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Ace profile picture

Ace

CEO

Arsonist
Politicker
Valued Contributor
+7

Do you delay deals to hit the next quota?

Some of the sales people I know hold on to the deals and delay them deliberately to help them hit the quota next quarter or year. Do you think this is a good idea or practice?

Do you delay deals to hit the next quota?

Attached poll
*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.
👑 Sales Strategy
28

90 comments

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Rallier
Politicker
21
SDR Manager and Consultant
Leadership needs to design a better comp plan if they want people to stop doing this
Lumbergh
Politicker
2
Sr Account Exec
So much this.  It's also fairly ridiculous for non-public and smaller startup companies to be on quarterly drivers, especially when they don't attach accelerators quarterly
slaydie
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
Agree here...its all about the comp plan. Sales people will find the best way to work it to their advantage. Leadership can make the comp plan juicier if they want to prevent sandbagging. #playasgonnaplay
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
I know right. But they don't learn despite of them knowing it
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
9
Digital Business Associate
I'm not a fan of delaying anything. Nothing is guaranteed, if they are sold today they are sold today.
JuryFoot688
Good Citizen
3
Account Executive
I think the phrase "time kills deals" reigns true here. I'd rather get them through now.
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
0
Digital Business Associate
Preach
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
That's a good way to look at it
UserNotFound
Politicker
1
Account Executive
@Bittersweet0326 you sound like a sales manager... 
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
1
Digital Business Associate
😂 I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. I’m not, but personally I take what I know I can get today vs pushing anything out.
SADNES5
Politicker
6
down voters are marketing spies
*sandbag gang*

Honestly, it's part of the game. If you hit your numbers and are 1-2 weeks out for next Q. Some net new never hurt. 
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
I agree!
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
5
🔪Amateur Butcher🔪
Sandbagging is the cornerstone of a good sales person. The ability to do so means that you are performing at or above targets/quotas/expectations. #IncentivizeMeOtherwise
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
Totally!
slaydie
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
Preach!
southernfriedsales
Opinionated
0
Senior AE & Business Owner
Yup....
Bloodhound
Good Citizen
5
Recruiting Manager
It depends what my pipeline is looking like. If I have $100k in revenue committed and not much else on the horizon, I can either book $100k and look like the man for 1 month, or book $60 and $40 and look great for two months. The commission is still the same, and I'm incentivized to do it this way so that I don't potentially hit a 0 or come up short of my number even if I crushed my last month/quarter. 

