bendandsnack

Account Exec

Do you play nice or look out for number one when taking a territory?

Hey guys. SMB rep at a professional services partner of a major cloud provider. Finally getting out of SMB next year, thank god.

Had a 1:1 QBR with my CRO this week. He told me that he's excited for me to take Corp and I can just go for it now, even Enterprise if I'd like. Our end of year numbers are only tracking 70-80%ish. I think he's nervous and this is a bit of a Hail Mary to try to get some last minute deals in, but I'll take it.

Right now, there's a guy twice my age covering the territory. He hasn't done much and is trying to go for Enterprise anyways. My CRO said that to him the territory as it is now is "white space" and everyone in that territory has just had deals handed to them.

As we're a professional services partners, our "customers" are teams of reps at the major cloud provider who bring us in when their customers need something. I've already reached out to the partner manager and am having him introduce me to the team I'll be focusing.

Dilemma - I've decided not to tell the guy currently covering the territory that I'm taking over until after I'm intro'd to the team. While covering SMB I had a bad experience playing nice while trying to split the territory with a counterpart who did not return the favor.

I'm minorly conflicted as that's not how I like to work, but I don't want to give him the chance to think it's up for discussion, and frankly as a female half his age I don't want him trying to walk all over me. I know normally a Manager should handle this, but the Manager for that territory is on pat leave and we're growing quickly so things are a bit of a mess anyways.

How would yall handle this? Do you overcommunicate with territory stuff or do you always look out for number one?

👑 Sales Strategy

☁️ Software Tech

✌️ Growing Pains

8

14 comments

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jefe

Arsonist

8

🍁

By your title I was ready to say you can do both, but I think that you brought up some really valid points and your approach makes a ton of sense.

Especially with the age/gender disparity and the fact that you're in a bit of a leadership vacuum.

TennisandSales

Politicker

5

Head Of Sales

I hate leadership vacuums………they really suck.

😀😀😀😀

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

You can just see yourself out!

CuriousFox

WR Officer

4

🦊

Ba dum tss

TennisandSales

Politicker

4

Head Of Sales

ILL BE HERE ALL WEEK!

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

2

Bravado's Resident Asshole

This is a terrible dad joke... +1 for Gryffindor

Gasty

Notable Contributor

5

War Room Community Manager

@bendandsnack- if it helps, I'd handle it exactly the way you are right now. Won't blow the trumpet if I can end up hoarse.

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

0

Bravado's Resident Asshole

agreed on this. Well put

TennisandSales

Politicker

3

Head Of Sales

For sure with the age / gender situation i would just focus on you and do your thing.

You got the green light from the boss no need to get anyone else involved.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I agree - your approach sounds fine to me. You’re going to be introduced, no need for a heads up. Sounds like the CRO has you covered, so stay close!

Arzola

Valued Contributor

-1

Business administration

this!! a very good one

BourbonKing

Valued Contributor

3

VP of Sales

If you've already told the partner manager and he's telling his team, aren't you concerned that the current rep will find out from them? I'd go to the CRO (since the Manager is on leave) and ask him/her to step in. A good CRO will understand you're being put in an awkward position and will want to avoid potential conflict.

Mendizo

Opinionated

2

Sr. Director

As others have said, given your specific situation (and it's unfortunate that you being female and much younger is putting you in this spot, we all need to continue to work on this), it's best to keep this close to your vest and know that leadership is backing this move.

One thing I would recommend though is to build yourself a moat as quickly as possible. What I mean is to make it so that you can articulate (in whatever form may be needed) that you have a plan to cover Corp/Enterprise accounts, how you will target them, which ones, what 'plays', etc. This not only protects you (what if the numbers continue to be bad and they look for a scapegoat), but also sets you up for success (what if they all of a sudden ask you and the other guy for what accounts you want to cover and why)... you will have a lot of it ready to go. Basically, build out a game plan for how you will tackle this space. It doesn't have to be complex, and could even be a slides in a powerpoint or a few lines in an Excel... just think through it.

Since we don't know the guy currently covering it and what kind of person he is, I would say worst case you prepare for is that he will claim a bunch of top names for himself to keep (which, if you want to fight it, you can simply look in whatever CRM you use and see if there's any leads/opps, because if they're empty there's not reason he should take those), or he will want credit for stuff coming in (again, go back to what is documented in CRM as 'proof of work'). Hopefully it won't to that much of a conflict, but again here your articulated plan will give you all the power in negotiating who covers what. The one who can demonstrate to leadership that they've though through a strategy (and especially how to bring revenue forward in a bad year) will be the one given the account.

activity

Politicker

0

VP, Business Development

Look out for number one.

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