salesdaddy

Senior Account Executive

Vaccine Travel and Company Re-Opening

My company has announced it will not re-open offices in 2021, and will apparently make booking of offices available at a TBD date. I've always been a remote field sales person but I'm not allowed to see clients either... enforced via shame and no expensing. I'm not really worried about my ability to close and generate business but I think those handshake relationships are really important.

Part of my team doesn't even seem to feel comfortable getting together for QBRs which I find unbelievable. I just want to see my dawgs. I haven't even met my official boss ever.

I'm curious, am I in the minority or do I work at a silicon valley virtue signaling fest? Would you want to go see your team even if you couldn't/your clients didn't want to see you?

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funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

I think there's all kinds of things at play here:

1. Some people are legitimately fearful of the virus for themselves/loved ones they can pass it to.

2. Some people aren't fearful but being overly cautious due to social pressure, especially companies that are publicly visible. Virtue signaling also falls into this category. I think this is where most people fall right now.

3. There are also people taking advantage of this situation because they've never liked going into work/in person interactions. They now have an argument that people will not question against resuming these activities and hope things never go back to normal. They'll hold out for as long as they can.

I myself cannot wait until things are back to normal. I'm sick of Zoom, Teams, social distancing, masks, and restrictions overall. This shit has run it's course, time to learn to live with the virus instead of in fear of it. That's a whole other topic though...

HarryCaray

Notable Contributor

HMFIC

I could not agree more with this. I think #3 is VERY common.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Same. Sadly, a lot of them seem to be millennials (my generation) and younger.

There are also a lot of people who have benefitted from all this - low earning, unskilled workers who are making as much money through employment/emergency benefits staying at home playing video games as they would be at their regular jobs. And we can't forget the workers who are unionized/government employees who can't do their jobs (like workers at the city library, teachers who teach shop class/phys ed) who are still getting full pay through all this. Of course they don't want the pandemic to end - they're getting a free ride.

HarryCaray

Notable Contributor

HMFIC

And we continue to enable it and justify it under the disguise of "safety". Hope everyone wakes up soon.

funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

You and I are on the same page.

Salespreuner

Big Shot

Regional Sales Director

Very well explained. With particular focus on point 2&3!

Bittersweet0326

Politicker

Digital Business Associate

Yep - Meeting anyone and everyone is so important and I can't wait for it to come back. There is some virtue signaling going on, but at the same time this whole mess has legit scared some people.

HarryCaray

Notable Contributor

HMFIC

I miss the crew too! We're coming back in October.

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

I don't miss commuting to the office every day, but 100% miss the in person interaction, and customer meetings.

(for reference I am also in Silicon Valley lol)

HarryCaray

Notable Contributor

HMFIC

Yeah I'm real lucky with a 10 minute commute in a smaller beach town on the east coast.

GetAHobby

Arsonist

RVP Sales

We've been told we will be fired if we are out with customers in person. With that said, I've played more golf with customers this past year than in my 15 prior years

wahmsales

WR Officer

SDR

Sounds like you got a hobby

BulkPony

Tycoon

Enterprise Account Executive

I think making the statement that it won't be allowed for the rest of the year is drastic. What happens when we reach herd immunity? Will they still be keeping their doors closed and their sales people off the road?

I have been overly cautious throughout the whole pandemic due to underlying conditions, and I can understand why some people still feel that way. Recently I've been fully vaccinated and am ready to get back to traveling. I don't see the value in making such a strong statement for the whole year in April.

Coffeesforclosers

Notable Contributor

Director Sales and Market Development

Great question, i think it is all about comfortability for the others. We went onsite for the first time after being hired remote and finally met my boss. Prospects were opening doors and we were in, we masked, went through HR, contact traced yada yada. It is time to learn how to live with this thing it is here to stay. I was strict in lockdown but mentally cannot lose another year with no humans including working family, ie my dawgs

mcsalesperson1

Politicker

Account Executive

I miss our team meeting once a quarter! I miss meeting with my customers. I’ve always been remote and miss those in person meetings

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

I have no interest in rushing things and I've gotten both doses of the vaccine. It'll all happen in due time. Everyone getting back together before we're ready is just going to put us in this mess for longer. Not to mention COVID long-haul is a real thing. The lives ruined and medical costs have piled up and I don't mind waiting for a few months (please get vaccinated, folks).