Technician commissions for "Leads"

[cccjjn]

Former technician here that has been in sales the past 12 years.

Technician goes out on a service call at one of my largest multi-machine, multi location accounts. (Keep in mind this is an account I've been handling for many many years and that buys everything from me.) Office manager asks the technician to have me give him a call regarding replacing the machine. Instead of giving me a call and passing along the message, technician turns it in as a "Lead".

The company's main office was already considering upgrading the equipment in the main office. When I got back together with the owner of the company we decided to rotate the old machine from the main office out to this other office and retire the machine in that location.

Now the technician is expecting a chunk of my small commission I made on the deal for the "Lead" he turned in.

I've got to call BS on this one. Passing along a phone message is not a "Lead". Besides that its one of my best clients and one of our company's oldest accounts.

What do you guys think?

[mo0651]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

How long have you been "talking" to client? Tech made sale happen. Don't get me wrong here... It sounds like you and your techs take care of this company, that's why they stay with you. How many have you placed without giving a little commission?

[toner head]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

There is no easy answer here. I have been a tech for 27 years and whenever I turn in a lead or hear of someone replacing machine , I always hear that a sales person is already working on it. Lets face it, sometimes a customer is not committing to replacing equipment without some kind of head nod from the technician. What is that worth to you?Techs appreciate any money tossed their way. It doesn't have to be hundred bucks, and if your not making decent money on your sales , then you won't be selling very long. We need a thanks and a token.

[mojorolla]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Phone, email, verbally, post it note on your desk....a lead is a lead.

[cccjjn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

It was at my next meeting with the owner of the company 3 weeks later regarding replacing the equipment in the main office that the idea of rotating the old machine from corporate out to the branch came up. We were in talks regarding upgrading the equipment in the corporate office long before the lead for this branch was turned in.

Technician has no idea of my involvement and long relationship with this account. This isn't the sort of account where you see the people once every 3 years.

I have no problem paying a tech for a legit lead. I was a tech for many years and I get it. I also know the difference between a legit lead and when someone asks by name for their account manager to give them a call. This was not a legit lead by any stretch of the immagination.

[mo0651]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

You just said it yourself....."the tech has no idea of your relationship with the account." A lead is a lead.

[cccjjn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Sorry, but passing on a message from an employee (not the decision maker) of an existing major account where a machine ended up being moved to as the result of another deal that was already in the works is not a "Lead". Definately not worthy of expecting to be paid for it. Sorry.

I'll give you another personal favorite of mine with technician's turning so called "Leads" on existing accounts. That is when they turn in a lead on an existing account and give it directly to a sales rep (Not following procedure) who does not handle that particular account. Then they expect the rep that does handle the account to give them a piece of the commission after they gave it to someone else hoping for money. Sorry again.

Like I said before I have no problem paying for a legit lead but it has to be legit. One other thing is that techs have a perception that the sales reps are all rolling in money when the truth is its been pretty rough the past 3 or 4 years even for the best out there. Heck, there are times I wish I were still turning a screwdriver and not have the stress of being in sales in this economy.

[mojorolla]

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...

[cccjjn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

How long have you been "talking" to client? Tech made sale happen.

Tech absolutely had nothing to do with making the sale happen. I was already working with the corporate office to replace their equipment in the main office. The customer was going to do nothing at the branch location until I suggested we move the old equipment from corporate and put it in the branch. The branch where the "Lead" was turned in did not get a new machine. They got the old machine from the corporate office.

Perhaps I'm not making myself clear. The branch office that the "Lead" was turned in for did not get a new machine. The machine for the main office was already in the works. The branch office got a hand me down.

[copicatt]

I am just wandering why you are wanting our input, you have struck down every opinion given.

[cccjjn]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

I am just wandering why you are wanting our input, you have struck down every opinion given.

Situation came up this morning. Just felt like bitching about it and was curious what opinions I would get here. I should post it on a sales forum.....bet I'd get completely different responses.

[mo0651]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Tick off your techs and you might get the opportunity to turn that screw driver again! lol. Trickle down theory of replacement is hard for techs to see. You said he didn't know the relationship structure of the client. He turned in a lead to make a copier move and new one come in. Should your manager or owners have a little interest in giving him commission?

[blanka]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

From the sounds of it you are a typical salesman. Taking care of number 1. My opinion is " Salesman/women dont sell machines, Techs do ". Salesman just do the paper work and collect commision. Salesmen dont want anything to do with anything unless there is something in it for them. This is a perfect example, if the client was wanting to replace the mach and you knew about it or had plans for it already, how come the client did not know anything of it. If they need to ask the tech who willl obviously know nothing about then the the salesperson is not doing their job properly. I think you need to give credit where its due but i doubt you will. Im guessing by know you know im a tech and not a salesman. Good luck in the future but i doubt that tech will be giving you anymore leads.

[mojorolla]

Re: Technician commissions for "Leads"

Sales gets them, but service keeps them.

[Ianizer]

My take in general is, Nothing wrong with throwing a tech rep a bone for putting a legit bug in sales' ear. Helps keep lines of communication open. Me? I ain't no salesman and do not want to be. Your line of work is WAY too brutal for me! I am in awe, sir. Carry on.

That sed, it is absolutely critical to have a very clear policy on leads. Loosie-goosie notions of what constitutes a "lead" is just a situation waiting to happen... "Then you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... Well. He GETS it. N' I don't like this anymore than you men..."

I digress.

Quick rundown on ours:
Tech must fill out appropriate form and email it to specific admin person. Do it wrong and the delete button works super well.
If lead is deemed valid it is forwarded to the appropriate sales rep and their manager, where the rep is invited to keep service rep in the loop. (Sales rep may or may not elect to contact service rep. Their call.)
A valid lead is good for half a year. (If the sales rep sells the account on the 6th month & 1st day, tech's outa luck... Too bad, so sad. Deal. You're in Service for a reason.)
If sales rep meets specific criteria to claim to already be "working" the deal, lead is invalid in the first place. Remember the delete button?
If the account is sold within the alotted time frame, the tech is deemed to have indeed helped and is awarded a (small) percentage of the overall deal. As I said, it's a bone, a wee spiff, not intended to help out a service rep make bank.
If not sold, the tech has the option to resubmit the lead... Some nuts are tough to crack.

It all hinges on clearcut guidelines. Sales and service have got to have a mutual respect and somewhat of an understanding of the giants we face each day. Neither job is easy. Above all, if executive management intends to offer such a program to foster the kind of teamwork it implies, the lead fee must not cut into the sales rep's commission (unless it is an agreed upon sales instituted program).

The amazing thing is that in the years I've been doing this gig, sales and service persist in expecting each other to look and act like themselves. The jobs are vastly different, yet symbiotic. If we don't figure out how to control animosity and resentment, it leads us all directly to the unemployment line...

Or in the words of Ben Franklin: Gentlemen, we must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang seperately.

-I