[simonj]

Anyone got any experience working for Arcedia Direct, door-to-door selling Scottish Power? Two mates of mine just got a job with them remarkably easily! Money seems too good to be true so I was just wondering if there's more to this than meets the eye.

[Ant]

Is it a cold calling company?

Four years ago I worked for a Manchester company selling Scottish Power home energy to customers. Mine were telephone leads, which made life a lot easier, but you're at least onto a winner with it being Scottish Power - they are (or were, at least) one of the cheapest on the market.

The trouble is, selling utilities these days is far harder, in that most people have been pitched a few dozen times already. What have you to say to them that's so different? There's still a large group of ostriches who fail to recognise A Good Thing when it lands in their lap -

OSTRICH: No, I'm perfectly happy where I am, thankyou.
SALESMAN: You're happy being fleeced by British Gas and Yorkshire Electricity?
OSTRICH: Yes, thankyou.
SALESMAN: The government has introduced this for your benefit, Mr Ostrich. You were being unacceptably over-charged by both suppliers. They've opened up the market to allow you to have the benefit of cheaper bills.
OSTRICH: No, thankyou. It'll even itself out in the end.
SALESMAN: Have you actually compared the rates you are being charged against any other supplier, either ours or any other company?
OSTRICH: No, thankyou. I'm perfectly happy as I am with my head in the sand and a cork up my over-tight ass.


It's soooooooo hard being an energy salesman. I bet they made it sound sooooooo easy, didn't they? You will certainly be able to save the vast majority of customers a decent wad of money. But try telling them that.

[simonj]

Turns out they've both decided not to follow up the job offer! Seems they would have had to be in the office in the city centre for 9am, out on the streets by 11am, back to the office by 8pm and then get home - SIX days a week!! Work/Life balance somewhat crooked there I think!

[Saifa]

As a potential Mr Ostrich, I do take your point Ant.

But when its the 10th person this year saying "but we could save you money" when you tell em to p**s off (usually when I am in the middle of my tea), they could be giving it me for free and I'd still tell em to sling their hook because I'm annoyed at them for interrupting me.

Yes, thats my loss in the long run, but thats something I'm happy to live with.

Anyway, my chips are getting cold so <slam>



Although if you have asked for someone to come round to talk to you and do that then thats just a tiny bit thick.

[Ant]

The Mr Ostrich experiences came from British Gas where I worked as a cold-calling salesman. Never again. You need skin as thick as a telephone book. It's made me far more polite and sympathetic when I answer the door to salesmen.

[KnightCrew]

It's not all that hard. I run a team of a few people and we all do quite well. Usual take home for the average is £300 per week although the guys that have been around longer than 6 months make £400 + Some companies offer decent promotion prospects (learn sales, teach sales, run crew, let them earn the cash for you!)
Thick skin is a must but, as is life, most people are nice and polite but some will always be, ehem, rude.
Long hours go with the territory, gotta call on them when the customers are home!