APRIL 1978 Circulation: 450 - Cont USER WANTS NO "MICKEY-MOUSE There are salesmen and there are salesmen. George Ream, Division Manager, Systems and Information Services for Mack Trucks in Allentown, PA, has seen them all. In 1952, he ventured into the world of data processing. He has seen Mack Trucks grow from using a single computer vendor, a single punched card vendor and a single business forms vendor to a corporate data processing function with a total of 33 vendors supplying hardware, software and supplies. With 26 years of data processing experience under his belt (the last 19 years with Mack Trucks), George Ream has acquired a very distinct opinion of salesmen. He has watched the role of computer salesmen gradually change from total account dominance to the bland definition given by Webster, "one who sells either in a given territory or in a store. George Ream recently spent the morning addressing DPI's first Sales Training seminar. Subject: What does a user expect from a salesman? And, equally important to Mr. Ream: What should a salesman exPect from a user? Mack Trucks' philosophy is simple. Mack wants the equipment that will best solve their problem at the lowest price they can possibly get. To that end, in 1967, Mack decided to look at a little factory data collection company. They expected to find DPI manufacturing terminals in a garage somewhere in California. What they found was a group of dedicated, honest people with good ideas and a lot of enthusiasm. "It was a risk for Mack," said George, "but we came away feeling certain that DPI could do the job." Ten years later, with a smooth running, highly successful Material Tracking and Labor Reporting system installed at Mack Trucks, George Ream highlights the dualities he demands in a good user/vendor relationship. These are the qualities he has found and admired dealing with DPI "super salesmen." (Bob Shrader, Gene Mascoli, Dave Hurd and Stan Bielak have all worked with George Ream at one time or another). Honesty and integrity" are the key factors in a salesman/user association. And, according to George, that had better be a two-way street. The most valuable, profitable and lasting relationships are based on a mutual respect between the user and the sales rep. No deal is a good deal unless it's a good deal for both parties."