Technician commissions for "Leads"

[KenB]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

This is a REALLY sore subject with me.

I certainly agree that there must be a "system" for handling leads, and separating the qualified from the non-qualified.

We have one tech who turns in a lead for nearly every call he does, hoping that some may result in a sale. That approach I totally disagree with. (He doesn't fix them very well, either.)

I can though, honestly say, that after better than 32 years in the business, I have gotten screwed on literally EVERY lead that I've turned in.

I always get:
a. I was working on that.
b. It's a national account, and nobody gets paid.
c. The margins were so skinny that we can't pay you.

We're not just talking about onesey-twosey deals, either. Some have been whoppers, and I don't mean malted milk balls, either. (Hey. it's Halloween! )

[JR2ALTA]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

You guys are being way too black and white...and a tech should always appreciate gradation, be it on paper or in life.

This particular case the sales rep sounds justified.

I've never believed in leads for existing customers, maybe in certain cases of "wowing" them on some new technology out there, when upgrading wasn't even on their radar.


Techs should be happy with the growth of company profits and getting POS dinosaurs out of the field!

[Ctl-Alt-Del]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

What do you guys think?

What do we think? We think, "fuck you". You are a sales rep and you have been reaping the benefits of having customers buy from you because of the good service your company's techs provide. This is an existing account, and their fore an easy sale for you so pay your tech the few bucks and shut up.

Ps. Yes I know we can't exist without each other so there's no need to go down that road.

[fixthecopier]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Lately I have been on service calls on equipment that was at locations were they had a sales rep with the company. In a couple of those cases the sale was made because I felt out the customer and told the salesperson they were ready. Salesman got the sale, I got nothing. I also have equipment that could be replaced but I tell the customer that it will run for years, just call when it breaks, that is why you pay for maintenance. There are a lot of times it is the techs call as to whether or not a sale gets made.

[Hemlock]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Salesmen lie for a living; why should we believe what one of them posts here?

[Brischaffer]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

I would Definitly give the tech the lead!!! And throw him something. Because with out him keeping the machines running and keeping YOUR customer happy you wouldn't be in there in the first place.

[Hemlock]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

I would Definitly give the tech the lead!!! And throw him something. Because with out him keeping the machines running and keeping YOUR customer happy you wouldn't be in there in the first place.

Customer: "Do I need a new machine?"

Tech: "Nah, we can keep this one running. Besides, the latest model didn't make any major improvements. We should maybe wait one or two more generations to upgrade."


Salesman = screwed.

[cccjjn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Honestly, technician leads on existing accounts are a double edge sword. My preference would be that technicians just do their job, be the best they can at fixing the machines and fixing the customer's and not engage the customer regarding replacing equipment. That is their job and that is what they are paid for. The technicians generally have no idea what the situation is with the customer and machine from a sales perspective. Technicians generally don't realize that 60% or more of the machines in the field are on leases and what the problems are with terminating a lease early. They also don't have any idea what the customer's credit situation is. They also often don't realize how profitable that particular seemingly old machine may be to the dealer and service department's revenue by staying in the field. (For example the old machine is in the field at $0.025 and then the machine is replaced with a new unit that is only generating $0.009 in revenue per page)

The absolute worst thing an overvelous technician can do is engage a customer that is in a lease regarding upgrading the equipment. Unfortunately it happens all the time and it rarely ends well for the sales person or the dealership. Let's use this example. Customer is in a 48-month lease with a monthly payment of $200. Technician engages customer and turns in a lead. Here's the problem.....the customer has 8 payments left on the lease. Those remaining payments ($1,600) don't go away. If the customer's monthly lease payment was $200 they sure as heck don't want their new payment to be $38 a month higher for new equal equipment. By the way a $200 per month lease payment for a 48-month lease yields about $8,200 in funding. So now with the buyout of the old lease we really only have $6,600 left to play with to place the new equipment and hopefully make a profit. I hope the readers see where this is heading......and its not good. There is likely not going to be much if any profit in this deal. Even worse is if, since the sales process has now begun too early, the customer goes out and gets multiple quotes (which in this economy they usually do). If the customer goes out and gets multiple quotes in this situation it is more than likely that you will lose the customer. Its super easy for a competing vendor to dis-credit the original vendor in this situation that its more than likely that the customer will be lost. Even if you do keep the customer in this example the profit in the new deal was lost in that $1,600 buyout.

If the sales rep is doing his job he is on top of his fleet of machines in his existing accounts and is visiting the accounts on a regular basis especially if the machines are near the end of life.

[mervyn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

It would seem to me you have already made up your mind on this one and this post is unnecessary. However, from reading your posts, you seem to have converted to a salesperson quite well...

Agree with your post , It sounds as if your organisation is a them and us company , maybe you should work more closely with your techs . The techs generally see a customer a lot more times than a salesman does . Sales see the customer when they think they can make money , service are left to pick up the peaces after what sales said .

[Hemlock]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Let's not forget how, on the 30th every month, the salesman wants the machine out the door and the lease signed, regardless of whether all the accessories have arrived. Then it's the field tech doing the assembly instead of the shop/set-up techs, putting us behind on our regular calls and only offering the joy of constant calls from sales/mgt wanting to know if the machine is up yet.

Edit: And the customer constantly asking, while we're installing options in their office, "Is it broken already?".

[fixthecopier]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

To cccjjn,i get all that info the same way a salesman does. I talk to the customer. If I am doing a paid call on an old copier, I can assume they own it. If I am not sure, I ask. "Do you guys own this thing? How much do you like it? You love it? Well I am sure I can keep it running for many more years. You hate it?, let me tell you what I can do for you.. When was the last time someone from our sales staff contacted you? 5 years ago when you bought this, here , let me give you my cell number.

[10871087]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

What do we think? We think, "fuck you".

pretty well stated

Salesmen lie for a living; why should we believe what one of them posts here?

Your average sales rep won't even reed the spec sheet for what they're selling, you're probably right about their desire and/or ability to post here.

[d7guitar]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Where i work a sales lead from a technician is paid to the tech by the company, not from the salespersons commission. I would be pissed too if i had to share my small commission with anyone. I know how hard you guys have to work for your money lately and how much your commissions have shrunk due to our poor economy. I would guess most techs here, including me, are told we need to have a specific amount of sales leads turned in each quarter/semi-annually/yearly for our review. So if the sales people are doing their job well it, which it sounds like you are, makes it very hard for us technicians to even scrape a few for the year. Most of us techs jump on sales lead opportunities like a fat kid jumping on a jelly doughnut. No matter how small cause we like our jobs want to keep our pay grade and our amount of sales leads are tied to that. So it's VERY personal! A sales lead is a sales lead in our eyes. I don't think many techs here would get pissed about losing $25 dollars, but if it affects our hourly wage then we will scrap for it every day. Nothing against salespeople. It's purely survival. I am sorry you work at a company that makes you share your commission with the tech.

[mervyn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

What this guy doesnt seem to realise is that without the techs he wouldnt have a job . Who pays his salary when he doesnt sell , the service does , who pays the admin staff wages , the service does . He is the typical wingeing salesman I have dealt with all my working life . Get a reality check and realise sales and service work as a team and there is no I in team.

[Hemlock]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Reality is, salesgerbils should be out drumming up new business with new customers. Salestypes trying to survive by upgrading existing accounts is a sign of someone in the wrong career.

And coffee is for closers.