1
1

1001

Account Manager

Executive
Fire Starter
Contributor
+4

Customer dinner -3k with a 2k wine tab

Our team is cutting down on expenses. Understandable. Need to email about every expense over 1k. Here is the thing, But my Customer recently signed a new $5m deal w/us and we are planning a ton of new projects. C/VP level customer execs I work with also happen to order $500 bottles of wine every time we sit down for dinner. Should I worry about this/tell them to stick with less expensive options, or ignore the guidance and do what we do here - earn trust, build relationships, close deals?!?

🛫 Sales Expenses
21

28 comments

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CuriousFox
WR Officer
11
🦊
You could run the risk of not being reimbursed if you don't get clear guidance from your manager on this one. I'd ask.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
9
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Get guidance on this specifically from your manager or CFO.
bja009
Politicker
1
Enterprise AE
Bit of a tangent, but this is why it pays to be friendly and helpful to your finance team. All my expenses would sail through because I was friendly and supportive with finance whenever I could be (meanwhile others on the team would get receipt-checked for EVERYTHING because they made the finance team's job harder).
Granted that I wasn't doing crazy shit, I was responsible with my spending... but I had dinners like that occasionally and it was no sweat for me, while other reps would have to write up long justifications for that wine.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
8
Sales Rep
I would NOT tell them to order less expensive options.

If you need to email for every expense over 1k, looks like you are going to write a lot of emails. I would for sure ask permission to take them out at nice places from your leadership. Let them know the clients habits on ordering wine.

Worst case, look at the menus before selecting a place
FinanceEngineer
Politicker
7
Sr Director, sales and partnerships
Let them order whatever they want. Bring an exec to dinner with you and have then pick up the tab. Like an executive connection.
PhlipOut
Politicker
0
Account Executive
i think this is golden
jefe
Arsonist
6
🍁
Get clearance but push for no limits - $5 mil is a ton.

I can't imagine telling them to stick with the cheap stuff will go over well.
ADudeBeingAGuy
Politicker
5
Account Executive
Execs need a pool boy? I'm available.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
3
Professional Day Ruiner
I would go to your manager about it. Chances are, the client spends that much money with you, you won't have any issues getting that one approved. If you do, then whoever is in charge of approving/denying these things is a complete idiot and I would go over their head.
antiASKHOLE
Tycoon
3
Bravado's Resident Asshole
I would ask in this instance for sure.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
3
Blow it up
Crack a joke about how that bottle is going into their next rate increase.

Also, you should choose the wine, don't let them pressure you into the VIP night out for a deal you already have signed.
1001
Executive
0
Account Manager
there are more deals we can do!
1001
Executive
0
Account Manager
But I appreciate your point on this.
Pachacuti
Politicker
2
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
As long as it doesn’t hit your expense budget, don’t worry about it.

If your execs are there they should be paying for it and they file the exp reports.
AnchorPoint
Politicker
2
Business Coach
Build the expenses into the proposals. At the end of the day, as long as you hit margin you can order as many $500 bottles of wine as it takes!
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
Ooh devious. I like it.
1001
Executive
1
Account Manager
Hehe yes - travel expense. I’ve seen deals where that’s a line item for consultants
Rallier
Politicker
1
SDR Manager and Consultant
if this client is signing a $5m deal and your management gives you a hard time about a 3k bill, they are insane. Communicate ahead of time what you expect them to do
tightlines
Politicker
1
Account Executive
We had a sweet $1.7 mil deal close over chili’s so I guess it’s possible to lower the standards a bit (please not that much😂)
1001
Executive
1
Account Manager
Great input here! Thank you all! Here is the report back. I did email a write-up to my boss with est amount, attendees, and meeting goals. Bill came up to 2.5k with tips, and I ended up splitting it with 2 cross-department leads I brought along with me. So my part was actually pretty low.
ChickenDinner
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Wow, what is this world you live in!
1001
Executive
0
Account Manager
World of enterprise sales!
ChickenDinner
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I'm in the SMB sales life, I'm gonna have to get into that world someday!
Juancallclose
Catalyst
0
Director
Careful, it takes work to close ENT deals
GDO
Politicker
1
BDM
Tell your boss. Ask permission and tel him what the impact could be
Juancallclose
Catalyst
0
Director
Just had to stay in DC. Hotel was 300+. I suspect my manager will be pissed lol
Corpslovechild
Politicker
0
Inbound Sales Manager
100000% ask. If you don't and they don't give you the reimbursement, than what....
TennisandSales
Politicker
0
Head Of Sales
100% go to your manager first. But i would NOT tell the customer to stop ordering expensive wine if the deals are massive that they are brining in haha

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