I HATE IT SALES!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deadly Sushi]

ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHH!H!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cant make ANY commission money! I keep getting shopped by my clients. I have a f-in $52K sale and Im making $100 profit!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get seven dollars commission. I earn $30k and get seven dollors from a $52k sale that I needed to spend 7 HOURS on!!!!!!

Im SOOOOOOOOO FREAKIN MAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :frustrado
I doesnt help that people treat sales folks like CRAP and then I have to treat them like royalty!!!!!!! SCREW THIS SHIT!!!!

 

[BigAl]

Well DS ...... That is the life of a salemen . You are burned out . You Got time at 37 to get back to College night school and find a new line of work . Go in a new direction .Who knows .... The girl of your dreams might end up sitting right next to you in class . I started over at 37 too . At 47 I retired . You can do it too . Just stay focused . Keep your old job NO LONGER than it takes to find a new one . STart NOW!!!!

 

[rback33]

Well DS ...... That is the life of a salemen . You are burned out . You Got time at 37 to get back to College night school and find a new line of work . Go in a new direction .Who knows .... The girl of your dreams might end up sitting right next to you in class . I started over at 37 too . At 47 I retired . You can do it too . Just stay focused . Keep your old job NO LONGER than it takes to find a new one . STart NOW!!!!

Ok I already have one damn degree and that is enough to keep most people happy. What the hell do I need to do to retire at 47 when my daughter is in college? I am all ears for suggestions. And sushi.. I feel you pain bro... commission sales is the EXACT reason I went back and finished my degree...U may already have one.. if so there are better ways to use them.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

Well I have a 4 year degre in business. What a mistake. I listened to my father (who happens to be a know-it-all jack ass) MUCH against my wishes. But I didnt know any better. I was going to a college to be a psychologist. But I listen to daddio.
I cant go to night college. I dont have the time and I dont have the money. Sometimes I get home at 5:30 sometimes at 6:30 depending on what needs to get done. going back to college is not going to happen unfortunatly.

 

[mbsieg]

Sushi I know a place that would love to have you. you seem to know alot about tire sales right...

 

[mbsieg]

It would only involve a 800 mi westerly move.

 

[XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq]

Well DS ...... That is the life of a salemen . You are burned out . You Got time at 37 to get back to College night school and find a new line of work . Go in a new direction .Who knows .... The girl of your dreams might end up sitting right next to you in class . I started over at 37 too . At 47 I retired . You can do it too . Just stay focused . Keep your old job NO LONGER than it takes to find a new one . STart NOW!!!!

Amen Al! Words of wisdom. It's up to YOU to improve YOUR life. Complaining about it does no good.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

It would only involve a 800 mi westerly move.

Im listening! I need to get out of this 'sales' thing. Im great at IT sales but IT sales is NOT what it used to be.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

Amen Al! Words of wisdom. It's up to YOU to improve YOUR life. Complaining about it does no good.

OK. what would you do in my situation? Im open here.

 

[dzalphakilo]

I cant make ANY commission money! I keep getting shopped by my clients. I have a f-in $52K sale and Im making $100 profit!!!!!!!!!!!!

Less than a .003% profit margin on a sale?

Two things...

Having a 52k sale and only making $100, I'm not sure how long that business is going to stay in business.

If I sold 52k and made $100 in profit on that sale, I'd be getting a stern lecture that if it happened again, I'd be terminated.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

If I sold 52k and made $100 in profit on that sale, I'd be getting a stern lecture that if it happened again, I'd be terminated.

Then you would be working for a crap company. OR.... you dont have other clients.

 

[mtntopper]

Sales is what you make of it Slushi. I started in sales (with the right products and companies) at about 19 years of age. I made a great living providing very well for my family for many years. My work for others in sales for many years made my transition to a business startup of my own easier. After 11 years of owning our own family managed business and being the head cheese sales person, we sold the business to the employees and I retired at 51. The key Slushy is finding the right products and right company to work for.

Success in life is always a matter of selling yourself as the best candidate for the job and then proving to the company that hires you that you were the best choice for the job.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

Sales should equal profit. There is little profit in IT. But Topper you speak the golden truth!

 

[XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq]

Sales should equal profit. There is little profit in IT. But Topper you speak the golden truth!

I suspect your company is still profiting - they are just doing it at your expense. In the hardware business it can still be "profitable" just to move volume even if some of that volume is sold at or slightly below cost. Often there are manufacturer kickbacks and incentives for selling a high number of units.

