doing a good job then it would definitely be a good idea to find a new firm that knows what they are doing, as soon as possible. One that is happy to come to your home and carry out the work onsite will be the most convenient option. There are also people that are willing to travel to your home and edit promotional videos for a fee but if you have a gaming laptop and some time to experiment then this is a task that you can do on your own.

Looking for leads

The Internet has made it a lot easier to find information on a wide variety of subjects and car valeting is no exception. Almost all firms that offer this service will have their own website, containing details of what they have to offer and the prices they charge for particular services, so finding one that is able to meet your needs at a reasonable cost should be fairly easy. In the past, it was quite common for salesmen that were looking for new clients to go through their local telephone directory in an effort to identify possibilities close to their headquarters. Nowadays the Internet is normally used for this purpose and because of its global reach, it can help sales representatives to find customers from all over the world. A mobile PC enables people to conduct research wherever they happen to be, so is a very useful piece of equipment. Once you have found a few car valeting firms that look like they offer a reliable service it is worth emailing them to see whether they are happy to answer any questions that you may have before deciding which one to use. Companies that are keen to please their customers will make the effort to explain their cleaning techniques and price structure in plain language. Looking on the Internet for new firms and sending them emails is easy to do when on the road if you have a netbook that is light enough to take with you wherever you go.