Why tf everyone leaving?

so,
I've been gone for a while. I check in on here occasionally but for the most part, I've limited my social media intake by an insane amount. 
anyways, it seems like WR has lost some awesome contributors. which in sales terms would be like letting your best customers walk. also did I hear correctly that they completely removed other users' accounts? why? 
pretty sad to see coming from a platform that had so much to offer. 
I'll still stick around and insert my unwarranted 2cents when I feel like it but it's sad to see.
💩 Shitpost
24
LordOfWar
Tycoon
12
Blow it up
I think it's worse than losing a few good customers. The people who left we're hand picked by Corp and brought more than a few other good members to the WR in addition to being the most engaging contributors. To me that's like losing you star salespeople.

A year ago we had AMAs, vetted applications, engaging posts and could speak freely without getting banned (RIP Incognito). We were also promised features like DMs which are still not here.

Now you're lucky to see anything other than the same post over and over. Anyone can see the WR without an account so it's not really "exclusive" and the jobs board seem to only be interested in SDRs or AEs in SaaS.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
15
🦊
I've been devastated and in a lil breaky break. I'm around if needed. ❤🦊
LordOfWar
Tycoon
4
Blow it up
Same, thinking of taking a break myself and checking back in 3 months or so.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
6
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Awww, Foxy.   It hit you hard!
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Dude, you have great stories and are a solid contributor.  I'd hate to have you wander off somewhere, unless it's because you're focused on another massive deal and don't have the time.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
4
Blow it up
Thank you @Sunbunny31, that honestly makes me feel better considering some of what I'm seeing lately. :)

I am working on a huge side project and should probably stop spending so much time on here and get to work, but I have no other outlet to connect with fellow quota-crushers so I keep coming back hoping to find new reasons to stay and contribute.
bassinshaps
Politicker
3
Territory Sales Manager
If only we had DM’s so we could network while we’re on break
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
Wouldn't that be nice?
bassinshaps
Politicker
1
Territory Sales Manager
IMY
champchamp
Arsonist
2
Certified Savage
@CuriousFox Glad you're here bby ❤. I didn't see you in my last couple of posts or anywhere this past few days and was starting to panic. 
CuriousFox
WR Officer
5
🦊
I'm hanging back a bit but here when ya need me bae. 
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
2
Officer of ♥️
wait who was banned

bassinshaps
Politicker
1
Territory Sales Manager
Incognito….. rip. Also a top contributor and sales veteran in something other than saas
jefe
Arsonist
7
🍁
The AMA's were great.

So much of the same now, hard to find what's actually valuable. 
LordOfWar
Tycoon
4
Blow it up
Remember when they had the meetup? I didn't make it but they were planning meetups all over the US and even in some Canadian cities. I was so stoked to meet fellow savages over a beer.

I get COVID hit, but we're all back to traveling now. Where did all that motivation for networking go? 

Methinks they realized it clashes with their revenue gen they get via commission on job hires, which would be the same reason they still don't have DMs...they want you to go through them and only them in order to network and get hired.
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
The no DMs is really a big pitfall. Make a social media network for people who network where you can’t actually network with each other. Uh okay.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
5
Blow it up
The longer it takes to implement the more I think it is on purpose.

People have been banned for sharing who they are IRL.
jefe
Arsonist
3
🍁
SO true. Forgot about the meetups. Would definitely hit up one in Toronto if they put it on.

I definitely think you're right in terms of trying to protect the monetization of the platform, especially given the Series B funding.

Really too bad
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
I actually shared my insta handle on here once indiscreetly and did not get banned. I guess I was lucky.
saaskicker
Celebrated Contributor
4
Enterprise AE
I agree with you - been here for a while. But these "where did people go" or "this place sucks now" posts are starting to get even more annoying than the repeat posts to me. what happened to having thick skin, rolling up your sleeves and staying in your lane. if you want the banter back, participate. 
LordOfWar
Tycoon
3
Blow it up
I get the tough-it-out mentality, that is why I'm still here today. I've never been able to hit the level of engagement that our lost legends did, but I like to think I provide some interesting content and advice from time to time.

What bothers me the most is probably seeing that the WR is slowly turning into a place where I don't fit. I thought it was supposed to be for all salespeople, yet now it is now turning into just a SaaS sales community. 
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
I agree, I mean, I sell heavy construction equipment for example. Like bulldozers and dump trucks. Stuff that costs millions sometimes. I can confidently say that I’m probably the only person in here who does that. I’m very alike to a lot of salespeople in here. I’m also very different. But I’ve liked being different. It gets tough when I want to explain stuff like how hard it is to get skilled labor when it comes to things like fulfilling repairs or getting machines ready for delivery. There’s nobody else on here to talk about these challenges with. Which I’m okay with because I’m in a niche sales role. But I’m sure a car salesman could relate with not being able to get mechanics. As much as I occasionally loathe car salespeople, I’m sure there’s not many on here.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
4
Blow it up
I'm in defence and aerospace sales and I think I'm the only one here who does what I do. It would be great to be able to collaborate and discuss with other members of my industry outside of LI, especially since almost all of my industry is still staffed by boomers.

