RedLightning

Mid-Market AE

Looking for a tactful way to approach BDR manager

Hey Everyone,

Our BDR team is ramping up and doing a great job, but they've been booking meetings 3ish weeks out pretty consistently that are unsurprisingly not showing up very consistently.

I understand that no shows are part of the game, but personally think that the BDRs should view these as something to follow up on closer to the meeting date rather than send it to an AE to chase.

Overall, they're doing really well. We do a round robin hand off style with a few exceptions. It's a bit frustrating to essentially lose a spot in a rotation for a meeting next month that I don't think will show up. Any advice on how to approach this tactfully or any constructive feedback from people who have been in similar situations?

Thanks!

🧢 Sales Management

☑️ Qualification Calls

👨‍🌾 SDR

35 comments

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poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

I would go to your manager, explain the situation, and have them go to the BDR team. That's their job, after all: make it possible for you to be successful.

As for SLAs that can be put in place: I have, in the past, put a limit on how far out my S/BDR team can book something on an AE's calendar. It's been 2 weeks at the max, and if they can't get it into that timeframe, then they have to follow up with the prospect closer to the timeframe.

On top of that, no-shows are the S/BDR's responsibility to reschedule. Since they don't get paid unless it's a delivered meeting, they are very motivated to do so.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

It's a newish team, so the kinks are still being worked out. I like that as an SLA. I'm trying to protect my calendar as well as my rotation spot. But, I understand they are measured on calls set as well.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

I see--paying reps on meeting set is a fast-track to gaming the system. I'd suggest to the manager to shift away from inputs and focus on outputs, but also might not be time to change it, yet.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

It's a KPI of theirs. I'm unclear on the full comp structure, but they get paid on meeting completed. We're still figuring out how it works with AE's accepting/declining meetings.

I don't think they get paid for closed won or demo's completed

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

The flux of a new role is fun for everyone!

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Yeah! the org is growing quickly and the AE team is also pretty new. I really like our sales structure and am confident in the plan. But, it's almost like an awkward puberty phase at this point

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

Have you asked the BDR why they booked a certain customer that far out in advance? You could find out if they are looking at your Outlook calendar to see when you're free or if they are taking the date the customer is saying they are free. My point is to ask. 😎

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

They use the prospect's date. When I ask it's typically been that the prospect is OOO, but interested. In my experience, if I book a meeting after someone is OOO for two weeks they will almost always push the meeting to catchup on missed work unless there is a great "why" behind them accepting the meeting.

The "why" on these hasn't been very strong.

Upper_Class_SaaS

Politicker

Account Executive

This exact thing happened soooo often at a previous company of mine that it legit became a big issue that started to divide the SDR & AE team.

As we grew both teams the rotations became longer and longer so getting no-showed or a bad qualified meeting really was a punch in the sack.

Ultimately you should lobby against moving away from the round-robin because it will eventually become a headache, so fix it before it falls off the rails.

The SDR/BDR Manager needs to set some urgency within their team, maybe even incentivizing in-week meetings set?

Cornholio

Opinionated

Account Executive

I think this is great feedback. I would also suggest coming with some example or numbers. Like 65% are no-shows or these specific prospects did not come. Having numbers to back your discussion will help them accept there is something THEY need to change not just that your complaining about some missed appointments.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Yeah, I need to sync up with the other AE's. It's likely not a me problem. But, numbers always paint a good picture

Cornholio

Opinionated

Account Executive

Agreed

FeedTheKids

Politicker

Solutions Consultant

I recommend getting the whole team on board - then as a unit reaching out to BDR manager.

Coming from 1 person is something taken differently than a whole group experiencing the same problem.

Annonny

Big Shot

Account Executive

Are they setting virtual appointment's or in person?

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Virtual. I sell SaaS

Annonny

Big Shot

Account Executive

I think that may be a lot of the problem..tbh when we transitioned more to virtual due to covid....we had A LOT more people who would be no show's..so I think def following up is key before the appt..however you are giving them the opportunity to know back out cause they changed their mind. It's a very thin line

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Agreed. That's another thing we're unsure of too. The BDR owns the opp until the first meeting is completed. So, who's workflow does that fall into is something we're juggling. I'm confident this team will be great, but there are some growing pains

Annonny

Big Shot

Account Executive

for sure..Gotta go thru the process the kinks will workout..I think going to the manager and just acting concerned and saying what you think is the best thing..they can't be mad at you for wanting to help!

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

Okay - scenic route. have you tried incentivizing your meetings further out to show up? Sendoso has a $5 starbucks giftcard I use for meetings that are far out. It increases attendance to nearly 100%. Give it a shot if the other approaches don't pan out.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

we have something like that set up, but I don't own the opportunity at this point and I'd prefer to use the limited budget I have with that on later stage deals

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

It's $5.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

That adds up quickly for opps that may not be opps. I want people to show up for a business reason, not for free coffee.

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

Expense it.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

We have $50/month for that. I use it for later stage situations and when I need to bring more stakeholders in.

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

Ask for more budget to help your BDR's not only hit their quotas, but provide you with more quality leads. Would you rather give me $500 per month for starbucks giftcards or hire another SDR at $110k OTE a year to make sure I get five more meetings per month that stick?

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Honestly, I don't know if that's a good use of marketing or sales budget. I think they have a qualification issue and I don't think having people show up to meeting for free coffee would be a good use of our time. I'd rather save that for referrals

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

I give you an upvote because you are committed to your beliefs. I wish you the best of luck, fine sir!

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

Haha, thank you. I think we land at a agree to disagree. I've just personally never been a fan of "I'll buy you a cup of coffee for a discovery call"

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

ill do a lot more than a cup of coffee for a meeting.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

What do you send?

FlintIronstag

Notorious Answer

Chief Marketing Officer

anything necessary.

alecabral

Arsonist

Director - Digital Sales Transformation

So before escalating to a manager, would you consider talking to your bdr/s? They should be able to respond to questions such as "is there a reason why you schedule meetings so far in the future?" I find it hard to believe that all prospects prefer to have a meeting scheduled in 3-4 weeks from now, there might a SLA in place you're not aware of. And even if was just a customer thing, I'm pretty sure you can just talk to the BDR/s and give them some open, very positive and proactive feedback on this. After all, your success is their success.

RedLightning

Politicker

Mid-Market AE

It's a recent issue. It's been 2 of the last 3. It's "the prospect is OOO for the next two week" for both.

As of now, they're told to book it (at least to my understanding). So, I don' want to tell them to do something that their manager has told them to do.

As soon as it's booked, I know that I'm going to get either no showed or an email from the prospect asking to move the meeting because they're catching up from being OOO. There usually isn't a good "why" behind the meeting either when it's that far out.

edit - @alecabral sorry I didn't address the first part. Yes, I talk to the BDR's and ask why it's so far out. What I don't want to do is tell them to do one thing, but their manager tell them another thing.

Sabrinathsaleswitch

Good Citizen

SDRs really shouldn't book that far out. And if they are they should be reminding by phone/email aggressively 24-48 hrs before...the round robin piece is killing you here. If no show, it should go into an automated cadence to re-book that the SDR handles, not the AE. Also, may be opportunity for objection handling to push urgency. Would definitely do a SPIFF on setting meetings in-week.

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RedLightning

Looking for a tactful way to approach BDR manager

35 comments

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