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The gatekeeper, screener or receptionist is an ally

Guest post by: John Cameron

Article Overview: Every time you make a sales call, in person or by phone, you are being tested. The first test is by the receptionist, gatekeeper or screener. Chances are you didn't even know you were being tested. If you pass this test, you will be put through to the decision maker with bonus points in hand.

The gatekeeper, screener or receptionist is an ally

Whether you call what you do business development, sales, smiling and dialing or making new friends you need to be prepared for two completely different tests every time you make a sales call. It doesn’t matter if you are making the calls in person or my phone. Be prepared to pass the test from the gatekeeper/screener or receptionist. Be prepared to pass the test from the decision maker or influencer to the decision maker. Pass the first test with the screener or gatekeeper and you will start the test with the decision maker with bonus points already in hand.

It’s no wonder that you haven’t passed the test very often in the past. You might not have even known that you were being tested. And, even if you did know that you were being tested, you didn’t know the questions that you have to answer. Good news. I’m going to give you the test questions. Here are your test questions from the screener. These are pass fail and you must get 100%

1. Does he treat me like a human being?
2. Does he show empathy to my position in the organization?
3. Does he understand that I know everything about the company?
4. Does he understand that I know who has the power and who has the title?
5. That I know who is nice and who is mean?
6. Who returns calls and who doesn’t?
7. Who has what is best for the company at heart and who is Machiavelli?
8. Who gets things done and who just talks about it?
9. Does he know that one of the most difficult hires to make in a company is the receptionist, screener or gatekeeper?
10. Does he understand that I am the sharp point of the lance, the first contact, that many customers have?
11. Does he know that a great screener/gatekeeper/receptionist can be worth 2% plus to the company’s top line?
12. Does he know that in many mid or small sized companies I influence or make decisions about supplies, janitorial, shipping, telecommunications, security, grounds maintenance and more?
13. Does he understand that I can be his sales coach?
14. Has he done something to set himself apart from everybody, but not made himself so different that he scares me?
15. How has the boss reacted when I have put through people like this before?
16. Will the boss get mad if I put this guy though?
17. Is there enough value in what he has to offer to the company and most especially me if I put him through?
18. Does this guy offer something that will directly benefit me enough to run the risk of putting him though to the boss?
19. Has he kept his promises? Example when he said I just want to ask you two questions did he ask two and stop or lie and grill me?
20. Has he tried to con, bully or confuse me into letting him through?
21. Does he understand that I am a litmus test for the company? That if I am toxic then the company is probably toxic as well and he should move on?

If you want to get through to the decision maker with your path smoothed and most of your work done, study these questions. Then ask whether you your actions have given the receptionist/gatekeeper or screener the answers he, or more usually she, needs.

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Article Tags: dealing with the gatekeeper, dealing with the receptionist, dealing with the screener, getting through to the decision maker



