Work - ethics question - am I right?

[ponyfitness]

Sales - territory is basically sacred. Had a customer in my area contact me regarding some questions about a product upgrade and moving. I went in the same day (called immediately) and told them I'd have answers in two days, which I did - in writing and went in person to drop it off - and they were very happy.

Two days later I get an email from a guy in another division telling me that it is his account and he's been working on it for 6 months. His manager tells me to back off. I contact the customer, and they tell me this guy didn't do anything they asked and was basically dismissive to them so that's why they called me. I even have an email from the customer to this guy telling him that they would rather deal with me.

So now this guy is being a total douche about it. Technically it is his account - if you stretch things - but I got farther in two days than he did in six months and he's going to get commission for something that I did instead of him. Am I wrong to make a stink about this? It's over a small amount, but to me this guy shouldn't get rewarded for not doing his job.

Cliffs:
- doing a deal after being contacted by a customer
- another rep trying to poach the deal claiming it's his account even though he hasn't done anything
- account would rather have me doing it, does not like him
- i'm ready to tell this guy to piss up a rope.

 

[wlmcrae]

Why was the other rep working an account in your area?

 

[ponyfitness]

We have two divisions - graphics and commercial. He claims this is a graphics account because it's an animation studio, but they do no graphics printing at all. It wasn't on a master list of claimed accounts (I checked) so I didn't even think about it.

 

[txbondsman]

territory IS sacred, if it's in your area, if the customer was contacted even by mistake, the other rep should NOT be allowed to keep the account. If there was no sale, and the customer actually took the time to write you back and ask for you to be their rep, show that to your boss and the other worker, your boss should follow the customers wishes. IF, they give him the account, insist on taking an account that you have been wanting to contact but didn't or one of his next leads, good leads I might say....
I had customers from time to time in my sales career actually call my boss and tell them that if I wasn't the rep they would do business eleswhere. Not that I was some supersales guy, but sometimes your personalities just click....

 

[needtogetarmy]

The answer is simple: the area is sacred. IMO I would back off. Let the other guy do what he needs to. Eventually he will fail because he is incompetent. In the end you will win.

 

[txbondsman]

Sales - territory is basically sacred. Had a customer in my area contact me regarding some questions about a product upgrade and moving. I went in the same day (called immediately) and told them I'd have answers in two days, which I did - in writing and went in person to drop it off - and they were very happy.

Two days later I get an email from a guy in another division telling me that it is his account and he's been working on it for 6 months. His manager tells me to back off. I contact the customer, and they tell me this guy didn't do anything they asked and was basically dismissive to them so that's why they called me. I even have an email from the customer to this guy telling him that they would rather deal with me.
So now this guy is being a total douche about it. Technically it is his account - if you stretch things - but I got farther in two days than he did in six months and he's going to get commission for something that I did instead of him. Am I wrong to make a stink about this? It's over a small amount, but to me this guy shouldn't get rewarded for not doing his job.

Cliffs:
- doing a deal after being contacted by a customer
- another rep trying to poach the deal claiming it's his account even though he hasn't done anything
- account would rather have me doing it, does not like him
- i'm ready to tell this guy to piss up a rope.

that should be all you need right there. Show that to YOUR boss......

 

[ponyfitness]

This guy just had the balls to email me asking me to send him my proposal to them and what I quoted so that he could "follow up". I feel like emailing him back and telling him to kiss my ass and do his own work, which he didn't do in the first place.

Any way to say that politely?

 

[abolish the weak]

If anything you should be given a RAISE, because you changed the way the client may have perceived the company based on the other lazy fuck who couldn't touch base with them, and you got the sale for them. You probably should have discussed this w/ the manager first since you knew they were dealing with the other guy, but oh well.

 

[txbondsman]

This guy just had the balls to email me asking me to send him my proposal to them and what I quoted so that he could "follow up". I feel like emailing him back and telling him to kiss my ass and do his own work, which he didn't do in the first place.

Any way to say that politely?

tell him something till you get the matter settled between your boss and his, it's their paycheck too. personally, I wouldn't give him shit till my boss said to....

 

[abolish the weak]

This guy just had the balls to email me asking me to send him my proposal to them and what I quoted so that he could "follow up". I feel like emailing him back and telling him to kiss my ass and do his own work, which he didn't do in the first place.

Any way to say that politely?

No ,fuck that, at this point you guys are not friends. Either he does his damn job, or somebody else who needs the money will. I wouldnt show him a God damn thing, dont give him anything, he'll use it against you to get your sales. And as far as "politely" goes, fuck politely, be blunt and to the point

 

[abolish the weak]

All he is doing is trying to prove he had something to do with all this so he gets a commission, dont send him dick

 

[ponyfitness]

The answer is simple: the area is sacred. IMO I would back off. Let the other guy do what he needs to. Eventually he will fail because he is incompetent. In the end you will win.

Actually in that case I lose the deal plus the company probably loses a customer because they think we're a bunch of idiots who can't do our jobs properly.

At this point I'm ready to sign the deal and just deal with it afterwards.

