Need some level headed advice about job.

[guitrole1]

This is my first post over here in C&C, so please be gentle! Lol

I need some genuine level headed advice here regarding a situation at work. I’m a general manager of a business. We have three of these businesses around the country. It’s a sales based membership type business (I’m trying to be vague). Well, I have two people in the organization that are over me, the owner and his right hand girl (We’ll call her the asskisser). I have been here running this one for about a year and a half. Things are going very well and we are very profitable. I make o.k. money, but have been trying to get a bigger piece lately. Recently we opened a new club in another state that has exactly the same format as the others. Here is where my frustration begins. The asskisser was sent to that state to get things up and running. She hired all of the staff and got everyone trained. The person who she hired there to do what I’m doing ended up getting fired six weeks later. He had no more experience than I did coming into the position and obviously wasn’t the right person for the job. After he was fired, the asskisser went on vacation and I was put in charge of sales for all three stores. After talking to employees at the new business, I found out that the guy that got fired was making DOUBLE what I am for a salary and was getting additional bonuses based on sales performance of his store!!!! Keep in mind that I have been pushing for a raise with a lot of resistance and bust my ass for this place. I basically work six days a week, workout, eat and sleep. That’s my life. Then I hear that I have been getting taken advantage of for the last year and a half!! Now, I love what I do and don’t want this to turn ugly, but I’ve been lied to and I’m very frustrated. My first thought was to call the owner and tell him to go f himself, but I took a breath and realized that I need to deal with this is a more political way.

So, any advice would be much appreciated!!

Thanks

 

[Lestat]

This is my first post over here in C&C, so please be gentle! Lol

I need some genuine level headed advice here regarding a situation at work. I’m a general manager of a business. We have three of these businesses around the country. It’s a sales based membership type business (I’m trying to be vague). Well, I have two people in the organization that are over me, the owner and his right hand girl (We’ll call her the asskisser). I have been here running this one for about a year and a half. Things are going very well and we are very profitable. I make o.k. money, but have been trying to get a bigger piece lately. Recently we opened a new club in another state that has exactly the same format as the others. Here is where my frustration begins. The asskisser was sent to that state to get things up and running. She hired all of the staff and got everyone trained. The person who she hired there to do what I’m doing ended up getting fired six weeks later. He had no more experience than I did coming into the position and obviously wasn’t the right person for the job. After he was fired, the asskisser went on vacation and I was put in charge of sales for all three stores. After talking to employees at the new business, I found out that the guy that got fired was making DOUBLE what I am for a salary and was getting additional bonuses based on sales performance of his store!!!! Keep in mind that I have been pushing for a raise with a lot of resistance and bust my ass for this place. I basically work six days a week, workout, eat and sleep. That’s my life. Then I hear that I have been getting taken advantage of for the last year and a half!! Now, I love what I do and don’t want this to turn ugly, but I’ve been lied to and I’m very frustrated. My first thought was to call the owner and tell him to go f himself, but I took a breath and realized that I need to deal with this is a more political way.

So, any advice would be much appreciated!!

Thanks

I would talk to the owner. Tell him the reasons why you feel you are worth more to the company and should be compensated.

The worst he can say is no, but the odds are he'll likely want to work with you because he won't want to lose you.

As the owner, he wants you as cheap as he can get you. He doesn't have your best interests in mind. You sound like a dedicated and solid worker, so propose a meeting with him, and have your points ready to rattle off.

I wouldn't bring up the fact that you know the other guy was making more, that should not matter, you should be able to get more if you are worth it on your own right. Let him know you are open to taking on more responsibilities if that is what it would take, but that you feel like you are worth more even now, with your present performance and duties.

 

[drrman]

thats a tough one bro.....would definitely piss me off......you for sure need to bring this up to him though., not sure how though

 

[guitrole1]

I would talk to the owner. Tell him the reasons why you feel you are worth more to the company and should be compensated.

The worst he can say is no, but the odds are he'll likely want to work with you because he won't want to lose you.

As the owner, he wants you as cheap as he can get you. He doesn't have your best interests in mind. You sound like a dedicated and solid worker, so propose a meeting with him, and have your points ready to rattle off.

I wouldn't bring up the fact that you know the other guy was making more, that should not matter, you should be able to get more if you are worth it on your own right. Let him know you are open to taking on more responsibilities if that is what it would take, but that you feel like you are worth more even now, with your present performance and duties.

Thanks, that's kind of what I was thinking. From a political standpoint, my boss (the asskisser) would be very upset if I went to the ower around her. This will undoubdetly ruin any type of relationship we have. But, I don't really think that should matter to me at this point.

 

[Lestat]

Thanks, that's kind of what I was thinking. From a political standpoint, my boss (the asskisser) would be very upset if I went to the ower around her. This will undoubdetly ruin any type of relationship we have. But, I don't really think that should matter to me at this point.

Can you call a meeting with both of them at the same time?

I've had to go over my bosses' head before, I will always give my boss an FYI about it AFTERWARDS, but I have no problem going as far up the command as I need to.

