Angusmacg

Territory Account Mgr.

Valued Contributor

New position and owner “checks in” every couple of weeks

I’ve been in my current job for just over 4 months. We sell capital equipment so a relatively long sales cycle. I spent my 1st month in training in the office with no direction given on when I could venture out on my own. I normally spend 1 day per week in the office for at least half a day. The day I go in the office is the same as when we have our weekly sales meeting (morning meeting I take while home).

Over the past 2 months I’ve received 3 calls from one of the owners of the company. He called basically to “check in” as “ I haven’t seen you in the office lately”. Each time I told him when I was last in the office and that he wasn’t there. One time I was out for a week with Covid which he was aware of. I try not to have an attitude when I get these calls but I’m beginning to lose my patience. I’ve been in sales since 2003 and I feel as though he thinks I’m not doing my job.

What would you do and how would you respond?

💺 Outside Sales

11

16 comments

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TennisandSales

Politicker

7

Head Of Sales

i would have a conversation with the boss! this is almost ALWAYS the answer.

Set up a 1 on1 and just say:
"Sandra, im concerned you dont think im doing a good job right now. Am I not meeting your expectations right now?"

if you get in front of it, it will stop driving you crazy and it will show the boss that you know what you are doing.

jefe

Arsonist

4

🍁

I think this approach will be most likely to succeed.

Sounds like a very small organization, and probably a bit old school based on the industry.

TennisandSales

Politicker

2

Head Of Sales

yep. totally agree

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

3

Rolling 20's all day

What do the other sales people do? I would ask whoever has been around for a while what the owners expect.

Angusmacg

Valued Contributor

1

Territory Account Mgr.

One is the owners son so I can’t ask him. My “supervisor” has been there so long that if I ask him I believe it would get back to the owner. I’d much rather leave on my terms than be pushed out.

nomdeguerre

Executive

3

Account executive

“…one is the owner’s son…” warning warning. Huge red flag 🚩

GDO

Politicker

3

BDM

he just does not trust you. prove him wrong or just ignore it and hope he does not push you out

TennisandSales

Politicker

3

Head Of Sales

i wouldnt ignore it. I would confront it. explain how you feel and suggest a better way to communicate. or something small like this could become bigger.

adrienmc

Good Citizen

2

Founder @LaGrowthMachine

You’re probably right : there is a lack of trust there that you aren’t doing your job.

Is the owner calling you attending the weekly sales call? If not, either there is miscommunication between your manager and the owner, or you manager isn’t reporting the right info about what you do

Two things I’d do :
- clarify the WFH policy. It’s one thing to say you can work from home, it’s another if your boss isn’t confortable at all with it. Old school people can’t fathom that you can actually do good work from home. It’s your role to help them understand it’s possible !
- show them your activity metrics to reassure them you’re doing the work, as well as a detailed pipeline update each week. I’m not talking about your weekly sales meeting, but an additional transparency report via email for example in which you outline what you’ve done (activity metrics basically), progresses with all your accounts, hold back, as well as your planned activity for the next week. This should help establishing the trust that’s currently lacking

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

2

Bravado's Resident Asshole

Stand bold and figure out what the issue is. There is a lack of trust and belief in your competency.

frenchiemom1120

Member

1

Inside Sales Representative

Can you just not answer the call? Lol
Or just say you feel more productive at home

Angusmacg

Valued Contributor

1

Territory Account Mgr.

Actually I have avoided gathering call and called him back when I was ready. I explain when I go in the office and that he doesn’t hspppen to be there.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

1

Sales Rep

Does he do it to every other rep?

Angusmacg

Valued Contributor

2

Territory Account Mgr.

Not that I’m aware of but it is possible. We really only have 1 other rep that lives close enough to the office. I know he goes in multiple times a week but usually not whole days

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

1

Sales Rep

Need to have to have the transparent conversation with the owner. Got to establish boundaries

bja009

Politicker

1

Enterprise AE

Another vote here for 'address it head-on.'

I work for an owner like this (1 layer between me and him, but reported to him directly for a while too - re-orgs as we grow etc).

After about a month of near-daily calls checking in on deals and progress, I told him "I'm concerned that you don't think I know how to do this job. I do, though, so let's talk about whether there are expectations I'm missing." He didn't have anything - basically he's constantly fretting about cash flow and wants to feel like he knows what's happening.

The calls didn't stop, but they slowed down and got friendlier because we then understood each other better.

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