Sushi, you're just in the wrong area of the business. Move up the feeding chain. You've got a business degree, get into management and be the "screwer" instead of the "screwee".

 

[American Woman]

Well DS ...... That is the life of a salemen . You are burned out . You Got time at 37 to get back to College night school and find a new line of work . Go in a new direction .Who knows .... The girl of your dreams might end up sitting right next to you in class . I started over at 37 too . At 47 I retired . You can do it too . Just stay focused . Keep your old job NO LONGER than it takes to find a new one . STart NOW!!!!

This is good advise! It is NEVER too late.
Being a hairstylist is a commission job too. I have done it for 30 years, and have had to take a couple of breaks from the dog-eat-dog atmosphere of the co-workers and commission work , and not to mention the public. I always took a different job that had nothing to do with sales or my trade. I love my trade but the pressure of sales is hard.

 

[Spiffy1]

Probably slim satisfaction, but at least you have a chance at commission Sushi. I find way too many 70hr weeks for 30hr pay [I know, you take a salary job assuming 45+ hours, just being melodramatic] with no chance of anything like commission, and it really cuts into FF time too!

If you like sales [and assuming the company in question at least sucks a little less than your posts indicate], consider your poor commisions now "laying foundations."

Else, perhaps a new company is in order. Of course if you really do find you hate sales [just on economics though I'm convinced: of the people I know, sales guys are probably getting the best pay; $$$/intelligence no doubt (people I know, no implications to you either way)], certainly a new profession is in order however you choose to pursue it.

 

[ddrane2115]

I was in a vertical market previously, dental business sales company. I was the IT install technician/make it work etc. I was the dummy according to the dumb ass sales guy. Now I love what i do again.

to your thing, I would not think hardware sales today would generate much, since I can go to any decent company website and buy what any person is selling cheaper. Case in point, where I was we sold some workstations at over 2K, that Dell branded computers were at 800.00, and toss in the other parts, monitor, kb, mouse, etc......1 K!

Now to your exact point, my sales dud made a killing. How, he could sell ice to eskimos in the dead of winter............made me silly seeing some of the crap he TOLD them we could do, only to find out we could not.........sorry but having a keyboard 40 feet away without going wireless wont work............just dumb stuff.........putting network cables in solid rock, concrete walls, wont work! Point is he was what I call a sales person, did not care if it would work, but he was a master at getting a signature and working it out later.............OK, so they dont come back, who cares, we got this one! I kept him so many sales it was not funny! If your company is paying you the way you state, you need to change companies........fast. My best estimate was 100K sale, my dud made about 18K, and he did very little "work". He relied on me alot.......another reason I moved on, and he had no respect for my time......... I am salary now, know that in the next year I will do some 60 hour weeks, but dont mind, since the company I am at now, I have some real opps to improve my position.

 

[Gatorboy]

Well I have a 4 year degre in business. What a mistake. I listened to my father (who happens to be a know-it-all jack ass) MUCH against my wishes. But I didnt know any better. I was going to a college to be a psychologist. But I listen to daddio.

Your dad gave you good advice. You are better off with a business degree rather than being a psychologist, it's just too bad you haven't used your degree to land a good job. Anyone can be a salesman, no degree required.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

GB HE is the one that pushed me into sales. I didnt want to go into it. I wish I could go back and tell myself not to listen to him. But I did and of course its all my fault.

 

[Doc]

Sush,
Don't worry about the past. It doesn't matter. Learn from past experiences, look forward and decide your course. Head that direction and work to get there. You can make it happen. What's done is done. Forget about it!

 

[BoneheadNW]

GB HE is the one that pushed me into sales. I didnt want to go into it. I wish I could go back and tell myself not to listen to him. But I did and of course its all my fault.

Sushi, you posted your problem so that means you want our opinions, so here goes: First, accept responsibility for your current situation. If pops didn't hold a gun to your head, YOU were the one who made the choice to go into sales. The reason why I bring this up is I am extremely sensitive when it comes to people NOT accepting responsibility for their actions (like my kids, coworkers, etc).

OK, that said, you have recognized the problem, taken responsibility, now time to solve it. What type of job do you really want to do? Believe it or not, I, in my previous life, was a successful higher level scientist at a biotech company. I got in early and helped (with alot of luck) build the company to be one of the top biotechs in the world (really, no BS). It came at a cost (as does everything), I did not feel that the time away from my family was worth it. After much hand wringing we (my wife and I) decided to change our lives. I always wanted to be a firefighter. I did the research, weighed all the costs/benefits, and made the leap.

