signandrecline profile picture
signandrecline profile picture

signandrecline

Enterprise Sales

Catalyst
Opinionated
Valued Contributor
+4

Target has been increased by 5x, and the commission against that has been reduced significantly. How do you work with something like this?

Some context, and I'm not bragging -


  • I'm the highest performing rep
  • Hit the highest rev numbers in company history
  • Nobody ever has had this kind of targets in company history
  • I am responsible for Marketing, Cust Support / Account Management and Sales
  • I hit quota by 287%


Cut to today -


  • Quota has been increased by 5X - we're talking big boy numbers based on company history and standards (pretty low compared to what most of you bring in)
  • Commission has been dropped significantly with little to no sign of management budging
  • I'd be making the same commission I did this year for hitting 3X the revenue. Let's say I made $10K on hitting X. I'd have to hit 3X to make the same $10K - is this normal?


Please help me make it make sense.

💰 Compensation
21

28 comments

Sort by:
TreTime
Catalyst
15
Account Executive
Same thing happened to me. Company didn’t have any idea how to scale quota towards high achievement.

I searched for a new company.

Got 4 offers in 2 weeks. Signed with one that offered 2.5x previous comp w/ solid product and market fit.

Use your current quantified success to your advantage.
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
9
🔪Amateur Butcher🔪
This IS the way.
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
2
Officer of ♥️
+1
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
8
Officer of ♥️
wrong answer: stay

Right answer: leave
Pachacuti
Politicker
-1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
You didn’t come close to answering his question about making sense of it. You just advocate leaving. Don’t be that guy.
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
2
Officer of ♥️
Sense: bad management doesn’t reward over performance correctly because is in experienced from scaling a sales org or doesn’t value over performance the way they should. Seems like a bad culture/management fit.

Id ask them to make sense of it for you telling them what you told us. Chances are you will get corporate fuckery ie. A bunch of hogwash with no real answers
YoursTruly
Politicker
3
Account Executive (SaaS)
His question is "how do you work with something like this" the answer is - you don't. find a new company and leave that company behind. 
Pachacuti
Politicker
-1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
The answer is we don’t have enough info to provide quality advice
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
ok but Pachacuti. if ur company raised quota by 5x and payed u less to do it, would you stay.
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
Really depends on ALL the circumstances.

On the surface it’s a tough pill to swallow, but we don’t have enough info.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
1
Professional Day Ruiner
the only info needed is in his post. He said he has to do 3x the work to earn the same thing he did last year. The only answer to that is to leave and find someone who values an over achiever. 
ChumpChange
Politicker
3
Channel Manager
Ahhh... the people that make us money are making too much money paradox.  This happens all the time and it's an incredibly short-sighted and ignorant view of how to successfully run a sales org.   Let's push out the stars and fill the ranks with backup players.  Good luck with that.  If anything... I would do revenue accelerators if you go over target.  More money for us means more money for you!  Now is the time to get the resume out and start testing the market.  
Filth
Tycoon
2
Live Filthy or Die Clean
If you're currently swinging a huge hammer in your org, use that weight to have a real person conversation with your CRO (or w/e your equivalent is) and have them explain their reasoning and respond with why this doesn't make sense for you and why it may make you look for another place to play (as adultlike as possible - keep the fun, "fuck this guy" thought for updating the war room).

All the while looking for someone willing to pay a Rockstar the commission they are due for a reasonable quota. 


Get at it champ, best of luck.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
What did your manager say when you had this discussion one on one?
1nbatopshotfan
Politicker
1
Sales
Are you being managed out? Does management think that you made too much money last year? 
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
1
Rolling 20's all day
More quota and less money per sale? GTFO
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
1
ISR
All the while looking for someone willing to pay a Rockstar the commission they are due for a reasonable quota. 
SirCloseAlot23
Politicker
0
Business Development
Sometimes being great at what you do makes it so the company has to adjust pay to make the less capable feel involved or like the can actually do something.

Sorry that sucks.

Also relieve your self of so many roles.
YoursTruly
Politicker
0
Account Executive (SaaS)
happened to me so I found a new company. 

My quota is now 2/3 of what my previous quota was and my OTE increased by about 50%. 


NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
0
Professional Day Ruiner
I would handle it by getting the fuck out and spending all my time applying to new jobs. Any company that does this doesn't understand how valuable a strong sales person is and thinks you're easily replaceable. Any good company will see you crushing it, then do things to make your comp plan even more lucrative so you can earn even more and encourage you to perform even better
Socalgal327
Executive
0
Enterprise Account Executive
Wow same. Currently looking around n
MR.StretchISR
Politicker
0
ISR
Ahhh... the people that make us money are making too much money paradox. This happens all the time and it's an incredibly short-sighted and ignorant view of how to successfully run a sales org. Let's push out the stars and fill the ranks with backup players. Good luck with that. If anything... I would do revenue accelerators if you go over target. More money for us means more money for you! Now is the time to get the resume out and start testing the market.
Mr.Floaty
Politicker
0
BDR
Monthly. Selling SaaS
Cyberjarre
Politicker
0
BDR
Quarterly or monthly is the way to go, never heard of annual. Sounds like a scam to keep cash high for investors or something.
Pachacuti
Politicker
-1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
You blew out your quota by too much. Probably your quota was way too low. Call it a mngt correction. The percentage commission should remain more or less the same so that’s kinda lame.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
2
☕️
Any insight for the rep to understand how to navigate a conversation with management and/or how to set proper expectations for a go-forward plan?
Pachacuti
Politicker
0
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
He asked for help making sense of it. I provided that. The quota was probably not set correctly to begin with. I need more info on the commish % part. But of course the company is going to do a quota correction when they see someone blow it out like that.

Lots of people will say “leave”. That’s a chump answer, especially if he likes it there. A better perspective is to approach management about tools to be more effective. Because I don’t know the industry I can give advise there, but instead of bitchin about quotas, ask for better tools to hit it

ABCvs
Valued Contributor
2
VP of Growth
Ask for better tools? He hit quota.

He did his job (+marketing, support, etc.). I don’t see how you can read this and think his company did right by him.

If they aren’t willing to talk to him about reasonable adjustments, he should leave (after leveraging his success for a better position).
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