 

[guitrole1]

Yeah, I think a conference call might be in order. If they had any idea how much time I spend on this website, I'd have no chance. LOL!

 

[SlimJim52]

1st, make out a good resume, and be sure to include things like, assumed additional responsibilities during expansions. Find a possible new job.

2nd, go over her head and schedule a meeting

If #2 goes bad, stick with #1 and look for a better position. When you find it, drop the bombon the asskisser and say have fun!

 

[guitrole1]

1st, make out a good resume, and be sure to include things like, assumed additional responsibilities during expansions. Find a possible new job.

2nd, go over her head and schedule a meeting

If #2 goes bad, stick with #1 and look for a better position. When you find it, drop the bombon the asskisser and say have fun!

Funny that you say that. I did touch up my resume and sent it out to a company that has a position very similar to what I do now. Except that it's a much bigger company and the pay would be much higher. I thought that would be my best negotiation tool.

 

[jafo]

the best thing you can do IMO following with what lestat said

set a meeting ....right now is a good time to strike as they NEED you there to handle all 3 stores ..DO NOT let them know that you knew what the other guy was making ...start the meeting off right
get them talking about the future of the company and where it is going ..then start in with will there be a place for you in that future

tell them a little about your daily duties and get feed back from them ..if it good feed back than start down the road of more money

you can not ask for more if you have not built your value ..they need to see that YOU are worth the money

basically treat it like any sales call ...if you are running a sales company you should have some experience selling ...this time YOU are the product

get them to BUY and close the deal



good luck

 

[guitrole1]

the best thing you can do IMO following with what lestat said

set a meeting ....right now is a good time to strike as they NEED you there to handle all 3 stores ..DO NOT let them know that you knew what the other guy was making ...start the meeting off right
get them talking about the future of the company and where it is going ..then start in with will there be a place for you in that future

tell them a little about your daily duties and get feed back from them ..if it good feed back than start down the road of more money

you can not ask for more if you have not built your value ..they need to see that YOU are worth the money

basically treat it like any sales call ...if you are running a sales company you should have some experience selling ...this time YOU are the product

get them to BUY and close the deal



good luck

Thanks for the reply. I have done this in the past and I get great feedback. They must think that I'm doing a decent job or they wouldn't have put me in the position of running all of the stores. The owner's argument is because of increasing overhead due to opening new locations, he can't afford to pay me any more right now. He always dangles the carrot by saying "There will be a few very large paychecks at the top once we get large enough and if you keep up the good work you'll get one of them." I had this conversation with him about two weeks ago. Like any job with sales involved, I also get the old, "Another way to make more is to increase your closing percentages and get more sales."

 

[guitrole1]

I'm starting to realize that the only way to get ahead is to threaten to leave and negotiate with another offer. It's been a long time since I've seen anyone get any kind of major raise just by being a good worker.

 

[jafo]

then he gave you an objection ..get around it ...try while I under stand that the company has just increased its over head by opening a new location ... I also understand that the company must be making a profit of some sort to even attempt this ..and with the new location up and running on a proven formula there should be even more profits for the company ...as I am a part of the success of the new location and the future of the company (insert positive comment they made here)

move to the next objection before they can get back around you on this one
this is the whole purpose of getting them to say good things about you ...take there comments and use them against them ...they need to see the value in you

if you cannot build your own worth then DO NOT EXPECT them to just give it to you





dont be scared to rock the boat ...remeber they just had to pay some one 2 times what they pay you and still could not find some who could do the job


that means if they have to replace you ...and at all 3 locations it could cost them allot of money


build YOUR VALUE sell your self to them ..they need to see they can do it with out you (even if they can you need to make them think they cant)

 

[jafo]

I'm starting to realize that the only way to get ahead is to threaten to leave and negotiate with another offer. It's been a long time since I've seen anyone get any kind of major raise just by being a good worker.

lol...why would they pay more for something they allready have

 

[guitrole1]

then he gave you an objection ..get around it ...try while I under stand that the company has just increased its over head by opening a new location ... I also understand that the company must be making a profit of some sort to even attempt this ..and with the new location up and running on a proven formula there should be even more profits for the company ...as I am a part of the success of the new location and the future of the company (insert positive comment they made here)

move to the next objection before they can get back around you on this one
this is the whole purpose of getting them to say good things about you ...take there comments and use them against them ...they need to see the value in you

if you cannot build your own worth then DO NOT EXPECT them to just give it to you





dont be scared to rock the boat ...remeber they just had to pay some one 2 times what they pay you and still could not find some who could do the job


that means if they have to replace you ...and at all 3 locations it could cost them allot of money


build YOUR VALUE sell your self to them ..they need to see they can do it with out you (even if they can you need to make them think they cant)

Great advice. I can tell that you've been in the corporate world! My weakness is playing the political game that it takes. I am a believer in getting rewarded for your performance, not what you have to convince someone that you are doing. That's how I treat my employees and I believe that's why we're successful. Really, thanks for the input, I really like your approach!