No matter what leadership tells you, sales is always "What have you done for me lately"
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Good point
Indakitchenwhippin
Politicker
2
Channel Sales
Depends, if I can hit really early and I can just get jacked to the tits accelerator wise I don't sandbag. If I'm like 4 days out or just barely not going to hit (off by 5% or less), I'm tossin it to the next month. Better to miss quota by 5% and get a headstart for next month and hopefully makeup the shortfall.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Okay that's decent
E_Money
Big Shot
2
💰
duh
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Lol
InQ5WeTrust
Arsonist
2
No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL
Had a comp plan where I got capped on my commish once I hit 5 meetings per week. Sandbagged the hell out of it. 
Lumbergh
Politicker
1
Sr Account Exec
capping commissions is the stupidest thing any ops/finance person can ever do to demotivate a sales team
InQ5WeTrust
Arsonist
1
No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL
Preach.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
100%. They're only hurting themselves
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
How else you gonna hit those kickers 👀
Ace
Arsonist
1
CEO
Haha ikr
CCP
Opinionated
2
VP, Business Development
Sandbagging is an artform to be perfected by all whom forecast. 
MrMoneybags
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
if there is incentive to do so, I see no reason why not to
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Yup to even out the incentives
CadenceCombat
Tycoon
1
Account Executive
No, I try to avoid sandbagging.
Salespreuner
Big Shot
1
Regional Sales Director
If org can design recurring commission structure that can be carry forwarded or paid in advance, may be. Will work best. And will avoid people doing so
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
True!
ReadTheScript
Politicker
1
Sales Manager
Strong comp plans deter this. Unfortunately, SaaS has succumbed to groupthink and pushing for how to milk every single dollar out of the sales process
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
I know. Leaders need to come up with a better comp plan
MsTech
Executive
1
Business Development Executive
only when it's at the threshold between markers, and then only if I've crushed my quota. 
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Makes sense
DizzyRascal
Opinionated
1
BizDev
Yep, when I hit my quota and my accelerators my quarter is done.
SammySandbags
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Its called Sandbagging baby
breezyboiii
Politicker
1
Sales Boiii
is there an option to vote for 'sometimes' cause i'd vote that. 
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Well this is good enough haha
LordOfWar
Tycoon
1
Blow it up
I've never delayed but had deals delayed outside of my control. Our sales cycles are long, so its more a yearly quota vs quarterly and any good manager will understand that a win is a win.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
That is true. Also if there are factors outside your control, there's only so much you can do
34fifty
Valued Contributor
1
Team Lead
I've had higher commish multipliers for exceeding quota. I've never had to. Lesson for me as a manager. If you don't want to delay your revenue, design a solid incentive plan.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
This seems to be the theme of the thread. Many managers miss out on building a solid comp plan
34fifty
Valued Contributor
1
Team Lead
Yeah. Ends up being a de-incentivising plan instead. Only if the nard dog knew :D
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
100%
Tanmocha_
Contributor
1
Senior Account Executive
I sandbag my deals at the end of the month if I know I’m going to struggle the following month or if I already hit my profit for the month and it won’t make that much of a difference in my commission for that month. I have to hit a certain amount of profit each month before I get commission. 
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Yes that makes sense
IndianaClosedWon
1
Director of Sales
Don’t hate the player, hate the game...
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Lol ikr
Smithy
Politicker
1
Director of Sales
I have done it once or twice but that was because it was better for me to do so. 

not a good company to work for when that is the case 
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Agreed. Leadership should come up with better comp plan

paddy
WR Officer
1
Director of Business Development
Yes all the freaking time
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Hail to sandbagging!
slaydie
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
HELP - I'm in a pickle....2 weeks left of the quarter. I've hit goal. I have 3 big deals cooking right now that could get me to 93% of goal for next quarter (I know, life is wild!). It looks like I could get all 3 of them in by end of June. Do I sell them now or do I take my time and get them in next quarter. HELP! SOS! I know this is a great position to be in but I am torn as to what to do. 

Also, I did the math and the extra few percent that I make on kickers from overachieving this quarter will be the exact same amount I would make if I achieve quota next quarter (which these deals would pretty much get me there). So commish wise it's the exact same. It more so just makes next quarter less stressful so thats the pro I am thinking about if I were to sandbag em. 

So what do you all say? To sandbag or not sandbag, that is the question.
plssircanigetanotherpo
Executive
1
IC
Never coz money now is always better than money later, unless we're in a deflationary environment. Who knows when the job will be gone, I'd rather close it NOW than put the deal at RISKS (stakeholders leaving, budget freezes, competition, etc.). 
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
That's a good way to look at it because many salespeople I know are pro sandbagging
AJ_flipping_Steel
Good Citizen
1
Sales Executive
Quotas and commission for my company is paid out on monthly sales cycles. So of course you work the system best way possible, while not screwing over your customers to help boost your commission checks.  *My boss taught this my first year on the job*
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Haha learning from the boss. That's awesome. But you're right - as long as it doesn't hurt the end users and customers, game the system
once
Fire Starter
1
Sales Executive
In my industry, delay deals is not healthy since we depend from others (supplier) to deliver the products.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
What industry is this?
once
Fire Starter
0
Sales Executive
Laboratory equipment supplier.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Interesting!
once
Fire Starter
0
Sales Executive
What is your industry?
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
SaaS - HR Tech
CaneWolf
Politicker
0
Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract
I've done it but now I see it as too risky unless we're talking lotsssss of cash.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Absolutely
nomdeguerre
Executive
0
Account executive
If you haven't committed the deals to current quarter, and if it is in your favor to delay them, and you are 100% sure delaying won't put the deals at risk, then sure.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Yes, weight out the pros and cons and then take the call

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