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I have officially been the target of (possibly) the most unprofessionally over-eager sales person as of yet, in my career.

A Bit of Background:

I attended Spiceworld in Austin last week, and I started a new job yesterday.

I provided valid contact information with my SW registration (e-mail and phone number), as well as during any vendor contact at the event.

I completely anticipated followups (and even persistent salespeople) after the event.

Yes, I am MORE THAN AWARE that people know how to use Google, LinkedIn, Etc… to look up information.

Today, I get a phone call to the front desk at this new job, from a Unitrends Sales guy who named me by my full name, and suggested to reception that I was ‘the guy in charge of backups’.

Now, what’s disturbing to me is that I did not provide the phone number or email address for this new employer anywhere yet (you know, considering I hadn’t even started working here yet).

I’d only barely updated LinkedIn and the like… and this guy was calling and asking for me by name. He suggested that I was the backup guy, and reception, confusingly notified me of this call. My new boss, and colleagues weren’t exactly pleased, and I was immediately questioned - why would I be attempting to open new lines of business here? I only just started, and don’t even have a firm grasp on the existing infrastructure yet.

A few minutes later I got an email from him reiterating what he stated in his call. If he had e-mailed me, or called me at the number I used to register for the event, I would have kindly let him know that I am not in a position to evaluate new backup solutions right now.

Needless to say, my new company will never do business with Unitrends. They are now viewed as pushy, desperate, and unprofessional. It is my opinion that the way he behaved is on par with stalking.

Clearly there are some folks who disagree, and it is one’s prerogative to do so, though I will not shift my perception here. Perception is reality, and first impressions are everything.

EDITED FOR CLARITY

38 Spice ups
2

I’d blame linkedin more than the sales guy. They provide tools to get these kinds of results.

4 Spice ups
3

You didn’t drop a card or fill out a form at SpiceWorld did you? I think Unitrends had some tablets where you had to fill out a simple form to be eligible for their raffle prize.

4 Spice ups
4

No. Just because the information is there does not make it acceptable to go out and use it. This guy is unprofessional and clearly doesn’t understand how to sell to IT Pros. My new boss was questioning me (rightfully so) and this guy could have cost me a lot.

1 Spice up
5

Been getting these constantly since spiceworld… Annoying for sure

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Marc92

You didn’t drop a card or fill out a form at SpiceWorld did you? I think Unitrends had some tablets where you had to fill out a simple form to be eligible for their raffle prize.

You’re missing pertinent info - I started this job Yesterday. I did not have a card or any contact info here to provide yet.

2 Spice ups
7

It is really creepy, but it’s amazing how much information is out there on us. I’m not necessarily talking personal information, just the basic number, address, etc. type of stuff. It’s not very difficult to find information about anyone these days. And yes, I think Linkedin shares most of the blame for this one.

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wheelsOh1

It is really creepy, but it’s amazing how much information is out there on us. I’m not necessarily talking personal information, just the basic number, address, etc. type of stuff. It’s not very difficult to find information about anyone these days. And yes, I think Linkedin shares most of the blame for this one.

But by this logic, we should blame black market websites for personal data being available to purchase - rather than the criminals who steal and/or sell them.

2 Spice ups
9

If I remember correctly we had a rash of complaints like this after last year’s Spiceworld.

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That’s right. The criminals wouldn’t steal without a market. (Or more precisely, would only steal what they could use.)

3 Spice ups
11

If you put your new employers’ name on your LinkedIn, that’s on you. LinkedIn is a business that makes money by connecting people like this sales person with qualified candidates, such as you. You’re literally trying to argue that LinkedIn shouldn’t be used for the purpose that it was built for, and the main reason Microsoft bought them…to make money.

8 Spice ups
12

Part of the passport prices is accepting that they will contact you. If the guy tried your old details and couldn’t get through it’s not uncommon to do a bit of digging. It’s not stalking, it’s initiative. You agreed to give away your privacy in return for the random stuff you get from the vendors and entry into the drawings. That’s how Spiceworks and especially SpiceWorld works. How do you think they’re able to make the tickets so cheap? They’re selling a product to the vendors. That product is you.

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If you don’t pay to use the product, that normally means you’re the product.

Perhaps it’s time to reassess your sensitivity to the issue.

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9 Spice ups
14

If this is really, “the most horrifying vendor experience in my career” You ain’t seen nothing yet…

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Initiative is contacting me at provided details - which were available using my badge - my cell phone number and personal email address. Going and using any other method of contact without consent is predatory and just bad business. You can try to make any argument you like about how this is my fault. I won’t agree with you. This particular practice is absurd and seriously should be discouraged by our community. I just can’t even understand what could possibly run through a person’s mind to think that I would want to do business with them after behaving this way.

2 Spice ups
16

I had missed this part on my initial read.

So… you went to Spiceworld and gave out your info. You then changed jobs and posted your new info on LinkedIn. A salesman (that you authorized to contact you while at SW) contacted you, using this new info.

Sorry, but I agree with the others. You are blowing this out of proportion. If you didn’t want to be contacted you should not have put your info on LinkedIn.

8 Spice ups
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Brandon Svec

If this is really, “the most horrifying vendor experience in my career” You ain’t seen nothing yet…

With a vendor failing to have at least some shred of decency? Yes it was. I won’t say much more than this, other than I’m shocked no one from Unitrends has chimed in yet.

@katie

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I could understand if my direct contact information (email, phone, etc…) were posted on LinkedIn, but they are not. And the contact information I did provide worked just fine, so there is no reason this guy should have been calling that number.

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You say decency, we say they did what you gave permission for. I expect if you look into the t&c for SpiceWorld it says you’re agreeing to the vendors contacting you. You put your info out there is hard to be surprised it was used.

4 Spice ups
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I’m with JustRob on this. You agreed to have your info be public. This guy did due diligence and cross referenced their SW data and public data like LinkedIn.

3 Spice ups