At the Ontario Library Association Superconference just concluded, I once again had the opportunity to gaze out over a large exhibit hall full of vendors devoting a great deal of effort and expense to give customers and potential customers the opportunity to speak directly with representatives. Seeing so many information industry companies in one place always reminds me to encourage those seeking employment to include in their searches entities in the publishing, software, library systems, and related areas. True, being a vendor representative is a subspecialty in our profession - and not one for which formal education prepares new professionals explicitly. Some students actually say "oh no, I could never be in sales". My answer is always "ah, but it's not sales, it's customer service!".
A few colleagues who have recently "gone over to the other side" have contrasted library work with what they felt was a more daunting exposure as vendor representatives. They were right on the money in identifying a key feature of the front line job experience of vendor representatives: Unable to promise any kind of product or service enhancement and unable to provide technical detail explaining, say, a functionality glitch, they are in the hot seat in two ways: They are expected by their employers to portray products and services in a positive light with consummate professionalism; and they are expected to react to any criticism with consummate poise.
Fortunately, customers tend to be understanding when they feel they are hearing the full story. One thing customers value especially highly is the ability of a vendor representative to make executive decisions - granting a free trial of an online service, for example. It is my hope that vendors look for ways to give their new representatives as much leeway as possible here - after all, it's a win win when the (potential) customer is pleased and when the representative experiences the satisfaction of making it happen.
If you are looking for work and feel uneasy about a vendor role, let me assure you: Customer facing positions in the information industry are perfect for information professionals. Your value proposition for getting hired is that potential customers react well to dealing with a fellow professional. Your value to the employer over time is the "consultative selling" you are able to execute as you assist customers select the best options, implement them, promote a new product to end users, and so on.
A designated seating area where vendors and job seekers may meet for informal discussions could be a good addition to any exhibit hall. Just my 2 cents!
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