 

[abolish the weak]

I'd contact your boss first and discuss the matter first, you'll only be protecting your own ass

 

[txbondsman]

salesmen are only as good as their last month, BUT, if your % of quota is always good, and your last month was good, and this month looks good, you have a big stick to swing....
also, how much potential $$ can you expect from this account? if it's chump change, you may want to take the high road, if it's big $$, fuck that MF'er, I'd go down swinging. You haven't mentioned what your boss is saying about it....

 

[txbondsman]

Actually in that case I lose the deal plus the company probably loses a customer because they think we're a bunch of idiots who can't do our jobs properly.

At this point I'm ready to sign the deal and just deal with it afterwards.

there won't be any afterwards bro, you don't give him shit unless your ready to give him the account! Find your boss, deal w/ it now....

 

[ponyfitness]

salesmen are only as good as their last month, BUT, if your % of quota is always good, and your last month was good, and this month looks good, you have a big stick to swing....
also, how much potential $$ can you expect from this account? if it's chump change, you may want to take the high road, if it's big $$, fuck that MF'er, I'd go down swinging. You haven't mentioned what your boss is saying about it....

My boss has been involved already. He flip flopped about it and basically said "let me deal with it" after the latest exchange. He's kind of wishy washy that way.

 

[ceo]

My boss has been involved already. He flip flopped about it and basically said "let me deal with it" after the latest exchange. He's kind of wishy washy that way.

I used to deal with this all the time. Our company rule was that whomever had the first closed deal - it was their account. This guy has fucked around for 6 months and they hate him. You come in and in 2 days, you've got a sale.

Your boss needs to see that email and understand this whole situation. If he doesn't get behind you on this being your account then either go over his head, or just explain to the customer that unfortunately your hands are tied (you make that call). And, NO WAY IN HELL do you give that other fuck your work to use as his own and get paid on your deal (IF it comes to that). I would ignore his request for your proposal. If he bugs you again simply tell him that he can do his own work, and it's not your place to do his job for him. CC his boss and your boss on that email.

 

[SaladFork]

You have the same gripe my girl has daily. Someone is always trying to snipe her shit even though she has done all the work.

 

[ponyfitness]

I figure I'll wait until tomorrow and then send that idiot an email telling him I'm not going to give him shit (and cc my boss and his boss his request for it) and restate that I have done more in two days than this idiot has done in six months, plus the email from the customer that says they would rather deal with me. If that doesn't embarrass him and his manager into giving it up then they are both idiots.

 

[txbondsman]

I figure I'll wait until tomorrow and then send that idiot an email telling him I'm not going to give him shit (and cc my boss and his boss his request for it) and restate that I have done more in two days than this idiot has done in six months, plus the email from the customer that says they would rather deal with me. If that doesn't embarrass him and his manager into giving it up then they are both idiots.

yep, you got it. If your on really good terms with the customer, you could have them call/ email both bosses and have them ask for you. Just tell them that there is some confusion and you may not get to work with them as you were looking forward to doing, if it isn't an imposition, could they call/email these addresses and state their position.

Everybody understands that your going to make a comission on their account, theyr're businessmen too, whether it's them not getting paid for work done or an asshole trying to snake your comission, they know that it's about money, so you don't have to be shy as to why this is important to you.

let us know what the outcome is...

 

[ponyfitness]

This stupid weasel.

Even after I forwarded the email to my boss stating the client would rather I keep the account it seems that the other manager is adamant that it is the other guys account and he's now asking me to forward my information to this guy. And now my manager has to go along with that.

I'm planning on telling him I'll fill him in about it in person and to come and see me. That way I can tell him to go fuck himself without there being any record of it rather than telling him politely to bite me via email.

Either that or I can tell him that I suddenly have no record of any proposal because I deleted it by mistake. Whoops. Oh, and by the way, kiss my ass.

 

[FriendlyCanadian]

yes..

yes you are..

 

[txbondsman]

if it's important to you, and I can see that it is, as I posted before, it's about the potential money generated. If it has big potential, and your willing to go to any length to keep it, the customer is always right in business, always, period, end of story. I'd have a sit down with he prospective client ( preferably the owner), tell him/her what has transpired. I'd also ask them to make a call to your company owner/ president, and tell him that he had prior contact with the other douche, didn't like the guy AT ALL, and that you will be their rep if they expect them to do business with your company. If the managers say wtf, just tell them that you wanted to smooth things over with them and explain that they would be doing business with the first guy. They took an exception to that and that was the position that they took.

PF, I want to say this, I was working for 2 different Fortune 50 companies, Pitney Bowes and GTE, no matter where you work, you'll have things from time to time that aren't fair. Whether at your job now, the next one you work for, or the next, shit happens. Don't cut your nose off to spite your face, if you like your job other than this one instance, the people you work with, etc. just consider yourself lucky, it could be a whole lot worse. FYI.....
AND, NEVER EVER quite one job w/o having another one to go to, EVER. Also, don't burn any bridges, you'll need someone to vouch for you that you worked there form (blank) to (blank), and whether your eligible for rehire. That won't happen on your next job prospect, they can't call your job if your still employed. But the one after that, they certainly may....
Hope all his has been a help....