Where Did The Salesperson Go? ...

Maintaining harmony between programming and sales is a constant chore on the part of a Brand Manager/OM/PD. I run across situations where air talent gets caught in the middle of problems at on-location broadcasts. It's important to meet the needs of the client and you would think common sense would prevail to ensure success for a paid remote. But sometimes your common sense doesn't match with everyone else's.

Here's a conversation I had with an air personality over an issue she went through at a remote recently.

Air Talent: I feel stuck in the middle with a salesman, my PD, and a client. The client bought a remote but could not understand why I was not talking to more of his salespeople and listeners on-air. This was a car remote.

Coach: How did the salesperson handle the problem with the client?

Air Talent: That was part of the problem, the salesman left after my second call back. The client was complaining to me. In a market this size, we drive the van and do our own setup. And as he's done in the past, this salesman just took off and said nothing to me.

Coach: Did you call your PD and let him know?

Air Talent: No.

Coach: That is the first thing you should have done. That way he could call the Sales Manager to find out why the salesperson left. Then the Sales Manager could call the salesperson to either get back over to the remote, send someone else, or at least call to deal with client's problems.

Air Talent: I gotcha, call my PD. My mistake, so much was going on and the dealership thought I was doing my whole show from their lot. I guess I was a little overwhelmed.

Coach: Do you know how long this client has advertised with the station?

Air Talent: He's is a first-timer. This place does second-chance financing cars.

Coach: Oh boy, not good

Air Talent: On Monday, I got yelled at by my PD and the Sales Manager for not using common sense. My PD said he had heard I did not say enough about the business on my call backs and the salesman said the client was upset because during the three-hour remote, only one car was sold.

Coach: There seems to be some miscommunication going on. Did you not tell the PD that the salesperson left you on your own at the remote?

Air Talent: No, I did not want to get anyone in trouble.

Coach: It sounds like your butt is in a sling because the salesperson still has not mentioned leaving the remote early to his boss or yours. You need to find out what procedure your PD wants you to follow if, and when, this happens again. Or is there something already in place?

Air Talent: Nothing formally and you're right, nothing's been mentioned about him leaving the remote early. And based on the grief I got from my PD, he even had the nerve to complain about my call backs.

Coach: Just so you have a reference point for the PDs procedural conversation, my advice is, "If the sale person leaves prematurely and the client approaches you with a problem, try to call the salesperson who left, PD, or Sales Manager and let them talk to the advertiser. Worst-case scenario: If none of the people you need is answering calls or responding to texts, be nice and do what you think is best. But when you get back to the station, send a detailed e-mail of what happened and how you solved the problem to the salesperson, your PD and the Sales Manager. Do not wait until the next day."

Air Talent: Thanks for the tip, sorry to lay all this on you

Coach: It's all good; hang in there. Call me anytime you need an extra voice in your head.