Home > Bosses From Hell
Sales manager
Posted on 07/29/2005 by judy
Viewed: 803 times
After reporting a previous boss for sexual harassment and being sent away (for three months but on a day-to-day basis - very scary) while my employer tried to prove I had lied, that boss "retired" and I was instructed to report back to work.
My first day back, his replacement glared at me when we were introduced and it's been downhill from there. Obviously he had been told a version of what had occurred and was instructed to get rid of me. That was in Oct. 2001 and he has done everything from yelling at me in front of co-workers, to belittling me in front of my clients, to refusing to accept my sales contracts, and more. It's been hell working for him the past 3 1/2 years but I need my job.
Last March, just before our biggest annual project was to begin, which takes about three months, he handed me a sheet of paper listing nearly half my clients. He said the other sales person would be taking over these accounts. He had taken other steps to force me to quit but this was unthinkable. I had told him only two weeks earlier that I needed to make more money but I didn't ask for a raise. He asked how I intended to make an extra 15K and because I'm in sales and work on commission, I would achieve my goal by expanding and cross-selling my existing client base while bringing in new clients. By him taking away my clients, I would have to work twice as hard, just to make the same amount as the previous year. And that doesn't account for natural attrition. He said his decision would free me up to call on new businesses. I fully expected the other sales person to refuse to take my accounts but he didn't. I worked late and worked extra hard and I managed to beat my numbers from the previous year, AND I beat the other sales person by 30K, but this has never been mentioned. In fact, my yearly evaluation was horrible. After reading it, I'm surprised I can get myself dressed each morning.
As we were preparing for the project this spring, he did something even worse! He asked how I intended to beat my numbers from last year so I told him that I always start by calling new businesses to get their process started before I contact existing clients. He said that was wrong. Then I made the mistake of saying that's how I outsold the other sales person last year. Two days later, he called me into his office and said I could not call on new businesses until I "talked" to all my existing clients - no e-mails, phone messages, faxes.
It's hard to be up and positive, and to sell when you're being treated so poorly. It took several days of being depressed before I could psyche myself into calling on anyone. Actually contacting everyone, while working on other projects, took much longer than I expected and we were about half way into the project before I had actually made contact with everyone. (I'm not a good liar, plus, I have to copy him on every single e-mail I write, and his office is across from mine so he can hear all my conversations. It was easier for me to do as I was told.)
We had to stop selling July 15 but there's a lot of work before the project is finished. I sold about 8K less this year than last, which is very disappointing, but I've sold about 8K in other projects so far this year so my income shouldn't be affected too much. My only revenge is that I had knee surgery the Monday after our deadline and missed two weeks so he had to take over for me. He never asked any questions before I left, which had to have made it more difficult for him but, of course, if anything went wrong, it will be my fault.
Anybody need a really good salesperson?
granularity(08/02/2005)
I agree!! You can't let people treat you like this. Find out where your leverage is (your clients) and use it! Nobody is going to fight for you..YOU have to fight for you. Don't be a doormat. And it is clear, your self-esteem is suffering and that's not something you should be willing to sacrafice. Slam on the breaks now!
bored(11/08/2005)
I don't know what state you're in but this could be seen as retaliation to your sexual harassment report and/or a hostile working encironment. You might want to look into that. It sucks that your company tried to prove you lied about the harassment. Good luck!
SouthernProgrammer(11/08/2005)
>That was in Oct. 2001 If you have managed to hang in there since 2001 you are braver than I am! If you don't have proof that they are trying to 'bump you off' then you have two options, keep putting up with it or leaving. I would say since things have NOT improved since 2001 then they may have it out for you in such a manner that it would take a LOOONNGGG time to prove it so the best thing to do is start looking, but wait till January and start off a fresh year! Good luck...
yesfan(11/26/2005)
Let this be a warning to everyone else to document everything (write down dates, times and exact words right after it happens, and names of witnesses), and keep a tape recorder or digital voice recorder to turn on whenever this person speaks. And you better believe there are other companies needing a good salesperson. Basically every company needs good salespeople; that is what keeps them in business. Yes, you might go to work for one of your clients. And at a substantial raise in salary, of course, and not because you are having trouble at your current job -- wherever would such a rumor come from??? -- but because of your stellar sales figures over the years, and the way you met challenges. "It is time to move on."
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Sympathetic Reader (08/01/2005)
Hey, I have no idea who you are or what State you work in, but there is something better for you out there. You've heard that line about closing a door and opening a window haven't you? Talk to your competition. I'd take my clients with me and run out that door. Your self-esteem is suffering. What they are doing is in violation of Federal law. What about contacting an attorney? Snap out of it man... fight back or leave while you still have a shred of dignity left. Good luck and God Bless!
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