I agree with you that we're very alike but also very different than the majority here. I learn and share a lot, but nothing is fully geared to my situation and like you, I have no one to bouce industry-specific problems off of.

There are some I think who do software sales to gov't, but I'm in manufacturing. I've wanted to get info on those kinds of IT/Software sales but again thanks to the lack of a DM feature it's hard to reach out to anyone non-publically.
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
I wish I could chat privately with you on this example in particular because I do all the heavy equipment bidding for one of the largest cities in the US. And all the surrounding metroplex as well.
This is a very good tangible example of something that needs adding. DMs would be a great space for these discussions.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
I was considering setting up a throwaway email address for my other post on business ideas but I don't want to get banned.

With my attitude towards the WR of late though it could happen anytime lol

I'm happy to answer anything you're comfortable asking here.
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
So with supply chain issues still pretty tough, and labor supply being bleak at best, I’ve been finding it exceedingly tough to get government contracts because they have a zero tolerance on lead times and manufacturing lead times are definitely subject to change. Are you experiencing the same thing over there?
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
To clarify, i haven’t lost a government deal in my AOR yet but I feel it’s only a matter of time before they get tired of seeing 340 days lead times from me because I don’t know what to expect from the manufacturer.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
Yes we're having the same issue, and surprisingly the Gov't acts like they've been living under a rock when we quote them new pricing due to inflation/rising labour/shipping costs and long lead times.

I keep having to ask them "Have you filled your car up lately?"
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
I get that, I always try to be honest on quotes for lead times but its tough when it jeopardizes a deal.

I do find though that the gov't very very rarely cancels projects due to delays. That's just my experience so take it with a grain of salt. 

I'm not saying you should outright LIE about lead times, but things sometimes change after an order, right?

I usually quote the longest lead times in writing, then call the customer to say I can likely do better if they order by X date. Remind them of summer/winter shutdowns, Chinese NY, etc. because most either don't know or accept that most raw materials still come from outside North America.

I would also put pressure on the manufacturer. Ask them what size of order is needed to get priority. Sometimes I get special defence ratings on purchase orders that can downflow to my suppliers which moved me to the top of the list. Ask your government customer if they have any kind of priority rating like that you could use.
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
RIGHT!?
they act seemingly obvious when I have to re-quote an expired quote from last year and it’s 20% higher. Like, parts don’t just magically show up at the factory. Trucks that run on DIESEL get them there. And not only that, the materials are manufactured with machines that use DIESEL.
I’m always shook when customers act surprised or flabbergasted at price increases during these times. It’s like when girls think it’s cute to act dumb.
PS I’m very easy to find on other social media platforms, I’ll put it that way. Everything is cross referenced. I did that on purpose.
Maybe if I bury that in a response it will bode well. But customers need to understand that the sales department is not trying to be greedy. in most cases, we are not making any more margin on things than we were before. We are just adjusting prices in relation to our rising costs.
youngspinach
Valued Contributor
2
Senior Account Executive, Enterprise
Why are they leaving from your perspective? Btw I see you contributing all around 💯
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
Thanks,

I think they are leaving for various reasons, but this forum is not what it was when it started. It was kind of like a private reddit of hand-picked sales savages with lots of good content. Lately there are tons of new, unvetted people pouring in and causing the content to go downhill. Pair that with moderation that randomly decides to act with no warning and a seeming lack of focus on adding features promised ages ago.

Seems the job feature is pretty focused on a certain group too. All that alienation adds up fast.

If you think I'm contributing a lot, you'd be surprised. I'm hardly posting anything compared to the level of engagement of some of those who left.

I have hope for the platform though, so I'm sticking around for now.
LightingLeader
Politicker
1
Specification Sales
Wait why did incognito get banned
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
Not exactly sure why. I think she made herself not-anonymous anymore
LordOfWar
Tycoon
3
Blow it up
Our little star flew too close to the sun and wouldn't kneel to those in charge.
NotCreativeEnough
Big Shot
9
Professional Day Ruiner
I think we're seeing a lot of people leave because of the lack of original content on the boards. You can only read so many "which job offer should I pick, anyone work for x?, best way to prospect, etc" so many times before you get tired of it. 

