deceptive trade practices.
False statements made by a salesperson during or after the sales presentation can be especially troublesome. The law treats certain kinds of statements as defamatory per se. A company or defamed individual does not have to prove actual damages to successfully win a verdict. All that needs be proved is that the statement is untrue. Here are the types of statements considered personally defamatory:
• Untrue statements insinuating that a competitor engages in illegal or unfair business practices
• Untrue statements insinuating that a competitor fails to live up to contractual obligations and responsibilities
• Untrue statements regarding a competitor’s financial condition
• Untrue statements insinuating that a principal in the competitor’s business is either incompetent, of poor moral character, or dishonest
A company’s, salesperson’s, or sales manager’s reputation for integrity and high ethical standards in dealing with all people at all times is an invaluable attribute for long-run business success. Nearly all customers prefer to do business with a company whose representatives they can trust to be ethical and honest in all their negotiations.