3 ms·

I was once in sales for a majors electronic components distributor. All salespeople and sales management were required to spend two weeks in the warehouse for o

by a4isms 5y ago

I was once in sales for a majors electronic components distributor. All salespeople and sales management were required to spend two weeks in the warehouse for onboarding, and were told that if the warehouse staff didn’t give them a favourable evaluation, they would fail probation and be let go. We often debated whether this was actually effective overall, or was just a culture-building stunt (like Amazon’s door desks). But there was no question that it helped the sales team quickly build relationships with fulfillment, relationships that could make or break their ability to solve problems for their customers.

ridiculousthrow 5y ago
Sounds like it was actually effective overall then.
ljm 5y ago
I started one job as a software dev and new starters had to spend the first two weeks with customer support, answering requests and basically just learning about what the users generally experienced. It was onboarding so I was still setting up my environment at the same time, but I credit that startup for shifting me to a much more empathic mindset where I would learn how to question designs based on my own understanding of what it would be like for someone to have to interact with it. It also resulted in me getting on especially well with the support team. Honestly I wish more places would do onboarding that way. Put new hires on the front-line as it were, so they understand the product from the perspective of users and those who have to run support. Maybe give people refreshers every year or so, so they don't become detached from the reality of using the product.
- ajdsudnd 5y ago
  I believe software devs should spend a day a month doing CSR work so they find out how people use the product. Not how they think they use it
davidjytang 5y ago
I was an international sales for an electronics company. One time there was customer payment delay for which held the goods at the pending-payment zone in the factory for more than 1 month!. We were basically waiting for the payment to clear before we ship. There were two 20-ft containers worth of electronics in the corner of the outgoing area. It was such an eyesore that manufacturing head yelled at sales head during every management meeting for that month. When the customer finally cleared the payment, CEO made the responsible sales team fill the container by hand (I was one of them). But it was an eye-opening experience. We dragged our ass from our A/C equipped office and wore our usual suits and leather shoes, oh boy were we stupid. What I remember the most was how stuffy and hot the air was nearing the innermost end of the container especially when carrying boxes. The entire team was drenched afterward except somehow the ladies managed to wiggle their way out by "hey we are just gonna get everyone an ice coffee, be right back". It was fun still.

by a4isms 5y ago

ridiculousthrow 5y ago

Sounds like it was actually effective overall then.

ljm 5y ago

I started one job as a software dev and new starters had to spend the first two weeks with customer support, answering requests and basically just learning about what the users generally experienced. It was onboarding so I was still setting up my environment at the same time, but I credit that startup for shifting me to a much more empathic mindset where I would learn how to question designs based on my own understanding of what it would be like for someone to have to interact with it. It also resulted in me getting on especially well with the support team. Honestly I wish more places would do onboarding that way. Put new hires on the front-line as it were, so they understand the product from the perspective of users and those who have to run support. Maybe give people refreshers every year or so, so they don't become detached from the reality of using the product.

ajdsudnd 5y ago
I believe software devs should spend a day a month doing CSR work so they find out how people use the product. Not how they think they use it

davidjytang 5y ago

I was an international sales for an electronics company. One time there was customer payment delay for which held the goods at the pending-payment zone in the factory for more than 1 month!. We were basically waiting for the payment to clear before we ship. There were two 20-ft containers worth of electronics in the corner of the outgoing area. It was such an eyesore that manufacturing head yelled at sales head during every management meeting for that month. When the customer finally cleared the payment, CEO made the responsible sales team fill the container by hand (I was one of them). But it was an eye-opening experience. We dragged our ass from our A/C equipped office and wore our usual suits and leather shoes, oh boy were we stupid. What I remember the most was how stuffy and hot the air was nearing the innermost end of the container especially when carrying boxes. The entire team was drenched afterward except somehow the ladies managed to wiggle their way out by "hey we are just gonna get everyone an ice coffee, be right back". It was fun still.