RandyLahey

Account Executive

Acclaimed Answer

Valued Contributor

Need some advice - colleague is cheating/scamming

Hey fam,

TLDR: Colleague obviously ripping off customers in our new market. This may cause larger issues. Looking for advice/feedback.

Randy's back with a request. Going to keep this as vague as I can.

A colleague of mine is placing orders on their client's accounts, without their knowledge/consent then ignoring them as they get a massive overcharge to their account.

I have received multiple calls from their accounts on our sales line. Thus far, I've said "they will reach out to you".

I have a feeling this will eventually get snuffed out and normally my attitude is mind your own business.

But this is posing a risk to a new market we've just entered as word is likely to spread. We are a well-known company in the space.

Please comment with your advice fam.

What should I do?

Attached poll

Nothing, karma will come around and they will get found out Mention to your manager the interactions you've had Address the customers directly and show them how to get refunds Other/comment below

*Voting in this poll no longer yields commission.

26

52 comments

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SoccerandSales

Big Shot

16

Account Executive

A) I love the TLDR, it actually led me to taking the time to read the whole thing.
I think you have to raise to management/upper leadership. This isn't just an issue that now you have to deal with, if it gets out that your org has shady billing practices due to one bad egg, it could fuck up public image for years to come (which affects your job security too)

RandyLahey

Politicker

7

Account Executive

That's my thinking. It's gone past the Mind your own business phase.
And yeah, learned a long while ago to put the TL:DR at the top; give the people what they want.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

3

Account Executive

Always a good idea

CuriousFox

WR Officer

15

🦊

Oof you work for Bank of America or Wells Fargo? Yikes.
This feels a little too big to ignore since clients can bring your name into this by saying they reported concerns to you.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

6

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Yeah, the WF case came to mind.

oldcloser

Arsonist

5

💀

Bing! ☝️

jefe

Arsonist

2

🍁

Definitely giving a Wells Fargo vibe.

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

I do not, thankfully.
But similar sized risk I would think.
Anyways, let's just say the behaviour is being slowly caught on to...

oldcloser

Arsonist

9

💀

Yeah, escalation time. You know about it and do nothing, you're complicit, Papi. Go, go up the chain. Go far. He's robbing you by default with this BS.

RandyLahey

Politicker

5

Account Executive

Yeah...first thing I am doing tomorrow morning.

oldcloser

Arsonist

5

💀

sorry, homie. Best to get your nuts outta that vice ASAP.

Fenderbaum

Politicker

7

Retired Choirboy🪕

.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

7

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Oh boy, we take all kinds of internal webinars about this kind of shady business practice. As in, it's illegal. And the remedy is for you to bring it to your manager's attention. You're protecting your company from potentially serious legal ramifications if I'm reading this correctly.
Out of sheer nosiness, what's in it for your colleague to do this? How does your colleague benefit?

RandyLahey

Politicker

3

Account Executive

So in essence, they get credit for the sale.

But we have clawbacks, so it only lasts for a month, AND you kill any chance of growth in the account. Customer ends up leaving, rightfully pissed off.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

7

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

So not only is your colleague unethical, s/he is also an idiot.

RandyLahey

Politicker

4

Account Executive

Yes. But my guess is because our fiscal quarter is ending, they will take the extra juice this quarter and deal with the clawback on the next one.
They pulled some similar grease last Q just not as flagrant as this.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

6

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

That is just unethical, shortsighted, and wrong.
I'm sorry.

RandyLahey

Politicker

6

Account Executive

Unanimous poll results thus far...damn

CadenceCombat

Tycoon

5

Account Executive

I would probably approach your manager and be like “Did you know that buddy is doing this? Because I don’t want to miss out on revenue walking on the straight and narrow path if we’re just burning and pillaging accounts”

RandyLahey

Politicker

3

Account Executive

I'm worried about reputation here, actually in both ways. Am I culpable for not having brought it up despite having knowledge? Or am I a rat?

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

3

Sales Rep

.

