Would Your Company Fire A Top Sales Performer For Sharing Integrator Information With Rivals?

JH
John Honovich
Nov 11, 2017
IPVM

This is a successor to Divulging Project Details To Manufacturer Reps?

The scenario is your company has a top sales performer. An integrator complains to your company's management that this salesperson has shared information about the integrator's customer to the integrator's rival. The salesperson admits to it but argues that the rival integrator could have found it anyway and besides, the rival integrator does a lot more business with your company.

What does your company do?

Vote / comment inside:

JH
John Honovich
Nov 11, 2017
IPVM

My gut feeling is that most companies will not, even if there were multiple incidents so long as the top sales performer continues to be a top sales performer. Generally, companies are more afraid of missing their numbers than standing by their principles. To emphasize, I am sure there are exceptions and that some will not, but I suspect that is the minority.

(3)
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Matthew Netardus
Nov 11, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I would see this as a one time thing. If it is a simple act of carelessness or thoughtlessness than a stern warning can correct the behavior; if it happens again though it is a different issue entirely. 

(7)
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Michael Silva
Nov 11, 2017
Silva Consultants

An early mentor to me once said: "If you are making sales, nothing else matters, and if you are not making sales, nothing else matters..."

My feeling is that senior management at most companies would take no real action against a top performer who engaged in this type of behavior. Sad but true. 

(5)
(2)
Avatar
Brian Karas
Nov 11, 2017
IPVM

In my experience, it is situational.

If the deal is locked up, meaning an integrator who has a lot of history with the manufacturer is managing the deal, any sales person who tries to get another integrator involved in probably going to get a stern reprimand (unlikely to get fired for a 1st or 2nd offense). There is very little upside to messing with variables in an all-but-won opportunity. But, this would be a weird and strange situation, and an indicator that the sales person is maybe not that bright.

A more likely scenario is that the deal is being managed by an integrator that the sales person/manufacturer has less confidence in. Maybe this integrator is known for being overpriced on labor, or trying to cheap out and selecting the wrong components which potentially leads to an unsatisfied end user. In that case, I have seen RSMs/RSDs steer a deal to a different integrator to give it a greater probably of closing in the manufacturers favor.

Despite what some people like the think, I have found that manufacturer sales people are, for the most part, decent people who don't want to introduce any more drama than is necessary. However, these people are measured, and paid, on what they close, and they WILL act in their own best interest to get a deal done. If they feel a given integrator can not close an opportunity for some reason, they are likely to try and bring in a different integrator to "save" the deal (and their own commission). There is somewhat of an art to being able to discern when and how this needs to be done so that you can maintain relationships across the board.

(3)
JH
John Honovich
Nov 11, 2017
IPVM

If they feel a given integrator can not close an opportunity for some reason, they are likely to try and bring in a different integrator to "save" the deal (and their own commission).

But does that justify the manufacturer salesperson sharing prospect information provided by one integrator to that integrator's rival?

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Nov 12, 2017

All of this is why I either lie and make up information, or flat out tell them they’re not getting information, or just not give a hoot about discounts. I also don’t like giving out information because a lot of the times it gives sales rep reason to ride me to ride the customer and I can’t do anything when it’s a Corp with red tape, so it just causes the sales rep to irritate me.

(1)
TH
Truman HW
Nov 13, 2017

On principle?? ABSOLUTELY. How would you ever remain on top if someone is violating the proprietarily earned essence of your company, irrespective his short term gains of mutual interest. 

JH
John Honovich
Nov 13, 2017
IPVM

How would you ever remain on top if someone is violating

Devil's advocate. How you remain 'on top' if you fired your top salespeople? It is not easy and quite costly to replace them, yes/no?

To be clear, I am not changing my position but I am suggesting that the reason people don't fire salespeople for such violations is that 'top' is generally defined as meeting short-term quotas. Firing salespeople undermines that.

U
Undisclosed
Dec 19, 2017

You're supposed to be going for "trusted advisor" status, not "that jerk who sold me 700 prox readers before my boss found the cloner on Amazon".  

Also you should realize that the competitor you stole from may well spread the word you do that and that'll get you in trouble. Some people actually care if the vendor is trustworthy, you know...

U
Undisclosed #2
Nov 13, 2017

Wouldn't the employer be concerned that in the process of firing the top sales person, he/she would just go work for the competitor?  

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Nov 20, 2017

Interesting topic, with lots of emotion!

Socrates said "Nothing happens until something is sold"...OK, so maybe I took some literary license here.  In that vein, a good sales person... a "rainmaker" is hard to find.

I believe a stern warning for a first offense is appropriate, providing you are convinced that the salesperson embraces the concept of taking the ethical high road.  Obviously, if there is no confidence that the salesperson will follow your lead, then they must go.  A company's reputation is far more important than just grabbing an order.

Many sales people just need to be taught on how to say "yes" and "no" at the same time, diplomatically responding to uncomfortable requests. There is a huge body of work on relationship management, and how to say "no" and make 'em like it.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #4
Nov 20, 2017

A top sales performer will not be a top sales performer for very long if word gets out that he/she cannot be trusted. The manufacturer sales leadership will likely slap on the wrist or be fairly stern depending on situation. Alternately, the top sales performer will likely get him/her self fired for under performance over time. One ounce of mistrust will outweigh a pound of performance pretty quickly in the manufacturer/integrator relationship in the security industry because the performance will eventually deteriorate. 

(2)
JM
John Martinez
Dec 19, 2017

If here is really good go for it.   I used to taunt others when I was in the field.  I used to also recommend competitors products when I could not do the best job.

 

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