Kwan
Senior Heliman
Location: Los Angeles
| The reps I know are usually well adjusted individuals. They have fair amounts of knowledge and people skills. In addition, a few of them are fairly stable or even well above financially to spend this much time on a hobby.
IMHO, the reps should be treated like employees. There should be constant supervision of their performance in the field, i.e, correct knowledge on topic, ability to communicate advice, helpful, flying ability, sensitivity to the needs of the company's customers and others, and positive promotion of the hobby. Following quarterly reviews, the status then can be renewed or adjusted to keep those precious jewels and weed out the garbage.
Of course, this is not to say that there are those know-it-alls with ego too big to be of any use to the general community or those just wanted that discount. I had the fortune to came across a few of the garbage in the years past. One of them used the status to con people into trusting him for various reasons and suckered people into buying parts from him or spending money on him. Another was just too proud of his status and started to dish out advice left and right. When encountered with topics that particular REP does not know or understand, he actually starts to BS through the situation. Later, when that REP finally found the correct info from another individual, he actually went back and proclaim he developed the solution.
I have a mix feeling on the status of REP programs, some are treasures to the hobby and others are just plain garbage. You live and learn.
Kwan |
