I was a fresh out of engineering school and working on a Halliburton frac crew when I met Earl Schott, former Captain in the Army, combat veteran and only a handful of years home from Vietnam. Halliburton was Earl’s account and he set about to make sure that every young, overwhelmed field engineer knew and understood what his company’s chemicals could do and what they could not do. He was present, winsome, direct, helpful, value-oriented and great to have around. Earl became a trusted, valuable friend… valuable because he taught me how gel high ph lease water, how to properly shift a 5-speed transmission, treat bacteria-laden emulsions and find the best chicken fried steak in northwest Oklahoma. And he knew when to steer me away from his products because he knew there were better alternatives. Talk about building goodwill! When Earl and his partner launched their own chemical company a decade later, we all knew he would become a gazillionaire with the new venture. He understood the product, the customer and the broader industry.
I learned a bunch of sales skills from Earl. He also schooled me on bad habits to avoid:
First, the good skills to embrace:
Broaden customer relationships.
Be responsive.
Be present where the action is happening.
Reward urgency.
Be resourceful.
Next, the habits to avoid:
Inability to say “no”.
Slow follow-up.
A focus on price, not value.
Poor client retention.
Limited product knowledge.
I owe a lot to Earl. I learned that the oil and gas industry cycles – it has always cycled and it will always cycle in the future. The person who is responsive and resourceful, informed and helpful will thrive in this gyrating industry and will enjoy a long career.