Home Depot (HD) Exteriors is almost a separate entity from The Home Depot (THD) stores. The management structure is completely different. An outside sales consultant relies on leads from store associates, Home Depot web site, and mainly yourself. You will find yourself standing in the store holding a sign, asking homeowners if they are interested in having HD install windows or roofing. It's a little like being a greeter because you will be asked where a product is in the store; many more times than you think. You are expected help all customers just like a store associate. You won't get paid for that, but it may generate a lead, that's what I was told.
If you are not good at sales you may not do well at this job. What I mean is: if you can't deal with rejection, overcome exceptions, or be a lot more assertive when trying to make a sale, you won't do well at this job.
I was told during my interview that all my leads would be generated for me. Not true. In some cases, if you can close a sale at a very high percent of the time, HD would consider having a lead generator at the store for you.
The job is commission pay only. No reimbursement for gas or any expenditures. 4% commission within a week. 4% after HD gets paid. If you quoted a job with overruns totaling more than 3%, forget the last 4%. Some jobs don't finish for 6 weeks so you wouldn't get the remaining 4% until 8 weeks.
I found a serious lack of support from upper management and branch coordinators. It takes forever to get brochures, flyers, forms, product samples, and any marketing materials. During my 8 weeks of employment I never got business cards. Other sales consultants reported that their manager was never available and provided zero support. Some managers never went to any appointments with them. I was going to appointments without an samples, digital images, or color choices for products. How do you sell a product without showing somebody what you're selling?
You will be expected to learn the products you will be selling. They have online training that is extensive. Expect ALL of your spare time to be consumed by this training for at least 2 months. Expect to be spending a huge amount of time organizing forms and preparing for appointments.
You will be using an iPad. They have applications that allow you to price the products you measure. The I/T department does a lousy job at setting up the iPad for your use. Expect to spend at least 3 days installing applications and setting up the iPad for HD use or more if you are not computer literate. There are a large number of passwords that you will have to remember or record.
After your 4th week you are expected to travel to Atlanta Georgia for a week of training. It is mostly about THD selling techniques. Product knowledge in this class is minimal. The selling strategy is like most other company selling strategies. Drink the koolaid and you will close higher than 20%.
You will be expected to work 6 days a week and be available to go on appointments that may last until 9:pm. You will be expected to be in your home store generating leads every Saturday and when you are not going to appointments.
