There is a known structural issue with this group. The modules are not even from a potential perspective. The “plan” seems to be change nothing about this (or do so on a very limited basis) There are many reps being fired for performance or leaving. After watching the town hall, management said there was no plan for the type of mass lay offs that would equalize the accounts and give more to people and balance out the organization. The plan seems to be to continue in what frankly is a very depressing and negative pay impacting model. I refuse to believe that there will not be a serious reorganization in the spring to correct how messed up this division is. I cannot imagine that this will be allowed to continue. However at the same time I have zero faith in management. What thoughts do others have on this topic?
6 replies (most recent on top)
Let the lashing continue until the sales go up.
in 2014 was part of the Acquisition team in Mid Markets with Rutherford as AVP when I was in Texas. There were 76 of us each with 200 white space only accounts and not a penny being billed in either wireless or wireline. By the end of 2014 we were down to 36 of us the rest fired for performance. They did it before and they do it again and it will be much worse.
These comments are dead on, no one is willing to give up the green space numbers in order to make the full transition into what makes sense.
Whoever just made that comment nailed it.
Oof, this person said exactly what is happening. Sad part is, with the Q+A - it was given much more applause to Plat than the rest of the organization. Sure, they're doing great and want to grow more, but they're the main ones who are getting more budget than the whole entire org.
Keep in mind, our budget for fiber seems to be going lower and lower and if you look at how expensive it is compared to how it was a few months ago - obviously people are going to want to leave.
They care so much about the convergence, but if you were to ask them how it works - most of leadership doesn't really know, all they know is MQOs are so good! Go do them and go work with everyone to get more sales!
All in all - mid-markets isn't going to last for so long - "indirect is there to help! not cause any issues" - yeah okay, sure.
It does su-k that we used to be in a much better space, but I know everyone in MM right now is considering leaving or just praying that they still keep on doing well. Leadership isn't helping calm anyones nerves at this point, everyone is just hoping and praying.
The structure is definitely a mess but it is understandable.
The idea, is to shift Mid-Markets to a white space hunting model and away from farming. They said this at the Q&A this week. The problem is, most sellers are trained and use to farming. The sales leadership and executives who run those teams are also dependant on farming.
No leader wants to hold the bag for significant declines is Gross Adds because they have shifted to a white space only model.
What makes the most sense they won't do.
In territory you NEED 2 orgs.
Aquistions - White Space Territory ONLY or at least primary
Development & Retention - Green Space ONLY growth and retention
But they won't do this. Why? Everyone wants "easy street" they don't want to hunt. They want to make more money doing less.
Platinum is in the EXACT same boat.
Platinum Aquistion - go aquire NEW large business mid-market customers
Platinum Development & Retention - grow the current ones we have.
There's also the issue with clear cross selling and convergence. We have a massive segment of our Mid-Market space that is wireline only. But the relationship between mobility and wireline is not symbolic enough to allow genuine aquistions.
Teams NEED to be combined. 1 sales manager should have a blended team. 14 total sellers. 10 sellers mobility and 4 sellers wireline.
Again, no one wants to do what makes the most sense because its too difficult. No leader wants to be responsible for the decline in overall production as we shift models. So instead we have some bullsh-t half assed system that just doesn't work and passes everyone off.
We need leaders willing to take risks and do the RIGHT thing. Won't hood my breath.