NoSuperhero

BDR LEAD

Politicker

Catalyst

Valued Contributor

Why do sales people take the hit first when investors or revenue is not looking as good as it should?

Honest question here, why does this happen more and more?

I feel like it's the easiest the replace, but it can't be that easy, can it?

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✌️ Growing Pains

16 comments

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Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Sales is an easy target.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

I see marketing being an easier one, or even customer care. idk that might be just me

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

Easiest to blame unfortunately. When company wins, it is because of the team, when it fails, sales were down

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

Yeah, I can see that, I just went through a company lay off because of a lack of investor funds and that was a bit rough.

SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

That is brutal, best of luck in the future!

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

We take the blame for SO much.

ChumpChange

Politicker

Channel Manager

Typically, I see the chopping block as follows:

Contractors
Marketing
POPS
Customer Success
Customer Support
BizOps/RevOps
Sales

It's hard to keep a company going without revenue coming in.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

I see this as the most reasonable one, however, layoffs suck for everyone.

1nbatopshotfan

Politicker

Sales

When sales goes, everyone notices. Generally because sales has exposure across the whole Org.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Exposure can be great, but also be bad in this case

salesgolfer

Personal Narrative

Low Handicapper

Who's most responsible for driving revenue? The target is biggest on our backs.

We don't sell in a vacuum, and if not enabled properly, it's really difficult to succeed, but it is literally our job.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Probably because salaries are high and we're easy to blame.

It doesn't make sense though as you can directly tie those expenditures to revenue, much more easily than marketing or other functions - it's linear.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

I Agree

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

It’s easy to place blame when numbers aren’t being met.

NoSuperhero

Politicker

BDR LEAD

I can see the case to that argument when that happens, but the numbers were starting to show in our case. It was rough becauuuuse we were actually hitting the numbers.

Chonkonaut

Valued Contributor

CSAM of Luke Warm Chowder

I do believe it's the product team that should be thrown under the gun, not sales. Sales teams are only good as the chowder that is fed to them.

And if they're given unrealistic goals and a crappy product.

They will fail or end up overpromising the value of crap to customers as a pot of gold.

Also, Investors should never be given control to forecast anything.

Sales is a process and like any value-building activity.

It takes time.

Investors however have no issues calling the shots of hire and fire because they don't understand the framework, in general.

High Returns, and fast exits. That's it for them.

I honestly feel extremely bad now, and I literally don't even envy the naivete of engineers, and designers. Being one engineer and a designer, I've got to say this loud and clear.

Most of them have zero ideas what the customer truly wants.

I'm sure using all the jargon that's in the SDLC(software development life cycle) or PDLC(product development life cycle) makes them look smart.

But in reality, most end users don't even care what color you're going to use. Even with the emphasis put on the look and feel. If it's burning one's wallet as the price keeps going up for something they barely use.

It's a sh%t product.

Most software isn't general purpose these days.

They "promise" its value but in reality, it has none.

Salespeople are often pushed to inflate the value of most products. Most products out there is just an item with the same bells and whistles but with different name tags.

Whenever sales teams fail, it's the leadership that should be taken out first.

A strategic vision that doesn't understand uncertainty, and can't delegate proper contingencies isn't worth much anyway.

But the bigger the number the more the profits.

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NoSuperhero

Why do sales people take the hit first when investors or revenue is not looking as good as it should?

16 comments

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