I've been doing SEM for five years and worked with the full range of google reps.
Quite simply, don't ask reps for advice on a product they've never actually used (as in, with real money). You're better off investing in a proven SEM expert in your field.
Also, the answers/responses from Google reps are basically read from a training manual.
As for finding an SEO/SEM expert, typically best to go by referral. Most SEO/SEM experts that you'll find on google/forums will run you through templated best practices.
Best to work with someone who has been vouched for.
Although I can't give you any exact answer since I'm not an SEM expert, doing a verbatim search[1] will give you better results[2]. Though you might already be aware of how to do that (but even if so, someone else might not and find it useful). I just add it as a custom browser search[3] using the following URL template to do a verbatim search without having to click on options in google search:
Quite simply, don't ask reps for advice on a product they've never actually used (as in, with real money). You're better off investing in a proven SEM expert in your field.
Also, the answers/responses from Google reps are basically read from a training manual.