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JustGonnaSendIt

Burn Towns, Get Money

Politicker
Valued Contributor
Opinionated
+4

Company Being Acquired - Impact on Sales Folks?

Hello Savages,


I come to you today seeking advice and counsel.


My current employer is in the process of being acquired by a larger company. We are a large company in our own right, but getting eaten up by a bigger fish.


I've heard acquisitions are generally good for Sales teams. Although there are sure to be some shenanigans.


I am in an Enterprise AM role. Hitting 105% - 145% of my quota this year (coming off a 165% year last year), depending on a few upside deals I have outstanding for the year.


I've never been thru an acquisition before - Any advice or commentary from those of you that have?


Thanks in advance for your input.


EDIT: To add some context, my BU is the highest performing of the company being acquired, and we offer products that are mutually exclusive to those of the acquiring company. I'm also not particularly worried about losing my job / being forced out, more curious as to what kind of things you've seen happen / what to watch for.

☁️ Software Tech
🧠 Advice
17

20 comments

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antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
5
Bravado's Resident Asshole
It depends, but I have seen it go either way for the sales team. There tends to be layoffs in other departments first. I would get your wins together and dive into their process as soon as you can to show that you are open to the change. Just don't lose yourself.
butwhy
Politicker
5
Solutions Engineer
Is the product you sell complimentary or a competitor to the company you acquired? That's probably going to dictate the answer.
JustGonnaSendIt
Politicker
3
Burn Towns, Get Money
Overall, my company has some mutually exclusive products and some overlap.

The area I'm in is one of the mutually exclusive areas (Cybersecurity). We're also the best-performing BU of the company being acquired.
butwhy
Politicker
4
Solutions Engineer
I think you're probs Gucci to stay, though the acquisition might interfere with opportunities as it makes prospects a little anxious that processes or products might change after things are closed.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
5
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Been through it, and how the acquiring company goes about absorbing your company is how it will affect you.

In one case, the acquiring company left the acquired company completely alone for 4 years. We operated as a company within a company, just with a different office and emails. In this case, all we had to do was continue to meet our numbers and sell what we were familiar with. After that 4 years, things did change and the entire larger company was reorged and most of us were sent to other divisions. Maybe still selling the same thing, but a different reporting structure.

The other thing I've seen was that the first few months were the same for both companies, as the acquired company closed out its FY. Then the sales org might be broken up to roll up to a different sales manager (selling same solution as a specialist) or given the opportunity to internally interview and jump to a new role within the broader org.

Once I saw the acquired company solution just fail to sell and after a couple of years, get deprioritized and the sales team absorbed into other roles.

As has been said, control what you can, which is your sales process. It's entirely possible that this will open up opportunity for you within the parent company. It's an exciting time.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
5
🦊
The overall advice I give is to keep your head down, don't listen/get involved with gossip, hit your numbers, and do your job. ❤🦊
Sunbunny31
Politicker
3
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Always good advice!
jefe
Arsonist
5
🍁
It really can go either way.... Usually achievement can't save you if they're axing the team.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
So, related: years ago, my team did get axed, and were notified that in two months, we were going to have severance, etc., if we didn't find an internal placement. However, two of us were called back in within two weeks due to our performance. It was a stressful 10 days, but as a result, I got an end of year break AND didn't have to attend the sales conference. So, achievement can lead to you ultimately surviving a team elimination.
jefe
Arsonist
2
🍁
That’s quite a tale. Glad you’re the outlier, but not too surprised
1nbatopshotfan
Politicker
3
Sales
Hit your number. That’s all you can control. It looks like your focus is complimentary to the acquisition so you’ll most likely stay. Good luck.
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
3
Director Sales and Market Development
Nothing changes for the next year, maybe some CEO and CFO changes almost immediately. Higher level people will either bounce or take on new positions with the new co in 12 months, Sales as long as producing will have nothing to worry about for a long time and possibly even more products in the bag or synergy opps to sell into
AnchorPoint
Politicker
3
Business Coach
Sounds like your BU may be the reason for acquisition... at the end of the day, serious sales pros will always be employed.
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
2
Rolling 20's all day
Is this going to change the product you sell? Often if you're acquired the product or service ends up being integrated or eliminated (and you end up selling something new).
What I'd focus on is staying strong in your efforts and keeping an ear to the ground for any red flags that might come up. If lots of people start jumping ship I'd look around but not necessarily make a move.
Just keep your options open.

If the new company is very strong then things might turn out even better but you will most likely be sitting there with a fresh structure and different team members so if that scares you then be aware of what the future might hold.
SoccerandSales
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
In my experience, there were little changes at first before big changes that affect the way and the products you sell. If you think that this acquiring company is worth being associated with, I don’t see any reason not to stay unless things get hairy.
Dallas_Knight
Big Shot
1
Strategic Account Executive
Look for the signs of a RIF, do you hear management more pushy in some areas than others? Are they hiring more in certain areas? Where are resources going ? Is management pushing you to rank yourself with others?
JustGonnaSendIt
Politicker
0
Burn Towns, Get Money
From this perspective, I'm positioned well. My team is getting dedicated resources for the upcoming FY rather than the pooled resources we've been sharing with everyone else for the last few years.

Thanks for the thinking prompt.
Rallier
Politicker
0
SDR Manager and Consultant
This happened to me once. A few of my colleagues were laid off, but it didn't affect my day to day too much. I was still selling the same product
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
0
ISR
Ive sold a lot of different stuff and it’s pretty much the same everywhere I’ve been. Luck doesn’t have much to do with it. I have yet to hit a milly on one check, but I have met a handful who have. It’s about being in the right place at the right time and having the hard work already done on your part. You can have the right opportunity but fall on your face if you can’t actually sell. It’s an abomination of a cliché, but you make your own luck.
Error32
Politicker
0
ISR
My back up plan is finding a rich old man with no estate plan to marry.

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