A few weeks ago, the fate of a 70-person sales team hung in the balance as two recruiting giants in the door-to-door sales industry battled to earn the sales team’s services.
Although Company A had already signed the sales team, Company Z felt it could provide this group with a better opportunity. When the dust settled, the sales team abandoned its commitment with Company A and signed with Company Z.
What a travesty for Company A.
Days later, still reeling in disappointment, Company A contacted Company Z pleading for them to relinquish the sales team. Company A claimed the loss of the sales team would be detrimental as it had hired technicians and office staff as well as purchased vehicles and equipment to support the sales team’s production. The consequences of not having the sales team would result in lost jobs, damaged reputation, and countless hours of time and energy wasted in preparation to accommodate the sales team’s efforts.
In an unprecedented move, Company Z relinquished the group of sales reps but only if Company A agreed to sign a non-compete which prohibited them from recruiting Company Z’s signed sales reps.
Company A begged for mercy and it was granted.
So here’s where the hypocrisy comes in…
For the past several weeks Company A has relentlessly pursued my company’s sales reps and customers. In fact, a couple of weeks ago the text message shown below took place between my sales manager (in blue) and Company A’s divisional sales manager (in grey).
Really? Paying for your competitor’s customer list!
This low blow makes Draymond Green’s nut punch (pictured above) look like child’s play.
And, if this strategy isn’t pathetic enough, Company A’s divisional sales manager has also attempted to recruit my sales reps by offering them cash.
So let’s get this straight…Company A is doing the very thing it begged Company Z not to do, recruit sales reps that were already signed.
Company A has to realize that my company also hires technicians and office staff, as well as purchases vehicles and equipment to prepare for our summer sales teams, and with every customer lost, my technician’s routes are diminished, thus affecting their compensation and potentially their jobs.
Fortunately, Company A’s witch hunt for my sales reps and customers has resulted in little success. Cancel rates are below average and my sales reps aren’t taking the bait.
Executives at Company A will likely plead ignorance to the behavior of this divisional sales manager, but what if other managers, recruiters and sales reps at Company A use these same tactics?
Is Company A so delusional that it teaches devious tactics targeting other company’s reps and customers yet supplicates others not to do the same thing?
Figurative punches below the belt to business competitors may not result in a 1-game suspension as it did in the NBA Finals, but low blows and hypocritical tactics don’t go unnoticed and necessarily unpunished. I don’t think it’s too much to ask Company A to play by the same rules it desires to be played.
Let’s keep it clean gentlemen!
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Lenny Gray
Facebook: www.facebook.com/D2DMillionaire
Email: lennyg@D2DMillionaire.com
P.S. If you are thinking about starting a Door-to-Door Sales Program, or looking to improve your current program, be sure to check out my FREE Video Training – How to Run an Effective Door-to-Door Sales Training Camp for your Sales Team by clicking HERE.
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