Existing Customers through Sales Representatives

In larger companies the sales team may have access to the customers you would like to use for testing. However, they may not be particularly keen to give you direct access to their customers. And, because the sales reps already have relationships with customers around the country, they may have a different agenda than you do. In their zest to appear "in the know" to their customers about future products, they may say too much about the test. Or, they may simply be unaware of the usability testing process and the need for
"average" as well as excellent performers.
Be specific about the types of people you need, as well as the importance of being vague about the subject matter of the test. In one test that Jeff helped design that used existing customers and for which the sales reps served as the recruiters, one participant had obviously been primed by a sales rep. For his "test" of a new release of an existing product, he had diligently studied the entire 300-page user guide of the current product the night be/ore. It seems that he took the notion of a usability "test" a mite too far. The key to counteracting
these tendencies is to communicate clearly to your recruiters (the sales reps). That way you can nip these problems in the bud.