Sales pros? How do you tell your management....

SeanPizzle · 01-08-2012, 06:05 PM

That you just want to coast? I work selling IT solutions (plumbing to the private Cloud, if you will). I worked 14 years for manufacturers and the went to work 2.5 years ago for a VAR/integrator. The problem with working for manufacturers in IT sales is that the expectations dictate a 25 to 35 percent quota increase every year in order to make the same amount on your W2. After year three, you have to sell twice what you did in year one to make the same amount. This drives job hopping ever three or four years and the treadmill of ever increasing demands will wear anybody out.

In jumping to the VAR world, I dictated my comp plan and went in with 100% commission which is a percentage of the gross profit I bring in the company. This way if I bust my butt, I can make a lot of money or if I take it easy I will make less. Well, I finished my first year as the top rep in the company and my second year the top rep again with 450% increase in business from when I started. So much for coasting. Yes I made a bunch of money, but now owners are looking to grow my patch even more in the coming year. They want me to bring a young rep under me guidance and post even bigger numbers.

At the point my career, busting my butt for more money isn't the biggest draw. With AMT, fed and state taxes, I keep a little less than half of any incremental money I make. My time with my family is more important to me that the bigger W2. How do I tell my owners that I just want to keep on with my current or even a little less pace. I realize this is anti capitalist.

ShakinJoe · 01-08-2012, 06:15 PM

Get off their dime and become and independent representative.

Hugh R · 01-08-2012, 06:26 PM

No solutions, but welcome to the Club. The collective gubmits taking around 50%+ is a biotch, but not many here seem to understand that. They just think you're lucky and should be happy to pay it.

LWJ · 01-08-2012, 06:27 PM

Do you need to tell them? What if you have a "medical" situation that results in 40 hour weeks?

Good luck. Great question.
Larry

cantdrv55 · 01-08-2012, 07:10 PM

I don't think you'll need to tell them; it will become apparent. Then they'll either show you th door or you'll let yourself out. At least that's how it is in my sales org. Management will put up with max 3 yrs of not achieving your quota then it's adios. Doesn't matter what you've accomplished in the past. The name of the game is whatcha going to do for me tomorrow.

If it's that hectic where you work, then good of you for reevaluating your priorities. My quota always goes up but never higher than what's manageable. Good luck, bro! Let us know how you come out.

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

You are only as good as your last year. Either offer to move to management or just play run and hide while spouting the company line. At least pretend you are onboard.

You tell them you want to coast you will get ridden then fired, or kicked out some how.

rjp

9dreizig · 01-08-2012, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShakinJoe

Get off their dime and become and independent representative.

That's what I did,, best move ever!

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Our goals were increased 18% for 2011. That's about $200k more in revenue I need to go find in order to make what I did in 2010. It really chaps my ass, but it's the best job I have at the moment. I'd love to jump ship for something more lucrative, but haven't found anything as good as the gig I have, working from home, traveling when I want, usually on my motorcycle, seeing my boss once or twice a year. It's a good gig, but I'll never get ahead here. We haven't gotten our goals for 2012 because they haven't figured out what everyone billed in December yet.

SeanPizzle · 01-08-2012, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShakinJoe

Get off their dime and become and independent representative.

I am not really on their dime, in the usual sense. They throw me a little gas money, pay for part of my health insurance and employ an engineer. For this, I work self directed and brought them just shy of $2M in gross profit. They cover the back end accounting and have the credit lines to run $15M in top line revenue. They last rep did $400k in GP and the two reps before that failed dismally.

If I could get the credit lines without encumbering my house, I would do this all myself with an engineer and back office person on the payroll and keep the rest of the $2m. This gig is as close as I can get to being self employed without the risk and the credit lines.

I have no quota, per se. If I sell I get paid, if I don't I get bupkus. My quandary is how much is enough? Do I kill myself to make that extra $50k only to keep $25k after Barry and Jerry get done bending me over? Honestly, my only justification to work harder is to fund some racing activities. If I can make my racing a legitimate business and not a hobby, I would just write the whole thing off. Alas, there is no money in rally racing in the US.

asphaltgambler · 01-09-2012, 06:20 AM

Directly verbalizing your wish "to coast" to any employer is not a good idea. As said above, one option and maybe the best is to continue to look like your are towing the line, but are working less. Not sure if that is really sustainable over a period of time, so a plan "B" may be needed.

I DO get it tho, as we get older, most of us would like the intersection of quality time / income to meet at a lower point on the effort graph.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

At my job we're measured by each month as a standalone, but as long as you're way ahead in the beginning of the year and your YTD numbers are good, you can coast and not suffer too much for it later on. The problem is if you ever get behind, it's hard to make it up if you've been coasting. My January is always my best month, but it's a result of work I did six mos. ago plus the business cycle. So if I'm down in March and April, it doesn't hurt my YTD numbers too much. December is usually a very bad month because of all the holidays and people taking vacation. So you can't make that up if you go into the end of the year with bad numbers and have been coasting. Best thing would be to go 1099. Then you're responsible for revenue and nothing else. Being W2 I'm subject to all the company BS, internal meetings, conference calls, reviews, KPI's, etc.

Gogar · 01-09-2012, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanPizzle

With AMT, fed and state taxes, I keep a little less than half of any incremental money I make. My time with my family is more important to me that the bigger W2. How do I tell my owners that I just want to keep on with my current or even a little less pace. I realize this is anti capitalist.

Actually, it's the farthest thing from "anti-capitalist."

You don't want to work harder because the fruits of your efforts will benefit (in an ever-increasing percentage) other people and not you.

You're anti-Socialist, or anti-corporatism.

foxpaws · foxpaws's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeanPizzle

They want me to bring a young rep under my guidance and post even bigger numbers..

Sean - that seems to be the answer - are you going to get some percentage of what the people under you bring in? That is what your bargaining chip should be with your employer. Give the new person accounts that you can't spend enough time to 'grow' and still get a cut of the business that he/she brings in. Plus - head them in the direction they need to go to get new accounts - again, with you getting a piece of the action. Work smarter...

PorscheGAL · PorscheGAL's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxpaws

Sean - that seems to be the answer - are you going to get some percentage of what the people under you bring in? That is what your bargaining chip should be with your employer. Give the new person accounts that you can't spend enough time to 'grow' and still get a cut of the business that he/she brings in. Plus - head them in the direction they need to go to get new accounts - again, with you getting a piece of the action. Work smarter...

I was going to say something along these lines except, I would say the company is already planning to slow you down by bringing in someone to piece off your accounts. Good luck

SeanPizzle · 01-09-2012, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxpaws

Sean - that seems to be the answer - are you going to get some percentage of what the people under you bring in? That is what your bargaining chip should be with your employer. Give the new person accounts that you can't spend enough time to 'grow' and still get a cut of the business that he/she brings in. Plus - head them in the direction they need to go to get new accounts - again, with you getting a piece of the action. Work smarter...

Yes, that's pretty much what will happen. We are set to sit down this week to negotiate the over-ride and patch. My ISR is a great kid who has a brilliant career ahead of him if he takes the time to build his customer base. I hand picked him almost two years ago and hired him away from a friends company. He's 26 and I am 43 and my goal is to be semi-retired by the time I am 53, this kid could inherit quote a nice business. This kid will run circles around me activity-wise, I just have old age and treachery to protect my patch.