Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

We are moving to the Salesforce account model. I wonder how?

All SAs and TSAs are going to a specialization and Agile TSA. You will not be architects no longer. You will see in FY23.

C2E and Agile TSA are a disaster. We have lost many deals to this. There are no technical relationships any more. Customers want more than what they are getting with C2E and Agile TSA.

Meraki is growing and the rest of Cisco is not.

Completely false as any look at our recent numbers would confirm

Is it true that Engineering needs to reduce cost per SA / SE.

What has the role of SE/SA to do with engineering? It’s a sales function!!
TMEs and Engineers work for engineering, SEs work for sales.

C2E only benefits Leadership. It does not benefit SAs, TSAs, or customers. SAs will no longer be architects. When leadership specializes you they are making you one dimensional and diminishing your value. This is all by design. Once they do that, they can pay those SAs and TSAs less.

C2E Is the tool for metrics tracking. Some SAs will not be pooled meaning they will stay in their Region and AMs will have to request an SA for their region via C2E. SAs in the C2E will be specialized in the region.

Agile TSA is for the pooling of SAs. Other SAs will be pooled either by Operation or Area level depending on their specialty. Expect this to be your SE4s where there are very few. C2E tool will be used to request pooled Operations and Area wide SAs.

Meraki SEs will not be in this as the Meraki leadership has the guts to push back on C2E and Agile TSA. Meraki is growing and the rest of Cisco is not. C2E and Agile TSA is for non-high growth portfolio which is most of Cisco’s portfolio. Kudos to Meraki for pushing back.

SAs, ask your leadership why Meraki is not doing C2E and Agile TSA.

This sounds great to me, but then again I’m technical. I think the people that don’t like this like the BS politics, salesy stuff, etc. I’m glad that’ll be cut out of my job but you guys must love that stuff.

C2E is Click to Exit. I’m outta here

“Some SAs will goto C2E and other SAs will goto Agile TSA.”

That doesn’t make any sense C2E is how you reach someone from Agile TSA.

Agree with OP. I wound encourage SAs to ask questions of your leadership. Ask them in writing, I guarantee you that no SA leader, SED will respond in writing. They are not going to deny this in writing. They will rather tell you that they want to “have a discussion” so they can dance around the questions and deflect from the actual questions. SA leadership has been instructed to not answer in writing these types questions around SAs going to C2E and Agile TSA. Why do you think that is. Don’t take my word but try asking these types of questions and see the response you get back. No FUD here and it will be confirmed by SA leaders and SEDs due to their unwillingness to answer questions via email and tell you “let’s have a discussion”

SAs are moving to C2E and Agile TSA. Some SAs will goto C2E and other SAs will goto Agile TSA. It is going to happen. SAs need to be aware and make decisions that are best for their career. If you don’t want a career then C2E and Agile TSA will be best for you. I like the questions by the OP. There has been such a lack of transparency by leadership cause they know SAs don’t like this and they know it is career limiting.

WOW - my experience at Cisco has been completely different. I find the work life balance fairly reasonable and I continue to get rewarded with ipf and rsu grants. Could it be...that maybe your not the rockstar employee you claim to be?

You mean “ The cost per AM is extremely high and it is unsustainable.”

If SAs are underpaid, what is driving Opex costs per SA out of control?