You need to find out what it is you want to do, determine the costs/benefits for doing that, and make a decision. Then you can make a plan as to how you can achieve those goals. I love what I do and would not go back to the management rat race for anything.

Hope that helps,
Bonehead

 

[dzalphakilo]

Anyone can be a salesman, no degree required.

You're right GB, ANYONE can be a salesman, however, not all can sell.

Being a salesman myself, there is what I call a "used car salesman syndrome" that runs amuck in the sales profession.

EDIT on that note, one thing that I instruct my customers is that it is not my job to sell them anything, it is my job to help them.

 

[ddrane2115]

GB HE is the one that pushed me into sales. I didnt want to go into it. I wish I could go back and tell myself not to listen to him. But I did and of course its all my fault.

Oh man this touched home. If my parents had their way I would be working in the govt taking pictures of surgeries. Many years ago I was into photography big time. I was in college for a photography degree of some sort. A job got my attention for a photog at the local VA hospital, BOTH of my parents tried to push me to do it, I am so glad I did not! I am now a computer network technician working my way up at a new job. Starting as a helpdesk technician working nites with between 4 and 25 users depending on the time of nite. I love it, and I make way more than many photogs I know are starving on!

We all want to know what you are doing, but may I suggest putting some of this energy into........A:looking for a new job in every listing you can find, B:check with your local hiring contractor companies, they know more jobs than you will ever get a shot at C:taking courses online or where you can to increase your knowledge of whatever you want to do.

Do you know computers inside and out? Do you know networking, even entry level workgroup networking? Do something that you enjoy, it may not pay so well, but at least you dont hate 1/3 of your day! Remember too, I quit a job with no job lined up almost a year ago!


If you know computing in any form, send me a PM where you live. I worked for a great contract company that got me in where I am now. I truly would not have known this job existed, most good network jobs come this way

 

[Erik]

Sushi,
you're right - IT sales sucks on commision.
most sales jobs suck unless it's really what you want to do.
You have a BA - that's enough to get your foot in the door at a lot of places, including state and federal government jobs. (public admin and business admin aren't that much different)
Psychologists have a very high burnout rate as well, and it takes forever to pay off the student loans that accrue while working on a PhD. If you had planned on stopping at the masters level psych degree, you likely would still only be making $30k doing social work and psych intake at the local rehab.
How do I know this? My wife has a BA in psych - and she was on the edge of starving when she gave up on psych related jobs and took one with the state that had a "fixed 40" schedule and decent benefits.

I don't particularly like my job, but I don't hate it, so I haven't been seriously hunting for a change. (Of course, where I am, my job description and duties seem to change on an average of every 18 months, so it's kind of like changing jobs without having to change my commute)

your situation sounds different, so maybe you need to either talk to your boss about other opportunities where you are, or try saving up enough to keep yourself afloat for a couple of months, find a job waiting tables for grocery $$, and do a serious look at career change. (I hear Wyoming is very pretty country, so long as you're not addicted to "big city life" and can handle a "little bit of snow" and some "chilly breezes" from September to May )

good luck - and remember, no job is worth your sanity or self respect.

 

[JimR]

ARRRRRRRRGGGGGHH!H!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cant make ANY commission money! I keep getting shopped by my clients. I have a f-in $52K sale and Im making $100 profit!!!!!!!!!!!!
I get seven dollars commission. I earn $30k and get seven dollors from a $52k sale that I needed to spend 7 HOURS on!!!!!!

Im SOOOOOOOOO FREAKIN MAAAAAAAAAAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :frustrado
I doesnt help that people treat sales folks like CRAP and then I have to treat them like royalty!!!!!!! SCREW THIS SHIT!!!!

Been there done that for 2 1/2 years. I got tired of being brow beat by assholes that claim So and So is cheaper. Then what the F-ck are you doing here wasting my F-cking time asshole. Go buy it from him and get a life. The problem usually is the other guy doesn't have what the customer is looking for.

 

[Deadly Sushi]

C:taking courses online or where you can to increase your knowledge of whatever you want to do.

Ahhhhhhh!!!! hey I never thought of that! I'll check it out!


ANd guys, once AGAIN very good feedback from everyone! Thanks!
If I was there and gay, I would give everyone a hug. (but Im not there... nor gay)

 

[rback33]

Ahhhhhhh!!!! hey I never thought of that! I'll check it out!


