BitcoinAddict

AE roles asking you to do upsells, renewals, and account management a thing now?

I have been interviewing for a few AE roles and it seems like there are a good bit that come up that want AEs to do upsells, cross-sells, renewals, and "account management" as well on top of closing net new business.

Is this pretty much a thing now and where the SaaS industry is heading with the smaller business AE and commercial function?

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

No. This is an example of companies being cheap as hell trying to save money by not hiring sales and CS team members. Steer clear of these companies.

TheNegotiator

Arsonist

VP of Sales

Disagree. As a blanket statement I don’t think this is valid.

Imo, this question is difficult to answer. @BitcoinAddict your position on these hybrid roles is pretty clear based on the tone of the post, and fair enough.

With that said, as a sales leader my mantra for my reps was always “do whatever it takes”. I aggressively defended my salespeoples’ right to just be closing, and not have to do any of the nanny work of on-boarding, training, contracts, etc.

But sometimes, closing an account isn’t as simple as getting a signature. If you’re averse to it, then don’t take a role where they ask for anything more than closing. But, if the comp is there, and the comp is fair, what’s the big deal?

Upsells/Cross-sells are fucking easy. They prompt additional engagement with a client you built a relationship with. In a perfect world, imho, the salesperson WOULD handle all these functions, because it creates great customer experience through continuity. In the real world however, closers need to close, and not everyone can close. That tends to be the most effective way to generate revenue.

Again, IF the comp is there, why would you complain? If the comp isn’t there, then they’re being cheap and expecting too much from one person, you’re right to complain. But if the employer understands the opportunity cost and pays the rep accordingly, I think this is a great model, and arguably a good company. They’d be setting their people up for success. But, idk. These details are not available to us.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

I simply do not believe in a world where an AE is responsive for closing the deal, servicing the account, and hunting down the renewal. This only works in low-touch, high-velocity pipes. It distracts closers from closing and is a sham to the function of account management/CS reps who are specialized in adoption, expansion and renewal.

However, in an early stage company that might be required given the scale up of certain functions.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

I will try to actually debate you here instead of going at either bias.

For one, you are operating in a highly ideal world where you think it is as simple as doing upsells and cross-sells. The fact of the matter is that at MOST SaaS companies, the accounts that are willing to invest more in your product are going to an AM whose sole job is to upsell + cross-sell or an AE whose role is designed specifically for that. Most of the times, AEs are inheriting accounts that are likely to have been sold years back and aren't a fit.

Secondly, it is taking focus off of closing net new logos and is a different trait altogether. Yeah the typical sales motivation BS will say "but ur selling value bro!", nonsense. Most of the times, you are helping customers put out fires and inevitably being tied into them. Once again, you live in an ideal world where CSMs put out fires and support helps customers. At most companies, it is rarely like this and often leads to more finger pointing and less time spent selling.

At least with a pure AE role, you are focused on problems that are solely focused on sales.

TheNegotiator

Arsonist

VP of Sales

Again, your points are valid. Nobody is arguing the dilution of priorities this would cause.

however, a sales org that recognizes the setbacks and comps reps accordingly is a highly ideal org imo. I also agree, they LARGELY don’t exist, but I do like the model.

All of your concerns around having to engage and spend time with accounts relates to your inability to do the core job of closing, which is my preference as well. But if I was being comped appropriately, where all of this nonsense was factored in, it wouldn’t be so bad.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

Glad we can meet each other halfway here.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

Salesloft is doing this with their commercial AE team

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Commercial is often smallest on the scale of client size, so I’d imagine these are low-touch and fast closes with little support. They also only do group-onboarding and CS work, so this makes sense.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

Fast close? HAHA, ideal world my friend. Most of the times its "hey, give us the support of someone paying 20x as much as us!".

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Ok, well most commercial teams have a faster velocity than enterprise.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

I find this to be common in early stage startups and cheap/disorganized companies. Not interested in working for either.

unclespacejam

Politicker

ur dad’s brother

@BitcoinAddict can confirm (I’m currently in a role exactly like this, have been for going on 5 years). It’s really fucking hard, and ultimately at least one part of your responsibilities will suffer at the cost of closing net new business. But at the end of the day, you gotta get paid so that likely means on-boarding new users is not going to be very high-touch and maintaining your accounts even more difficult.