Fenderbaum

Politicker

5

Retired Choirboy🪕

During your career you will be called everything under the sun by loads of people, many of them you once thought were friends. Stay true to yourself, your family, and God, or whatever higher power floats your boat. People will respect you for that. So yes, escalate this to your supervisor and let nature take its course, otherwise you may be deemed culpable.

braintank

Politicker

5

Enterprise Account Executive

Id normally say let karma sort it out, but if someone is breaking law it's in your interest to escalate. Either to your manager or an ethics hotline if you have one.

RandyLahey

Politicker

3

Account Executive

So not breaking law, but certainly contravening our ethics/rules.

braintank

Politicker

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Regardless, I think it's in your best interest to tattle

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

It's the brazenness of it that bothers me.

Revenue_Rambo

Politicker

5

Director, Revenue Enablement

Burn them to the ground! 🔥🔥🔥

It’s shit like this that gives real sales people a bad rep.

Justatitle

Big Shot

3

Account Executive

Management should be made aware, this is business and there are ethics

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

It’s gone too far, despite my trepidations I will be bringing it up to management.

Maximas

Tycoon

2

Senior Sales Executive

Approaching the guy to get either an explanation or even a caution to call him/her out ,would that be an option you might consider!Even if it got snuffed out, at least you did your part and let his/her seniors pay for his/her sins!

RandyLahey

Politicker

1

Account Executive

See to be honest, I mentioned to them the first one and tagged the account but I doubt going back to them will do anything.

CPTAmerica

Opinionated

2

President/CRO

If you see something say something

RandyLahey

Politicker

1

Account Executive

Right? Twice is a sign it's not a mistake they are making...

AnchorPoint

Politicker

2

Business Coach

Address it with the person first. If no agreement, management.

Pachacuti

Politicker

2

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Raise it privately to your managers

F5onrepeat

Politicker

2

Sales minion

If/when you do decide to let your manager know, be prepared for nothing to happen for a while. I've run into this before and ran this all the way up the chain to the VP only to be told to hush. Manager, director, and VP were all making money as a result--until they were finally fired after 6 months or so

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Yeah, there's also another situation where a ruling is going to go against me. Just need to accept and move on, other than this I am treated generally well...

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

Checking in on you today my friend ☕

RandyLahey

Politicker

1

Account Executive

Hey Queen. I've been going back and forth on this one. I'm still only 6 months in, and don't want to be known as the AM who always brings up problems.
How flagrant it is is what is bothering me, and how they are getting away with it. Makes me feel like it's a rigged game.
But - I have a great situation, I'm doing well and my team is otherwise great.
So need to keep thinking on this, maybe over some more Basil Hayden's...

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

I'll crack open a Miller in solidarity

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

1

Account Executive

That's illegal.

Now that you know, seek legal guidance and protect yourself. Maybe even have a lawyer discuss it with the company to protect your job and etc.

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

So there's a small grey area where this individual could play dumb, and say something like "I explained it to them"...

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

1

Account Executive

Unless it can be unequivocally proven.... Not really.

Emails to customers and phone calls would disprove that statement very quickly.

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

There's a recording of their customer calling me, and it's bad.

ThatNewAE

Big Shot

1

Account Executive - Mid enterprise

Take it up with the manager - I am guessing I am a little late to the party. So what's the update, how did you proceed with it ? What happened?
Deets please !

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Just posted an update on this actually: https://bravado.co/war-room/posts/cheating-scamming-colleague-update-post

coletrain

Politicker

0

Account Executive

Hit the wrong option, yeah it’s escalation time for company CYA

Suburbia

Executive

0

In Sales

Such a poor situation to be caught up in. Bring managements attention to it, you owe it to the customers.

0

Inside Sales Marketing Analyst

Do the right thing and call this out. It isn’t right. Take it to management for sure.

RickC137

Opinionated

0

Account Executive

Any update? @RandyLahey

-1

thx

RandyLahey

Politicker

0

Account Executive

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