A few weeks back, my mom and Kristin's mom "won" a huge prize if they went to a 90 minute sales pitch on a time share in Conroe. Sherri couldn't go, so Mom asked me and Kenna to go with her. Not wanting Mom to get taken (not that she would, she's pretty savvy) I agreed.
Walking in, we both noticed that the people there for the prize were questionable as to meeting the requirement to make $40,000 a year to be eligible for the prize. Mom had been told repeatedly to be there by 12:30 ("DO NOT BE LATE!"), so we showed up at 12:15. Almost forty minutes later, we finally got called back by the overly-exuberant salesperson who would be detailing the time share. Now, we had been told it was a 90 minute presentation, and we had time to get back to pick up Leslie from school if they stuck to their timetable. (We had worked out with Leslie's teacher to keep her until we got there no matter the time. Mrs. Bradham is awesome.)
After thirty more minutes of small talk, questionnaires, and about a dozen references to the salesperson's grandmother "introducing me to the wonderful world of time shares" she actually started to tell us about the timeshares- at 1:30. We needed to be done- and were scheduled to be done- by 2. So, I stopped the salesperson and informed her of the issue.
In an instant, the bubbly smile was gone. There was a face of anger and almost rage there for a second, then a thinly veiled attempt at being nice again as she coldly said, "I won't have time to finish my presentation." I pointed out that if they had gotten us in on time like they demanded us to be on time, this might not have been a problem. She countered that "You should have told me this on the patio so I could adjust my presentation." To which I again countered that we were early, it was her company that was behind.
She excused herself to see if she could make arrangements with the floor manager. It was clearly and excuse to get up and stall. I noticed that the majority of the salesmen appeared to not be normal wearers of suits. You know those people who have to wear a suit or dress up but are not comfortable with it? Like high school guys at sports banquets when they have to wear a tie. Yeah, that's what these folks reminded me of, not just because they looked about 18.
So, the sales person comes back and takes us on a shortened tour- after a "manager" gave her permission <fake>.
Now, the tour went quickly, and the places were nice, but Kenna kept seeing things she liked, and at one point she tugged on my arm and pointed at a playground and said, "I wish we could live here!" I shushed her before the salesperson could hear.
Then we got back and they tried the sales pitch again. Mom clearly said, "No, we're not interested at this time. Finances wouldn't allow us to take this on, either of us." So out came a second floor manager- who looked about 22 and didn't wear a suit often. He tells us of a super secret deal for about 1/6 of the original price. Mom says, "NO." He says that we need to take advantage of this because it's a once in a lifetime deal, and it is just for today, and shows us a sheet of paper with one side showing the deal today, the other the "Uncertain Tomorrow."
Note to scummy sales people, don't tell me its a one day deal, then hand me a sheet of paper with a clearly marked date of three months earlier. It kills your urgency.
The guy pressed, and said that they were getting the prize my mom won together, and asked why not interested, even with the great deal. So, I did my role, why Mom asked me to come.
I was the heavy.
"Because of the hard sell," I said. He looked at me funny. 8th grade vocabulary must not have covered that term of salesmanship. And at this point, it was 2:15, we'd been there two hours. "And because you are not respecting out time. We showed up, did what we were supposed to do, and you guys dropped the ball, now you're pressuring."
He asked, half angry, half still trying to sell, "What can we do to change your mind?"
"Nothing," I said. "Just get our prizes done fast and let us go."
Sales person and floor manager #2 cut their losses and left.
In five minutes, we had Mom's "prize." A legitimate $40 gift card, and two slightly sketchy vacations that we are researching lots.
I must say, I enjoyed the debate. I like getting to talk circles around people. Even if those people are poor excuses for salespeople who only know how to use Psych 101 tricks like "tell stories about your beloved grandma to the grandma" and "Here is a super secret deal I just found out about and am only telling you."
I enjoyed the day with Mom and Kenna as well. I don't get to spend as much time with Mom as an adult, and I enjoy frustrating people with her.
She and I make a good team. As long as we keep Kenna from blowing our cover with exciting declarations like, " This is AWESOME!"
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