Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 98
| Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 4:22 am Post subject: Interview tips for becoming a specialist? | |
| Wondering if anyone has any tips? | |
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
| Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 5:30 am Post subject: | |
| Focus on sales and customer service in every single answer. | |
Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 98
| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 1:42 pm Post subject: | |
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Thanks for the great tips. Maybe I'm wrong but I noticed in past interviews that many of the questions would be stuff that you would learn if you got the position. As an example, if you applied for dept. manager, many of the interview questions would almost be word for word off the empt training book.
Now thats not a bad thing if you come from a department with a super sharp manager who spends as much time training his or her associates as they do tasking and selling. Of course those departments are few and far between. As a lumber csa, the day pretty much consist of moving bunks of wood, code 50's and downstocking insulation ect. Same goes for many other departments such as millwork. Many are so shorthanded or set up to a bare minimum that years would go by before a csa even heard of a "Related items" report. Besides extreme focus on sales and customer service, I would also touch on promo's, credit, impact, related items, top 50 hi/low. My leaving out anything? |
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Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 2:51 pm Post subject: | |
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HUGE difference between interview for a specialist and a department manager. The jobs are completely different. One is focused on selling one is focused on tasking. If you become a sales specialist say in Millwork be willing to sell SOS plumbing or SOS blinds. As a sales specialist you need to be well versed in how to use M20 and the selling center or even manual vendor orders. You also need to focus on installs to connect with the main product including all of the related items associated.
Be positive, upbeat, and eager to increase sales and installs each and every day. |
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Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 98
| Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:02 pm Post subject: | |
| I get the feeling Lowes culture believes anyone can be trained to do any job. Meaning, anyone can be a appliance specialist, millwork specialist ect. The hard part is getting the right person to build upon. Just being a great salesman with great customer service doesnt mean you will get the position. | |
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 54
| Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:44 am Post subject: | |
| If you can tie in the big 3 - SOS, Installs, and working with Commercial and not just focus on a single dept, it will show you are looking at the big picture. Throw in Customer service, product knowledge, epp's and attachment rates, and be able to speak intelligently about them, then you will have an edge over people who are relying solely on tenure and job knowledge. | |
Joined: 13 Feb 2009
Posts: 18
| Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:31 pm Post subject: | |
| Yea focus on the sales aspect, just remember that once you get the job you are still required to be doing tasks when your not with a customer or working up an estimate. | |
Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
| Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:28 am Post subject: Re: Interview tips for becoming a specialist? | |||
Did you interview for a specialist position? How did it go? |
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Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 98
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:50 pm Post subject: | |
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Took about 3 weeks to decide but I did get the position! Now I get to do all the fun stuff like handle warranties. My first customer as a specialist:
Customer: I dont know what kind of garbage you guys are trying to sell but I bought this garage door a few months back and its total junk. Me: Yes, I remember the day you purchased the garage door. It was the one sitting in front of the desk on a cart marked "As is" and "Damaged." It was marked 50% because one of the panels had a dent. I was the person who called the zone manager over because you wanted to buy the door anyway and you wanted to make an offer of 25%. What seems to be the problem? Customer: Well.....I cant remember all the details. All I know is that I bought this door from you guys and now I go to install the door and its got a damaged panel. What are you guys going to do about it? The life of being a specialist.....fun times ahead! |
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Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:13 pm Post subject: | |||
Tell him that "as is" means that if you bi-otch and moan loudly enough to the right people you'll get a brand spanking new one for that 25% he paid for the damaged product. OH WAIT...tell him to pound salt. |
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Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
| Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:14 pm Post subject: | |
Congrats LowesMillworks! 
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Joined: 19 Oct 2003
Posts: 2801
| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 12:10 am Post subject: | |
And that's why I wouldn't buy Lowe's stock if my life depended on it. 
Give it away, Give it away, Give it away. Hire more assholes to screw up orders and do nothing to the "So called Specialist" who continue to screw up day in and day out. |
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Joined: 01 Feb 2008
Posts: 546
| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:43 am Post subject: | |||
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Joined: 19 Oct 2003
Posts: 2801
| Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:36 pm Post subject: | |||
AGAIN....That's why I wouldn't buy Lowe's stock if my life depended on it. The second quarter Earnings announcement has the corporate Buttheads panties all bunched up. Watch and see what shit they roll out next to try and impress the wall street MONGERS. 
Lowe's T ??? How about an advertising campaign by associates B Lowe's They are acting like S-Hole, Cut operations cost to increase profit, Then wonder why shit isn't getting done. Seams like I went full circle.
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