I think the best way to retain users would be to create different sections on here people can post in. For example have an area specifically for help evaluating offers, a section for advice on companies, a section for "newbie advice" like prospecting tips and tricks, things like that. We already sort of do it with tags, but in the end the home page is still flooded with all of it. I'm curious how many active users the platform actually has because I only ever see the same few people commenting. 
1nbatopshotfan
Politicker
4
Sales
I think the main reasons were: 
1. lack of big value @LordOfWar brought up the lack of AMAs. 
2. repetition. There’s only so many “which job should I take” “what do I need for my home office” and similar questions that can be answered via search bar. 

bassinshaps
Politicker
4
Territory Sales Manager
I think the lack of diversity in posts relates directly to lack of diversity in sales roles/occupation. So many saas folks, not much else.
1nbatopshotfan
Politicker
2
Sales
That’s fair, but at the same time, we don’t really see problems or advice seeking. Generally just “job a or job b” or “how do I get in front of a client” 

rarely do we see anything about positioning a product or service etc. maybe people are cautious on what they post, but if they ask for help more often the group here is more than willing to jump in. 
FromaBlankPerspective
Politicker
0
District Manager
I agree that people are cautious to get too into the weeds. I wouldn't want to share too much about the product I sell because it could expose my company and from there myself. It's a hard line to walk for sure.
NoSuperhero
Politicker
3
BDR LEAD
We need to be a bit more open as a community. That's just my two cents. I recently passed a Reddit comment which said that the person that jumped on was trolled out of the platform sooner than the first people that escaped Pompeii 2000 years ago. Kinda sucks, I like to contribute every now and then but the trolling gets heavy and unhealthy. So I just simply try to ask for advice when I'm in a rut.

Found the link to reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sales/comments/vd68nl/avoid_bravado_sales_forums/
Mr.Pickles
Arsonist
3
Sr. Customer Success Manager
I don't mind some repetitive posts - what makes it annoying and disengaging at times is the WR officers' approach. 
CadenceCombat
Tycoon
2
Account Executive
Incognito got banned? What happened? Totally out of the loop.

And yes, I just kind of got bored with WR so I can’t be bothered to post but I’ll occasionally wake up from the dead if I’m @‘ed because like a lot of sales people, I too am an attention whore.
bassinshaps
Politicker
1
Territory Sales Manager
Yeah, from what I understand they deleted her account after the un-anoned herself? I was not active on here when it happened. Took about a 3 month hiatus from this place but I missed the attention like the whore I am and came crawling back.
Pachacuti
Politicker
1
They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy
people come and go.  Its the way of things.
TennisandSales
Politicker
1
Head Of Sales
i was wondering if they were asked to leave. Not because of anything they did but because WR needed new faces or something. 

Idk it was weird that a bunch seemed to leave at the same time. 
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I don't know that it was in any way planned, but what do I know?

I think one left, and the others were inspired when their online buddies exited.

It's the nature of the online space; people come and go and the community evolves.  It's up to those who remain to steer it in the direction that they want to see it go.

Occasional contributors who pop in now and again and are surprised that things change...surprise!  Things change.

Would be good to get the AMAs back, though.  Those were really cool.
LordOfWar
Tycoon
2
Blow it up
Maybe I'll start an AMA thread...;)
FromaBlankPerspective
Politicker
0
District Manager
I loved the AMAs too! Super helpful.
SADNESSLieutenant
Politicker
1
Officer of ♥️
it's been trash out here
Oldskool
Personal Narrative
1
Senior AE
Yeah, see my recent post. Feedback says it all. I am also brand new to Bravado so if I am underwhelmed and already feeling like I am wasting my time, then I think this platform has a serious problem. 
AnchorPoint
Politicker
1
Business Coach
Like everything else in life, you get out what you put into it.  Why were you "gone for a while"? Is that not what you are complaining about?
bassinshaps
Politicker
1
Territory Sales Manager
I was complaining about people completely leaving this app. I gave up social media for 40 days and after that I limited myself heavily. But, total engagement is way down from this time last year. This app was completely wired. Full of people networking.
AnchorPoint
Politicker
1
Business Coach
I get it - the only thing we can count on is change. Stay engaged and make it better.  
Justatitle
Big Shot
1
Account Executive
The reasons that I had seen

- People were upset with Sahil for posting about layoffs coming to SAAS.
- The amount of people coming in here posting nonsense and looking to score commission and contribute nothing to the platform

Can't think of too many others and none of the above truly bothered me.
finboi
Notorious Answer
0
Fi-nance
I’m new here- who were the OG stars of WR?
bassinshaps
Politicker
2
Territory Sales Manager
@paddy @funcoupons @curiousfox @incognito @Justatitle @CadenceCombat @ about 10 other people who made up a majority of content on here at one point in time for at least 6 months.
finboi
Notorious Answer
0
Fi-nance
Wow few of those accounts are deactivated
bassinshaps
Politicker
1
Territory Sales Manager
Yes, incognito got banned after she doxxed herself I believe.
LightingLeader
Politicker
0
Specification Sales
It’s never been the most active platform
78
Members only

What's the most outrageous reason someone got fired in your company?

Question
100
32
Members only

Im quitting sales ( goodbye everyone )

Question
39
How was your weekend
127 people voted
31
Members only

Everyone is leaving

Advice
27