Well, perhaps this post should be called "buying technology" since that is what I do frequently. It can be stressful, because I don't have a technology background as a programmer or other "geek" role. I am in marketing, but have always been an advocate for the "new" - when it made business sense. However, I believe that my job would be a great deal easier, if the salesperson selling technology - "the next big thing" - would simply aid the sales process instead of making it more difficult. With that in mind, here's my letter to anyone who wants to sell a hi tech product to a corporate marketing department.

Dear Technology Sales Professional,

If you want to sell your product more easily, to happier customers, here are my recommendations:

1. Know your product

Every time I ask you a question, which you don't know the answer to, makes me begin to suspect all of your answers. I'm not that smart. If I can stump you, you're easily stumped. That fact worries me.

2. Know how to apply your product in my business environment

I'm not asking for a business plan, but if I ask you if anyone else has purchased your product to use in a similar way and in a similar industry, why don't you know? How did you prepare for this sales presentation, if you don't know that? Why, then, do you think it's a good fit for me?

All your examples of how your product worked in the widget industry doesn't help me - unless I sell widgets or I can see how widgets are just like my product.

3. Be complete and honest

Too many sales people will only answer questions in the most narrow terms. "Yes, my product will do that!" A truthful answer - the product will do that - but only if you purchase the equivalent of a Saturn rocket to strap to the side of his new product. Why do I have to ask so many questions, in so many different ways, before I discover the additional (expensive) purchase necessary to do what I want?

4. What will it do "out of the box" and what requires additional programming?

Why do you have to make some calls and get back with me? Why don't you know?

In summary, why do you sell very expensive products, in any manner that you think will work, and then let your local service reps pick up the pieces of this business relationship after your product is on our servers?

Come to think of it, why do I receive so few customer satisfaction surveys about the sales presentation? Oh, yeah, it's the things I mention above.

Okay, I admit, I'm jaded. But right now, I'm writing a multi-page questionaire, with illustrations, to give to a sales person describing what I think he is telling me about his product and its capabilities. I'm doing this, because he doesn't know, or has been trained to avoid giving a straight answer. This back and forth dialog will last for months. Eventually, I will know his product from the ground up - I just wish he did.