Readers Debate Professionalism, Sexism and Safety

Reps’ Professionalism Needs Work: Reader

Dear Editor:
I just read John K. Morgan’s column, “The Rep’s View,” which ran in the July issue of KBDN. I feel that every manufacturer who is hiring sales reps should give a copy of this article to every candidate, and then require a written plan from each candidate as to how they will structure their days, weeks and months in order to achieve their goals.

I am so disgusted by reps who just “show up” and “shoot the breeze” for 45 minutes – most of which is spent talking about their golf game or their lack of income! If they had an organized plan and the discipline to carry it out, then they would have scheduled their appointment and sent ahead an agenda for what would be discussed in that 45-minute visit to our showroom.
It stands to reason that dealers will sell more product when they have more product knowledge. While I love golf as much as anybody, knowing a rep’s handicap doesn’t help me to sell more of his product.

And in case you didn’t catch it, I deliberately referred to the males of the rep species. Every female rep I have ever dealt with is quite organized and focused.

Brian D. Hirn, Owner/General Manager
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen
Saginaw, MI

Reader Objects to Gender Stereotypes

Dear Ms. Costa:
I’ve read your magazine for the last several years and have always found it to provide quality information for kitchen and bath industry professionals. I do have some concerns about the “Building the Job” column in the July 2008 issue entitled, “Tips for Female Designers Navigating the Jobsite.”

I have been in the custom woodworking/general contracting industry for some 30 years. During this time, I have had the opportunity of working with many designers and understand the basic premise Mr. Nicholls is presenting in his article.

However, he seems to have stereotyped contractors by discussing old-school sexist axioms like being distracted if someone shows up wearing 4" heels on the jobsite (I would be concerned about the individual getting hurt by tripping on an air hose long before being distracted enough to shoot myself in the hand), or by delivering pastries to the job, which both stereotype a woman as serving food and a man as expecting that is a woman’s job.

It is not my intent to gripe about Mr. Nicholls’ writing, but rather to suggest a more balanced treatment of the subject in the future. For instance, instead of just presenting the angle on how to deal with a sexist contractor, how about teaching designers how to treat the contractor as an equal, not a subordinate? I’ve worked with several designers who have the tendency to micro-manage the contractor because they share this view, rather than respecting the professional opinion or expertise that I bring with me.

Because I’m a professional, I’m extremely careful not to assume all designers will behave this way. But without this viewpoint being taught, it’s easy for someone to assume all contractors are the same based on one bad experience. How about doing an article from a contractor’s perspective on how a designer can best work with a contractor?

Many of the issues Mr. Nicholls has brought up can easily be resolved if the designer simply makes an effort to better understand how the contractor thinks and operates, rather than simply stereotyping his behavior.

David Getts
David Getts Designer Builder
Seattle, WA

Reader Responds To Sexism Comments

Dear Editor:
There were several good points about Steve Nicholls’ article, “Tips for the Female Designer Navigating the Jobsite,” which recently ran in KBDN’s July issue.

For instance, I believe that Mr. Nicholls hit a bull’s-eye by discussing that quite often, women’s emotions are consistently judged on a different scale than men’s. I also totally agree with the need for a pre-install/job start meeting. It is a must, but I am amazed at how many contractors or installers put it off until the last minute, or don’t think they need this review, or are just too busy and think they can handle it on their own.