Alvin H. here from Texarkana. Been thinking about all the brutal cold calls I made when starting out. My worst was calling a furniture manufacturer and the owner screamed at me for 5 minutes about how auditors were scam artists. Hung up on me twice before I could even finish my pitch. Anyone else have nightmare cold calling stories? Maybe we can learn what NOT to do!
Cold calling horror stories - share yours!
Neil D. from Hartford checking in. Oh boy do I have stories. Called a medical office complex last year and the property manager told me they already had someone doing their utilities. Turns out it was their janitor reading meters! Found $18,000 in billing errors on their Eversource account within two hours. Sometimes the worst rejections lead to the biggest wins when you circle back later.
Brenda J. here from Birmingham. My first cold call ever was to a shopping center. I was so nervous I forgot my own company name halfway through the pitch. The guy actually felt sorry for me and gave me a chance. Saved them $4,200 on their Alabama Power Schedule TL-M rate. Moral of the story - sometimes being genuine and nervous works better than a perfect sales pitch!
Kirk G. from Fayetteville here. Cold called a manufacturing plant and got transferred 8 times before reaching someone who could make decisions. By the time I got to the facilities manager I was so frustrated I just blurted out 'I can save you money on your electric bill or I'll audit it for free.' That got his attention. Found $11,500 in demand charge errors on their Schedule LGS rate with Duke Energy.
Randy Dawson here moderating from Memphis. These are exactly the kind of real-world experiences new members need to hear. Cold calling is still one of the most effective ways to build your client base, but you have to expect rejection. The key is persistence and having a compelling value proposition. Remember, most property managers get 20 sales calls a week, so you need to differentiate yourself immediately. Keep sharing these stories - both the failures and successes teach us valuable lessons.
Carl from Pittsburgh jumping in. Had a hotel owner tell me he'd only give me 5 minutes to prove I wasn't wasting his time. Pulled up his Duquesne Light Schedule GT-2 rate online and showed him he was getting charged standby fees he shouldn't have been paying. That 5 minutes turned into an hour meeting and a $22,000 refund. Sometimes you just need to get your foot in the door and let the numbers speak.
Faye from Nashville here. My worst cold call rejection was from a warehouse complex where the manager hung up before I said three words. Called back six months later and found out they'd just gotten a huge electric bill shock from Nashville Electric Service. Timing is everything in this business. That same manager who hung up on me became one of my best clients after I saved them $16,800 on their Rate Schedule GSD billing errors.
Vernon G. from Chattanooga chiming in. Anyone else find that mentioning specific tariff knowledge in your opening helps? Instead of saying 'I can save you money' I started saying 'I specialize in Schedule TGS and Rate GSA billing analysis for EPB customers.' Gets their attention because most callers don't know utility terminology. Landed three clients this month using that approach.
Don G. from Fort Worth here. Cold called an office building and the property manager said they'd just hired another auditor last month. I asked what rate schedule they were analyzing and he had no idea what I was talking about. Offered to do a free 15-minute review of their Oncor Rate Schedule GS-2 vs Rate Schedule GS-1 eligibility. Found they were on the wrong rate entirely. Sometimes the competition isn't really competition if they don't know what they're doing.
Connie A. from Salt Lake City here. Made 40 cold calls last week and got 39 rejections. That one yes turned into a $8,900 savings for a retail center on their Rocky Mountain Power Schedule 6A rate. The rejection rate is brutal but you only need a few good clients to make it worthwhile. My strategy now is to research their utility rate online before calling so I can mention specific tariff details that show I'm not just another telemarketer.
Travis H. from Amarillo checking in. Been doing cold calls for six months now with mixed results. Finding that calling right after businesses get their monthly electric bills works better. Property managers are more receptive when they've just seen a high Xcel Energy bill. Anyone else noticed timing patterns that work better? Also learned to avoid calling on Mondays - everyone seems grumpy about utility bills on Mondays.