AE Fucks Up Deal - What to Do?

Half vent half question - for context, I do conference sales where my company runs a number of industry-specific tech conferences. SDRs are divided by conference section and each SDR is responsible for only one vertical of tech.


Situation is, I set up a SVP of Marketing at a good company that looked like it would turn into a deal a few months back. Don't really want to get into much specifics on the company, but it does a bunch of things that fit really well into my industry vertical. A Senior AE took the call and wrote in our CRM that the SVP needed to talk to her CMO and that the AE would reach back out in a month. Needless to say, nothing really happened and the deal blew out. Thought it was an issue of decision making but I couldn't for the life of me find the CMO whether it be on the company's website, Zoominfo, or on LinkedIN.


Flash forward to a week ago, a fellow SDR in the same vertical as my own sets up a call with the same exact prospect. I was confused - asked the SDR if they read the CRM. They responded that they did, but once they showed the conference to the prospect over email, the prospect was intrigued and wanted to set up a time to talk. Was really befuddled by the whole situation as the prospect should have remembered the conference from her last conversation with my AE and also thought that the CMO was the decision maker.


So, the AE takes the pitch, the prospect loves the event and the contract just got sent out yesterday. He marked it down in the CRM as the SVP being the decision maker as the marketing budget is "the SVP's own budget".


Talked to the AE about the situation and he was being kind of shady when answering my questions. He wouldn't really reveal what happened to me, even though I asked why it had blew out in the first place as the SVP was the correct decision maker. So, talked to my fellow SDR and it turns out the AE revealed to my coworker that he had fucked up the pitch and pitched the wrong event to the prospect on my setup pitch. The company does not have a CMO - unsure whether the AE felt awkward to mark down his mistake in the CRM or the SVP lied to coverup the fact that she was not interested - so the prospect actually was the correct decision maker.


Pretty annoyed at the whole situation - ofc, the SDR did nothing wrong but I'm upset at the AE for multiple reasons - as I have been busting my balls and hitting the phones constantly only to have a senior AE (not even a regular AE but someone who had a bunch of experience at the company) fuck up a deal. Deal would've netted me over 1K. What to do? Assume this is just tough luck but it's frustrating the fuck out of me...

😤 Conflict Resolution
👨‍🌾 SDR
😡 rant
8
CadenceCombat
Tycoon
5
Account Executive
Easy. If you have any control over which leads go to which AEs in the rotation, tee this AE up with shit leads going forward. Stack the deck with good leads for the AEs you can actually count on.

You don’t want to be the guy pointing fingers about who killed what deal because it’s not a good look and it will be remembered if / when you make a mistake.

Let’s say you do make an issue out of it, what is the best case scenario? You get paid out on the deal? Not happening. You get this AE reprimanded or fired? Also unlikely. You’ll just be painting a target on your back.

Don’t say anything and keep the shit leads for the shit AE (if possible).
js2458
Politicker
1
Enterprise SDR
Yea issue is I don’t control who the leads go to - it’s a random split that my manager decides on. That being said, you are probably right. Can’t control it, just don’t trust him and move on.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
1
🦊
I love this answer Cadence
oldcloser
Arsonist
4
💀
Is it because you’re at work that you can’t be honest? Is it fear of retaliation that keeps you from letting sleepy the AE know he fucked you?

I don’t subscribe to the fuck back harder and in secret plan. Too much work and it’ll make you miserable when sleepy has no idea you’re even annoyed.

This is a loser. You lost. It blows. Hate rots it’s container. Tell the dude he owes you lunch because he missed a clue somewhere and end it right there. It’s the high road.

Sunbunny31
Politicker
4
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Also, AEs make mistakes too. Not saying it’s a great situation, mind you. Is this a one-off, or is this AE frequently screwing up? If it’s a one-off then it’s a bummer. If it happens a lot, I suspect the situation may be self-correcting.
oldcloser
Arsonist
3
💀
Truths
lajefa
Good Citizen
1
Enterprise Account Executive
Agree 100% with this. Be honest, have an open conversation, maybe nothing will happen but at least it is out on the table. Resentment breeds a toxic work environment, which doesn't help anyone. Least of all you

