“Shaun, I work for a fortune 100 company and we are going through company wide lay-offs, but I am more concerned about our announced sales re-orgs. I have made quota 5 of the last 6 years and I am fairly confident I won’t be laid off. My biggest concern is executive updates say we are re-orging the sales team and rumor has I am going to lose corporate accounts. Without sending a six page e-mail, I an account manager assigned both corporate and regional accounts in my geographical territory. Each major account is assigned a corporate account director, a technical sales engineer, a corporate account manager, and local regional account managers based on the size of the company and regional offices. I get half credit for corporate deals made in the regional territories and vice versa. Hallway conversation, say position will no longer get credit for corporate accounts because they are already assigned a major accounts director, so I will only get the regional deals in my territory. I get 60% of sales from one corporate account in my territory and if I get re-org’d off the account, there is no way I will make quota next year. My question is should I push to stay on the account or start looking for another job?” James W.
James, with the current state of the economy, I am expecting more questions, like yours and Jan’s last week. Your question has lots of nuances, responses, and options.
How many accounts are you assigned? With 60% of your sales coming from one account, I recommend you get busy working your other accounts asap. Not only are you at risk of getting reassigned accounts, what if this account went with a competitor. Even if you are only assigned three or four accounts, you need to minimize your risk and increase your compensation by penetrating your other accounts. I am going to assume you have been in the same territory for six years and I would bet you have assumed there is no or minimal business in your other accounts. Take a fresh look at the accounts and put together a sales plan (cold calls, marketing literature, seminars, get management involved, etc.) for your other accounts.
Rumors. Lack of information is usually filled with false information. It seems your company is practicing transparency by informing you of upcoming changes, give them time to formulate and announce the plans, before you panic and make rash decisions on potentially inaccurate information. For sales managers, when major changes are pre-announced please keep open lines of communication with your team, even if you don’t know have all the answers. Being proactive will help you avoid future problems.
Being at a Fortune 100 company, I am going to assume you have no influence on your upcoming sales re-org. As stated in previous posts, most companies do not make rash decisions when it comes to changes sales to their organizations. I would bet your senior management and sales leadership, have consultants and accountants reviewing each every change to the sales plan. Based on your question, it sounds like there is concern on duplicate effort on the accounts by assigning both a corporate and local rep, in addition to the director. Sales leadership works on the balance of having the right team to win business profitably, and make sure that quality reps have a territory where they can win business, make money, and not leave the company. If you company and sales culture is pro-sales people, I would not expect this change even in this tough economy.
Looking for a job. Based on your question, you have a minimum of six successful years with your company. I would not take switching jobs lightly in this economy. I have a friend who recently switched and his new company is going through layoffs and he is the new guy (needless to say he is nervous). At the same time, it is not a bad idea to freshen up your resume and to talk your friends at other companies. Also you can set up a automated e-mail alerts on the many on-line job boards (www.monster.com; www.careerbuilder.com, etc.). This is obvious but don’t use your business e-mail to get the messages. With the economy headed toward a recession with high unemployment, companies always need quality sales people, even more in tough economies because with the less business out there to win, deals are going to get even more competitive.
I recommend, you meet with your boss to discuss the upcoming challenges and in a positive fashion lay out your value to accounts and your concerns. Tell him or her, what you are doing today to win business at the account. Do not talk about commissions and your problems without discussing your value to the account. Do not threaten and try to make the meeting a positive in a tough market. For all you know your ‘boss could have the same concerns you have on getting re-org’d himself.
Good Re-Orging and exceeding quota in 2009. Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give ‘James’ additional information and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun Priest aka CloserQ.
James, with the current state of the economy, I am expecting more questions, like yours and Jan’s last week. Your question has lots of nuances, responses, and options.
How many accounts are you assigned? With 60% of your sales coming from one account, I recommend you get busy working your other accounts asap. Not only are you at risk of getting reassigned accounts, what if this account went with a competitor. Even if you are only assigned three or four accounts, you need to minimize your risk and increase your compensation by penetrating your other accounts. I am going to assume you have been in the same territory for six years and I would bet you have assumed there is no or minimal business in your other accounts. Take a fresh look at the accounts and put together a sales plan (cold calls, marketing literature, seminars, get management involved, etc.) for your other accounts.
Rumors. Lack of information is usually filled with false information. It seems your company is practicing transparency by informing you of upcoming changes, give them time to formulate and announce the plans, before you panic and make rash decisions on potentially inaccurate information. For sales managers, when major changes are pre-announced please keep open lines of communication with your team, even if you don’t know have all the answers. Being proactive will help you avoid future problems.
Being at a Fortune 100 company, I am going to assume you have no influence on your upcoming sales re-org. As stated in previous posts, most companies do not make rash decisions when it comes to changes sales to their organizations. I would bet your senior management and sales leadership, have consultants and accountants reviewing each every change to the sales plan. Based on your question, it sounds like there is concern on duplicate effort on the accounts by assigning both a corporate and local rep, in addition to the director. Sales leadership works on the balance of having the right team to win business profitably, and make sure that quality reps have a territory where they can win business, make money, and not leave the company. If you company and sales culture is pro-sales people, I would not expect this change even in this tough economy.
Looking for a job. Based on your question, you have a minimum of six successful years with your company. I would not take switching jobs lightly in this economy. I have a friend who recently switched and his new company is going through layoffs and he is the new guy (needless to say he is nervous). At the same time, it is not a bad idea to freshen up your resume and to talk your friends at other companies. Also you can set up a automated e-mail alerts on the many on-line job boards (www.monster.com; www.careerbuilder.com, etc.). This is obvious but don’t use your business e-mail to get the messages. With the economy headed toward a recession with high unemployment, companies always need quality sales people, even more in tough economies because with the less business out there to win, deals are going to get even more competitive.
I recommend, you meet with your boss to discuss the upcoming challenges and in a positive fashion lay out your value to accounts and your concerns. Tell him or her, what you are doing today to win business at the account. Do not talk about commissions and your problems without discussing your value to the account. Do not threaten and try to make the meeting a positive in a tough market. For all you know your ‘boss could have the same concerns you have on getting re-org’d himself.
Good Re-Orging and exceeding quota in 2009. Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give ‘James’ additional information and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun Priest aka CloserQ.
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