www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Moral Dilemma...

Do you think it is morally right to call other businesses posing as a customer to get data on their services and prices so you can gain market knowledge?

I'm suppose to be doing this right now, and I'm finding it difficult to do.

Ahhh, the wonderful workplace....

If I was living on a farm I wouldn't have to worry about this...(unless I wanted to find out what other farmers were charging for their eggs, or what feed they used!).

For most people, the activity you described would probably be classified as a "white lie," and I must say I am indeed tempted to say the same. However, I know we must strive to be as truthful as possible in all aspects of our lives. I had gotten a job signing people up to take tours of time shares at the nearby beach this past summer, but I didn't last long because I wasn't willing to "do whatever it takes" to make a buck. We have to put things into true perspective when it comes to incidents such as this, and realize the only benefit to being dishonest is some amount of money, which will certainly disappear within a short period of time - even our lives are so short! - yet, if we persevere and live according to Christ's example we may be granted eternal life with Him! As common as it has become - and as commercial as it is! - I do still like the phrase "What Would Jesus Do?" To me, there are few more thought-provoking questions.

In Christ,

-Steve

Nathan, by realizing this is a moral dilemma for you, you have turned your face toward the right path. I am a good salesperson, it's just a talent God gave me to be enthusiastic and to try to please people. But I am not competitive enough to be a salesperson in most sales jobs because I won't lie to customers, and I won't psychologically pressure people to buy when I know they can't afford it. Being that way has cost me jobs, and sometimes I felt like a failure because of it. But in the long view, being honest and treating people the way you would want to be treated is the Christian way. Right now part of my job is to sell photos to customers. It isn't hard, because people want photos of their kids. Luckily, my company doesn't push the hard sell. They want us to sell. no doubt.And I do well enough. people leave happy and feel they got a good deal. That's good enough for me. But it's not merciless, like Glen Gary Glenn Ross. I think that's soul killing.

There's nothing wrong with honest sales. The value of any transaction is between the buyer and the seller -- isn't that what they teach you in beginning marketing? And there's room for respect and mutual benefit in that equation.

Nathan:

Sometimes this can be a gray area.

I had a client who told me that some of his people were being told that a certain salesperson was posing as his employee. He didn't know what to do.

As I was sitting with him, one of his family's called and said that she had agreed to see this person in her home that very afternoon and would he like to hear this person's sale's pitch.

I told him to go since the woman had asked him and to tell her to introduce him as a cousin who happened to be in town.

I guess it "hit the fan" when the salesman told the gorup that he worked for my client's funeral home. He later told me he literally jumped out of his chair and loudly told the guy that he didn't appreciate his using the good name of the funeral home to dupe people.

He came back to the office and told me the whole story.

In my profession, this has been a common occurrence since the Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule of 1984. While I don't do it or advise it, I know that it is commonly done. I can almost spot the "ringers" when they come to me posing as someone who wants to do an advanced plan for a relative entering a nursing home. But since I go by the book and refuse to do anything shady, they usually leave and I never hear from them again.

In Christ,

BOB

Do you think they will tell you any more than they would to any other customer, or for that matter anyone else who phones up and wants to know things about their business. Give them some credit. Would you open up and talk about your personal life to someone who phoned you up out of the blue. I doubt it very much. I doubt they will tell you anymore about what they do and how they do it than they would anyone who just phoned in.

Nathan,
It sounds like you may have a problem with the whole picture and this is just the icing on the cake. I suffered in the corporate sales world, it was miserable, dog eat dog. I couldn't beat other people down, lie, cheat, etc.. All the big producers did, and people looked up to them like they were important. I got out of there. I couldn't deal with it. There is no way I would lie like that on the phone, lie to customers, steal other people's leads or sales.
But the people driving the fancy cars and had the nice homes did.
The corporate world will eat you alive.

Thanks for all the advice folks!

In regards to a career change, I'm hoping in the future that my auction business starts taking off. My dream is to be a part-time farmer and auctioneer!

After being let go from my last job, I realized I don't want my future to be in another person's hands, so my dad and I started a fundraising and real estate auction company and I love it! I now just have to work at getting the business going, so hopefully it can be my main source of income.

Thanks again for the replys!

God Bless,

Col. Nathan Johnson
(Col. meaning auctioneer, not military rank )