Understanding Ethical and
Professional
Responsibilities in Selling
Take the Money and Run?
Assume you are a new sales rep for Ag Way. You
have been calling on a very important customer who
is on the verge of making a large purchase order with
you. This order will allow you to meet your sales goal
for the year and make a very favorable impression on
your supervisor, which in turn will result in you
receiving a $1000 cash bonus. It has just been
brought to your attention that a competitor‟s product
has just become available in the market and this
product is more likely to solve your customer‟s
problems. Do you have an obligation to tell your
customer about this? If you do tell your customer
and they do not place their expected order, you will
not likely earn the $1000 cash bonus. What is the
best course of action for you to follow?
Sales Riddle
“I guarantee,” said the salesman in the pet
shop, “that this purple parrot will repeat every
word it hears.” A customer bought the bird,
but found that the parrot wouldn‟t speak a
single word. Nevertheless, what the
salesman said was true. How could this be?
Making ethical decisions in selling . . .
Is a daily reality and challenge (as it is in many
other professions (e.g. doctors, lawyers,
teachers).
Often involves ethical and economic tradeoffs.
From an economic perspective, may not
always be best in the SR, but almost always
will be best in the LR
Observations on (Un) Ethical Behavior
Corporate examples
Enron (late 1990‟s). Largest U.S. company to ever go bankrupt
after pursuing a failed „hi risk/hi growth at any cost‟ strategy.
Prudential (1995). Agents misled customers. $2 billion class
action settlement, $35 million fine, over 1000 agents fired.
Edward Jones (2003). Several of their brokers encouraged
customers to buy mutual funds of companies that provided them
with revenue sharing kickbacks. Resulted in a $75 million fine.
Typical survey results
Half of U.S. workers admit doing something unethical or illegal
on the job.
Growing % of Americans view lying and cheating as acceptable
behavior.
40+% of U.S. college students admit plagiarizing or cheating on
tests.
Examples of unethical temptations for
a salesperson
Make exaggerated claims to counter exaggerated
claims of a competitor
Offer a customer an unauthorized „gift‟ in return for
their business
Conceal information from a customer in order to get
their business and to meet your sales‟ goals
Put non business-related expenses on your expense
account
Divulging confidential information about one
customer to another in order to facilitate a sale
“When we rationalize a decision we
have made, or an action we have taken,
we often give creditable, although often
untrue, reasons. It is an instinctive
response driven by a need for
psychological self protection.”
Barbara Toffler, Tough Choices
Common Reasons (Excuses) for
Unethical Behavior
1. „Everybody‟ else is doing it.
2. It‟s not that big of a deal.
3. It‟s necessary (the ends justify the means).
4. It‟s not going to hurt anyone.
5. It‟s for the benefit of the company or
somebody else.
6. I deserve it.
7. It‟s legal.
8. Nobody will know.
Ethics in Selling
Successful professional salespeople adhere
to a strict code of selling ethics.
Ethical selling decisions based on truth,
honesty, integrity, and moral judgments (i.e.
right vs wrong) are essential for long-term
relationships that can only be maintained
through mutual respect and trust.
Laws Pertaining to Sales (abided to by
a professional salesperson)
Contracts
Price competition
Credit reporting
Debt collection
Uniform commercial code (sales)
“Cooling off”
Guidelines for Making Ethical
Decisions (Sears)
1. Is it legal?
2. Is it consistent with company
beliefs/values?
3. Is it right/appropriate?
4. Is it okay for others to know about
this?
5. Is it going to make me feel bad?
Gift Giving Recommendation in Sales
Do NOT give before the sale is made
Do NOT attach any „strings‟
Keep it simple and insignificant, yet
thoughtful, so it can‟t be construed as a
bribe
Do make sure it is within company
policy
Your Choices if Asked to Act
Unethically
1. Do it
ignore your own values & moral judgment
likely to feel guilty and lose self respect
2. Don‟t do it
voice opposition and try to change policy
leave/quit
get fired
Standards of Professional Conduct
(National Association of Sales Professionals)
1. Ethics and professionalism:
I will act with the highest degree of
professionalism, ethics and integrity.
2. Representation of facts:
I will fairly represent the benefits of my
products and services.
Never mislead, misrepresent, or build false
expectations
3. Confidentiality:
I will keep confidential information about my
customers confidential.
Standards of Professional Conduct
(National Association of Sales Professionals)
4. Conflicts of interest:
I will disclose potential conflicts of interest to all
relevant parties and, whenever possible, resolve
conflicts before they become a problem.
5. Responsibility to clients:
I will act in the best interest of my clients, striving to
present products and services that satisfy their
needs.
6. Responsibility to employer:
I will represent my employer in a professional manner
and respect my employer‟s proprietary information.
Remain loyal
Practice „we‟, not „they‟
Support total marketing effort
Do not „bad mouth‟ the competition
Standards of Professional Conduct
(National Association of Sales Professionals)
7. Responsibility to the public
I will serve as a model of good citizenship and be
vigilant to the community effects of my products and
services.
8. Legal responsibility
I will observe and obey all laws that affect my
products, services, and profession.
9. Responsibility to self
I will maintain an ongoing program of professional
development
Professional growth is never ending (technical
knowledge, selling skills, people skills, etc.)
Strive for balance in professional and personal lives
(and don‟t let either jeopardize my effectiveness in
carrying out my responsibilities)
Ethics in Selling - Quotes
“A salesperson‟s ethics and values contribute
more to sales success than do techniques or
strategies.”
Ron Willingham, Integrity Selling
“We keep our promises. In all our activities,
we adhere to the highest standards of ethical
conduct.”
Mission & Values statement
Minnesota Life Insurance Co.
Thoughts on Salespeople
“I see them everywhere, and I have come to
understand they are among the bravest of us.
They face on a daily basis what we all dread
the most: flat, cold rejection . . .
Most of them may not have ever imagined they
would end up doing precisely this. But as
long as there is life and as long as there are
businesses, there will be salespeople.”
- Bob Green
Remember, professional selling is
problem solving and helping others –
“I will have more fun and enjoy more success in my
personal life when I stop trying to get what I want and
start helping other people get what they want.”
- NK philosophy statement sales training 1993
“The only ones among us who will be really happy are
those who have sought and found how to serve.”
- Albert Schweitzer
“Success has nothing to do with what you accomplish
for yourself, it‟s what you do for others.”
- Danny Thomas
Because the customer has a NEED, we have a job
to do. Because the customer has a choice, we
must be the BETTER CHOICE. Because the
customer has sensibilities, we must be
CONSIDERATE. Because the customer has an
urgency, we must be QUICK. Because the
customer is unique, we must be FLEXIBLE.
Because the customer has high expectations, we
must EXCEL. Because the customer has
INFLUENCE, we have the hope of MORE
customers. BECAUSE of the customer, WE exist!
- Executive Speechwriter Newsletter, Vol. 10, No. 5