Money is the least of the concerns here. Honesty is the root of all of this. If you don't bring this up in an honest fashion, this will likely happen to someone else. Nip it now.
oldcloser
Arsonist
0
💀
Agree with your agreement. You said it better.
detectivegibbles
Politicker
4
Sales Director
Control what you can control. If there’s no longer faith in that AE to close deals, send to someone there is confidence in.
Maximas
Tycoon
-1
Senior Sales Executive
Definitely agree with that!
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
I understand how frustrating it is. It’s done and dusted. Nothing is in your control here. The other SDR and AE won the deal and company got new revenue. Be happy about it and look forward. I am sure your learnt something out it.
pirate
Big Shot
1
🦜☠️ Account Executive
I have had some pretty epic fuck ups over my career. And it sucks. And I wish it didn't happen and then ensure it doesn't happen. And then you become a better salesperson... Control the controllables
CPTAmerica
Opinionated
1
President/CRO
It’s a team sport, work together
Pachacuti
Politicker
1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
From what YOU described- you didn’t have the correct details, the AE didn’t do the correct follow up because you didn’t know their org chart, the deal died.
Some other SDR figured out the prospect, set it up correctly, and the AE executed on it.

Am I missing something?
js2458
Politicker
0
Enterprise SDR
I think you might be confused - I had the correct org chart and details. I talked about my event with the prospect, but the AE pitched a different event entirely. The SVP was the correct decision maker in the process, but I think the SVP wasn’t being truthful on the call with the AE bc the SVP wasn’t interested in the incorrect event. It’s like if you were pitching someone who liked candy skittles, only to hand off the deal to and AE who instead pitched them cake.

That being said, def learned for the future to always let the AE know what event they should be pitching regardless of if it seems obvious. My role is to only pitch one vertical and IMO the AE should be aware of that when I am passing them the company (we are a small SDR team), but I guess I could be faulted for not letting the AE know specifically which event to pitch. Will not make this mistake in the future for sure.
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
I’m not blaming you necessary, but there definitely is some miscommunication going on.

I would seem obvious that the AE should have known the event since you only pitch 1 event. But I would have mentioned it in the meeting notes regardless.

Lesson learned - over communicate like the person has an IQ of Forrest Gump.
js2458
Politicker
0
Enterprise SDR
Yes 100 percent issue of miscommunication. I think I assumed he would know what event to pitch because this company literally has all the buzzwords of my vertical. It astounded me that any other event would be pitched. But, tbf to the AE, my industry vertical is new for our company so I could see how he might have not known which event to pitch.

And yea will def overcommunicate next time. Was annoyed at the whole situation but there is something for me to learn here…
McLovin214
0
CEO
💯

People... doing what OP, who had recommended sending the AE shitty leads IS NOT THE ADVICE YOU SHOULD TAKE! This is why millions are lost due to BAD DATA.

Does the AE even know that he’s f’ing up? As @sunbunny31 mentioned, is this a one-time mistake, or continuous? Either way, it should be brought to the surface with that specific AE which is done by COMMUNICATION.

Let's touch on what communicating means... I know, it seems ridiculous that I am touching on this, but it seems like people have lost their way with their heads so deep in social media like some ostrich in the dirt. This is another MAJOR ISSUE (I am almost certain that the same person advising to “feed the AE shitty leads” fits right into the category of consuming rather than contributing with social media) and the first problem would not even surface if people knew how to communicate.

And now, let’s touch on why people do not communicate... Life boils down to two emotions: Fear & Love. OP that advised to do the not-so-scrupulous shit, would do the following because he/she is not happy with themselves and fears retaliation from the conflict that MAY arise from bringing the issue up (BONUS: there wouldn't be any retaliation if you are communicating accordingly)

When you love yourself, you love others and comprehend the simple fact that two wrongs do not ever make a right. I do not like speaking badly, calling people names, etc. But @oldcloser is spot on when saying, “This is a loser...,” and again, he is spot on. Nobody with that much time and energy to sit there and plot ways to tank, not only their lives but others who feed into their BS advice would or will NEVER live a happy/stress-free life until they fix their ways. And if they do not fix their ways, then go wash dishes at some fast food restaurant because you clearly can't communicate and are (probably) the reasoning behind ChatGPT.

My bad for the rant as this obviously struck a nerve. I just do not understand why people like that do what they do. If you are miserable see a therapist, don't try to give others therapy, and if this hurts your feelings; GOOD, then that means you still have a soul left worth fighting for, and know the difference between right and wrong. To understand anything you first must be understood and nobody will ever understand if you are not true and do not communicate (AKA FEEDING THE AE SHITTY LEADS). WIN 🏆
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