ANd guys, once AGAIN very good feedback from everyone! Thanks!
If I was there and gay, I would give everyone a hug. (but Im not there... nor gay)

I am a hugger and very straight and guy hugs are ok. Kisses on the other hand and . I have a very good, very gay (Bi) friend. He always laughs cuz he says I am so straight he can tell by my hug. He says all straight guys hug the same.. three pats on the back for "I'M NOT GAY"

 

[Alonzo Tubbs]

I have been in sales for going on twenty years. It's a second career having retired from the military in '88. I've done well in sales but only after a lot of training and experience. If you don't mind, I'll pass on some of the lessons I've learned and possibly keep you from making the same mistakes I made.

First, make sure you're working for an honest company. Many will cheat you out of every thing you've earned; if you've sold at a price above minimum, they've made their money. They could care less about you. Don't allow anyone to discount an already closed sale. They're giving away YOUR pay check.

Second, beware of "bird dog" hiring- bringing you in to open new accounts. They'll encourage you until you've opened enough accounts and generated enough leads they can pass on to their established sales staff and let you whither away on the vine. Saves the favorites from prospecting.

Third, don't try to close by dropping the price. If your trying to sell to real grinders, they'll wear you down and you won't make money. Let them go to the competion and wear THEM down.

Last, get a copy of "Hardball Selling" by Shooks. Read it, study it and practice it. It works. Since I learned it, my sales have consitantly been high, as have my commisions.

Sales is a craft learned through experience- there is no such thing as a "born salesman". As Tommy Hopkins (another good author) wrote, sales is the most difficult job to succeed in and the easiest job in which to fail. Read, study and practice; you'll succeed.

One last thing and I'll go. The tire kickers, I'm just looking folks and those just checking prices are your best prospects. They already have an interest or you wouldn't be there. Trail close, overcome the objection and close again. The true big ticket sale doesn't begin until the customer has said "No" five times.

Best of luck with it.

'Lonzo

 

[Dargo]

Hey Sushi, it sounds to me like you're either selling the wrong product or working for the wrong person. My company isn't that large, but my average salesperson (I have females selling as well) made just over 93k last year. I know income is relative to where you live, but their income puts them in the top 10% here and I don't think I can run them off with a big stick now.

I've had several who didn't work out. Boy, were they ever expensive for me! But, for the ones who actually enjoy selling the products they have; they are loving life. I'd simply suggest that you write down things that you like and then see if there is an occupation available in selling something in a field you like. I'm a big believer in working smarter; not harder. Good luck to you!

 

[JimR]

I have been in sales for going on twenty years. It's a second career having retired from the military in '88. I've done well in sales but only after a lot of training and experience. If you don't mind, I'll pass on some of the lessons I've learned and possibly keep you from making the same mistakes I made.

First, make sure you're working for an honest company. Many will cheat you out of every thing you've earned; if you've sold at a price above minimum, they've made their money. They could care less about you. Don't allow anyone to discount an already closed sale. They're giving away YOUR pay check.

Second, beware of "bird dog" hiring- bringing you in to open new accounts. They'll encourage you until you've opened enough accounts and generated enough leads they can pass on to their established sales staff and let you whither away on the vine. Saves the favorites from prospecting.

Third, don't try to close by dropping the price. If your trying to sell to real grinders, they'll wear you down and you won't make money. Let them go to the competion and wear THEM down.

Last, get a copy of "Hardball Selling" by Shooks. Read it, study it and practice it. It works. Since I learned it, my sales have consitantly been high, as have my commisions.

Sales is a craft learned through experience- there is no such thing as a "born salesman". As Tommy Hopkins (another good author) wrote, sales is the most difficult job to succeed in and the easiest job in which to fail. Read, study and practice; you'll succeed.

One last thing and I'll go. The tire kickers, I'm just looking folks and those just checking prices are your best prospects. They already have an interest or you wouldn't be there. Trail close, overcome the objection and close again. The true big ticket sale doesn't begin until the customer has said "No" five times.

Best of luck with it.

'Lonzo

Very good ideas mentioned here. My old company used people too. They didn't care about the help. They even went so far one time to say we made too much money because everyone was buying newer trucks. Can you imagine that. The owner had his Jag, a Caddy, a Suburban and his Yatch. His kid had his Caddy Escalade, His Vette, His model T hotrod, His 55 Chevy Nomad and we were were making too much money. Finding the right company to work for and a job you like to do is the key. Doing something you do not like will shorten your life span by stressing you out all the time.