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Re: Job market slump is a guy thing - [quote="BuzzAroundBooks":nx0a55b2]Speaking of this topic, someone I know was just telling me how this woman came into his company today to apply for the receptionist position, but she holds a post-grad degree and drives a BMW... so the company isn't sure they want to hire her because they don't think the candidate will stay very long. She's clearly over qualified, but seemingly willing to settle for a downgrade in pay.[/quote:nx0a55b2] Doesn't seem to me like this woman is very smart.. you don't apply to be a receptionist while you're drivng a BMW! Unless it's a receptionist for Donald Trump or some super-rich corporation, I suppose... I think, for many people... the woman is getting the second job in a marriage or whatever...and so doesn't need to make as much money as the man, who is still the primary provider for the family and can't afford to take a lesser paying job, since 99% of all people live up to the nth degree of their income ...
Re: Job market slump is a guy thing - [quote="Tami Szabo":34lcvbry]This is a great thread of conversation! I'd like to comment on the woman in the BMW applying for the receptionist's job. I used to manage a large reception in a big corporation. I know it is hard to believe, but two (out of five) of my women staff were experienced financially stable women who simply WANTED to be where all the action was. They had many great opportunities to advance in the company and never chose to do so! They were highly competent and intelligent women, but also the epitome of a "people person". I offer corporations 360 degree assessments. One of the biggest treasure chests of information just happens to be the receptionist. She definitely has the pulse on the company. In a large company, it can actually be an exciting position for the right personality. I think many companies actually underestimate the receptionist. It comes across on this thread that it's probably our society that undervalues the receptionist as well. Sometimes people start in reception in order to discover what other areas in the company they might advance to. It's still a winning situation for the company. It gives them a chance to see if she has what it takes.[/quote:34lcvbry] On this same note... I've known women who have started off as receptionists and then moved on to become administrative assistants for executives and make $60,000/yr +
Re: Job market slump is a guy thing - This is a great thread of conversation! I'd like to comment on the woman in the BMW applying for the receptionist's job. I used to manage a large reception in a big corporation. I know it is hard to believe, but two (out of five) of my women staff were experienced financially stable women who simply WANTED to be where all the action was. They had many great opportunities to advance in the company and never chose to do so! They were highly competent and intelligent women, but also the epitome of a "people person". I offer corporations 360 degree assessments. One of the biggest treasure chests of information just happens to be the receptionist. She definitely has the pulse on the company. In a large company, it can actually be an exciting position for the right personality. I think many companies actually underestimate the receptionist. It comes across on this thread that it's probably our society that undervalues the receptionist as well. Sometimes people start in reception in order to discover what other areas in the company they might advance to. It's still a winning situation for the company. It gives them a chance to see if she has what it takes. Having said all that, I think there are women who don't raise the bar for themselves enough. They want something more, but don't follow through on it. I believe the battlefield is really in their minds and not out on the job field. People will often pay as little as they can get away with. We are the ones who set our value. We shouldn't be surprised if a company doesn't raise our price. I hope this woman is doing what SHE wants according to her own special plan and ultimate goals. One word on the job market slump... there will always be higher paying positions out there. It's up to us to make sure we are the ones who are in that position. We need to see ourselves as proactive and not victims of the current economy.
Re: Job market slump is a guy thing - [quote="OmnivoreInk":2tdtzksx][quote="BuzzAroundBooks":2tdtzksx]Doesn't seem to me like this woman is very smart.. you don't apply to be a receptionist while you're drivng a BMW! Unless it's a receptionist for Donald Trump or some super-rich corporation, I suppose... I think, for many people... the woman is getting the second job in a marriage or whatever...and so doesn't need to make as much money as the man, who is still the primary provider for the family and can't afford to take a lesser paying job, since 99% of all people live up to the nth degree of their income ...[/quote:2tdtzksx][/quote:2tdtzksx] Well just because someone drives a BMW doesn't necessarily mean that he/she is rich. A lot of people live outside of their own financial means. Moreover, without personally knowing the woman with the post-grad degree and her circumstances, it's hard to judge why she applied for something below her. A friend of mine who I used to work with had a MBA, but he hid that fact from our company at first because he was applying for a "lower" position. But once he established himself, he revealed that he had a MBA was later promoted to a "high paying" business analyst role. You see, it was all a part of his strategy since he didn't have his Canadian Citizenship yet, and knew that he wouldn't have been hired at the analyst position to begin with. Sometimes you need to take a lower position, just to get your foot in the door with a company you want to work with.
Re: How do you conduct negotiations with wealthy clients? Are th - Right Up my ally as a former mortgage banker/broker for about 25 years. Surprising how many could afford the cash, but preferred to leverage their real estate purchase, other has the cash, but didn't want to expose their cash purchase to the tax people, others wash it a little at a time - some here and some there One of my favorite saying "Rich People can afford poor taste" (mostly called neuvo(s) rich) My success in dealing with them 1. Be prepared and confident in your Product 2. Lose you intimation (if you have it), a firm handshake and look them in the eye 3. Think Big as the man said Built a impossible $137 startup into a multimillion dollar business from wealthy clients, Names you would recognize internationally, if I were to share them If you want more, feel free to message me


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