Even after 5 years I still can’t say I’ve found the right balance.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

If they are asking for all of these tasks for ONE role the pay better reflect it.

Sgt.Pepper

Big Shot

Sales Enablement Consultant

Left my last company because all AEs became account managers literally overnight

All csms now had a new business quota, too!

Oh, and we didn’t get paid for renewals

Lol

After 2.5 years, quit last month :)

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

I am in that spot right now, getting thrown under the bus left and right because CSMs are mad at me for not pandering to customer's unrealistic needs left and right.

"but but but you're an AE, listen to the pain, it's the customers bro!"

Like seriously, once I close the deal then its off to someone else to care for them. We are hunters, not nurturers!

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

I don't have a problem with an AE doing an upsell, in fact I feel they should be doing that all the time. IMO its easy money to reach out to a current customer and sell them more - as long as you get paid for it.

If you get paid for a renewal, even at a reduced rate, its probably worth doing as an AE simply because its also easy money (assuming the customer is happy with the solution). Why not make a couple calls and get paid?

Your industry may be different than mine, so take that into account as you look at things.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

I would be a fan of upsells too if that is all it entailed but often times, what I see is that the customers worth upselling to go to actual AMs and the AEs doing all of these tasks are getting crap accounts that would be better off churning.

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

I know many companies divide up hunting and gathering between AEs and AMs/CSMs with the goal being AEs driving ONLY new business. I have always hated doing all the work to get the new logo just to have to turn it over to someone else.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Interestingly enough, you'd asked about Adobe, and this was one of the things they tested out with existing accounts. AEs were responsible for getting any renewals that were tied to those accounts. If the renewal was missed, or downgraded, that gap became ARR the rep would have to add to the quota. Of COURSE AEs who had those accounts the previous year and knew the renewal was going to be a challenge would shed those accounts, aided and abetted by their managers, and they'd land on the shoulders of a new rep or a new territory group. Nothing like getting a renewal for a company with which you've never worked churn on you the first month of the FY and be in the hole immediately.

Can you imagine how poor customer satisfaction is in that scenario as well?

It was a mess, and I'm not certain it's been addressed, but it's a great example of how to sour a sales team year after year.

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

Adobe had a renewals team too though and I think they still do. That is how you are supposed to do. Let Renewals come in when their contract is 3 months out from expiring.

SADNESSLieutenant

Politicker

Officer of ♥️

Sounds like a series A

FinanceEngineer

Politicker

Sr Director, sales and partnerships

Yeah, sounds like a lot of customer success in there. Try to avoid those types as you get bogged down and ends up costing you large new sales.

KB_FarmerType

Opinionated

Strategic Sales

Few things I am observing:
1.) The otherwise roles of CSMs and renewals specialists are being pushed in the direction where those folks should be seen as trusted advisor or adoption program mgrs - having commercial responsibilities for them goes against what companies asking them to position themselves in front of customers. Hence who will do the renewal nego? The AE.
2.) Another line of thinking is that once you have landed in the account - it should become easier to make money on that account and AE should be looking to penetrate that account.

Helpful?

If this is helping retire your quota faster , doesn’t it help? (Sorry if I am sounding like the sales manager types , I am an individual contributor too 🤭 don’t get that wrong )

BitcoinAddict

Opinionated

It should be okay if you close it and then a year in, it's yours or 6 months in it is still yours. That being said, I am talking active customers being pushed to AEs here.

KB_FarmerType

Opinionated

Strategic Sales

Oh no - that is just lazy mgmt on your side who isnt able to shield you from the non-salesy work coming your way. (Don't think I am judging and you should 100% see it this way - but please ponder upon who in this mix is not showing up the responsibility to clearly call out the BS in your mgmt.) . The bottomline - This can quickly get frustating and irritating - Please take care of yourself well!

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BitcoinAddict

AE roles asking you to do upsells, renewals, and account management a thing now?

25 comments

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