Pros
There are several, but few, reasons, to work here. Clients are generally appreciative of your time, and your experience is ultimately dependant on how you handle the hurdles that are thrown at you.
Kontras
There are many. The hours are crazy - and I'm pretty sure that they violate several labor laws. I'm in the office to 'check in' Tuesday through Thursday at 7am and leave at 730pm after 'checking out', except for 'office Mondays', where I'm in the office from 730-530. Now this was designed according to a 'sales process' designed by SK's sales directors, and if you look at it, you're being asked to work 58 hours a week. But if an inquiry were ever to be made, the response would be 'well, that's what we suggested'. But we all know it's mandatory. Management. The length of management in The SK-Verse is longer than a freight train. Couple that with the CLH train, and it triples. I got to wonder why that exists, and after calling for some help, I learned why. These people know nothing about the industry. They can read numbers, but have no clue as to what we actually do. All they do is echo the sentiments of those above and/or below them, people that have an earnest and well-founded understanding of what we do, and then are praised for it. The way that we are measured. The CRM system is nothing new to anyone in a sales environment. But the problem is, nobody really knows how to interpret the results from that 'scorecard' report. The top 5 reps in February closed a total of $213k, yet finished at 118% to quota. Had it not been for that $213k of 'new' business, then the actual targets would not have been met. I was told that budgets are based on last year's actuals plus a small percentage point, between 1 and 5%. So if the top sales reps in our organization are only able to hit their target by pulling in absolutely insane numbers (one of them did $100,000 in new revenue, yet only did 130%), doesn't logic dictate that the targets are set far too high? Or that there is something else at play? Maybe that the branch network is letting us down? Or maybe that the people who direct the way sales is run don't have a real understanding, and they should be reviewed, maybe they are outdated? This sales process. 'Bizpoint'. I got a call from my manager that I wasn't using it enough. I always had this ideology that Bizpoint was to be a prospecting tool. But apparently it's another metric, used by directorship to monitor us. I'm not an all-star, and I won't be going to presidents council anytime soon, but I've never missed my targets. So I'm doing something right? On top of that, our compensation plan stinks. In order to get any money for new business closed, I have to do $15,000. After taxes, about the only thing that I will be able to purchase is a case of beer to help with the aggravation and frustration that I have felt, because of the time it took to do that much revenue. But it gets better! We only get paid once on it. It doesn't matter if an account is serviced every month, we only get paid on it ONCE. So let's look at one of their target metal segments. Oily water, absorbents, miscellaneous containerized waste, used oil, parts washers, ER program, and two parts washers. Let's say that all of that is closed in April. Let's say that all of that work amounts to, say, $5000. That's great. $5000 less that I have to do in April. $5000 less that I have to do every month. But let's say that it's a bad month, and all I get the rest of the month is another $9000 of new business. I get a gooseegg in commission for new business, and I may not even hit my revenue target, for reasons above. But Safety-Kleen has made $60,000 off of that one customer alone for the year, and I may only see pennies in lieu. I don't know how these compensation specialists got their designations, but I'd guess out of a Cracker Jack box. And this is after they told us that we will be paid for what we do. What a lie. Most sales organizations pay 5-10% in commissions, not 'starting at' a quarter percent. That $20,000 target should be used as the first accelerator, not 'target at which we think we should pay you. Not well. But we'll pay you'. TPM - don't get me started. I've been asked why it's so low. I didn't realize we were mandated to close it. I guess we are. 84 appointments in a month. 6 appointments a day. Wouldn't be so bad, if I didn't have to enter profile on profile (now substantially more tedious and time-consuming since switching to WIN), check to see if the profile is still active, do samples, etc. but doable.. But my BGM checks me out every day.. Why, then, does it go for further revision? Do I need to include bathroom breaks? If anyone has ever done a Wikipedia search of micromanagement, one of the definitions is that it is not for business reasons but to enable themselves to feel useful and valuable or create the appearance of being so .. A fear of lacking the competence and creative capability .. Consequently eliminate trust .. Force skilled employees valuable to the company out. Which goes back to the management train. No merit increase this year, commissions at an all-time low. Management has no idea how to run business, I doubt any of the men and women in that massive layer between EVP and field staff have any formal education or prior industry knowledge. And sales pays for it.