Friday, the second to last day of the quarter, we finally got our budgets. I will update more tomorrow when i try to do some negotiations begin...but here are a few nice littles talking points.
Chaz waited to the last fricken second to give us our Budgets. Runner went in first, it was quick, and from what he tells me his are ridiculous and he did not sign them, and will also be negotiating tomorrow.
Jameson went next. His was not short, and he fought a little with Chaz form what I hear, and that situation will come to a head I am sure.
Somehow Frat and the other lady still have their jobs. I am seriously astounded and also a little irked. I know the lady makes more money than me, and she does NOTHING. She literally is "prospecting in Metropolis" when everyone knows there is no money there, and she happens to live there.
I was the last one in there. Why? I dont know. It was stressful, though. I mean, i have been applying elsewhere, and i have not lifted a finger at work really so...it wasnt a total stretch they could have fired my ass.
So, at 5:25PM on a Friday, i was called in, and handed my budgets. The excel spread sheet was so all over the place, and so hard to read. I sat and looked at it while chaz talked. and talked. and talked. and talk. but said nothing. His rather obvious, and not well hidden tactic in every sales pitch, meeting, and budget dishing out, is to just fucking talk. talk so much, no one else can get their 2 cents in...and then when he stops, you just want to say, fuggit, and agree to him just to shut him th efuck up.
i looked it over, it was high...but he was harping on the bone he threw us. Any new business we get on the air we get a straight 10% commission on it, regardless of the budget goal.
I will, in no way, make my goal this quarter. I can say that, knowing even if i worked 80 hour weeks, and hammered out 100 calls a week, i wouldnt.
So, next steps: still fight for a higher base. I had my first commission check this past month, and the extra 500 bucks i got (after billing 45,000 mind you), was a life saver. Too bad i can spend tht money on something awesome like a well deserved/much needed new surf board.
more to follow tomorrow. wish me luck with my job search.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Labor Law
Side note.
In the 3 amigo pow wow. We all were discussing our taxes, and how much money and miles we had used on our cars. we all started talking about how unjust it is we do not get any sort of compensation. every other salesdude we know either has at least one, if not all of the following:
1. company car.
2. state mandated compensation for mileage on car
3. gas allowance.
we get none of it...and we just heard that it may be law for employers who require outside driving for work to compensate the state set amount per mile.
i have my legal team looking into it. East Coast reader...help me out...we are talking between 6-10,000 bucks here, no joke.
In the 3 amigo pow wow. We all were discussing our taxes, and how much money and miles we had used on our cars. we all started talking about how unjust it is we do not get any sort of compensation. every other salesdude we know either has at least one, if not all of the following:
1. company car.
2. state mandated compensation for mileage on car
3. gas allowance.
we get none of it...and we just heard that it may be law for employers who require outside driving for work to compensate the state set amount per mile.
i have my legal team looking into it. East Coast reader...help me out...we are talking between 6-10,000 bucks here, no joke.
The 3 Amigos Unite.
In our Tuesday meeting today, after all the usual bullshit, ass kissing, inquisitional questionnaires, and "updates" and "here is whats to come", Jameson asked what was on all (well, me, runners, and Jameson because A) we know what the fuck is going on with our job and B) because we know what the bosses are REALLY up to) our minds.
Chaz: Anyone have anything else? Any Questions.
Jameson: I have a question (staring the boss boss GM in the face, in a very stern tone)
Chaz: Ok.
Jameson: Where are our 2Q budgets, seeing as April starts in 10 days?
Silence for a gooooood 15 seconds. It seemed like eternity. As the head head boss fumbled to get the elephant out of the room, and figure out how to answer such a simple questions. He retorts, literally.
Boss Boss: Um...ahh...um. Well, you know we are busy working on those, Chaz is new, and I am new at this, so we are working with the numbers and will have those to you by next week. I mean, from what i can tell you since the stations budgets are up, yours will be, and we will look at a higher than 2Q07 number...
Chaz: (butting in like a fucking shit head) Lets just focus on sales. Sell out this green marathon, and then we will talk.
So, because i have a solid head on my shoulders, and so does Runner, we both independently took this away from that convoluted, cursory answer.
1. Our budgets are going to be astronomical
a. mine for feb was 42,000, march was 48,000
b. In 2Q07 which was the first quarter i started, my budget was 60,000. I have never billed over 35000 in a month.
2. We will not be making a commission any time soon.
3. We will not be given a base increase.
4. Chaz is a tool.
5. We will both be working 15x as hard, and making no money to show for it.
So, needless to say, Jameson was pissed, and called them out, saying quiet frankly thats unacceptable, and they conceded because, if you are a sales organization, you fucking sales people better have a DAMN good idea oh how they are getting paid.
So, Jameson, Runner and I called a sit down at our local chinese food joint. We all laid out our interpretations of the events at the station. We all agreed on this:
1. Us three have been acknowledged as the backbone, shit the entire body of the sales staff.
2. We are underpaid
3. Runner and I should be given raises
4. Chaz is a tool.
5. Our bosses obvious prolonging of our budgets is no mistake. they are waiting till the last second so we are all forced to sign the horrible deal put in front of us.
6. Chaz and Boss Boss could care less about us making money, although that is what they repeat day in and day out "at the end of the day i want you to make a lot of money"
7. Chaz and Boss Boss only care about the station making moeny, and them being heroes.
8. Oh yeah, and Chaz is a sneaky little tool.
So, reader. What do we do? When together, we all wanted to think we would be badasses and sign nothing. Demand if they hold us at the highest level of productivity and accountability, they have to be ready to pay for it. And if they cant see that, then fuck off. We quit. But, the economy is in the shitter. What if we cant find work? So, we decided we are going to throw the shit right back at them. When they ask us "fill out this list, where is this client, how many meetings are you going on?" we are going to band together and ask "how are you making my job earlier, how are you promoting our station so people actually watch it, how are you getting our 2% audience closer to the 5% audience you demand?"
(note. we literally draw 2% of the audience watching TV at any given time, and that is a generous estimate. our bosses demand, and will further demand with consequences that we get 5% of the money that is going to be spent in our market. HOW THE EFF DOES THAT WORK?)
So, in short, i can honestly say, i am not signing their offer. I am demanding i get a raise, or that i have a budget that is actually going to yield me a commission. If i am billing 25000 in April, then make my budget 35000 so if i close one new deal, i will get commission.
What will happen? To be honest, i dont know, but without going into further financial details, i have proven that i am losing money while working at my job. Time to stick it to the man.
Chaz: Anyone have anything else? Any Questions.
Jameson: I have a question (staring the boss boss GM in the face, in a very stern tone)
Chaz: Ok.
Jameson: Where are our 2Q budgets, seeing as April starts in 10 days?
Silence for a gooooood 15 seconds. It seemed like eternity. As the head head boss fumbled to get the elephant out of the room, and figure out how to answer such a simple questions. He retorts, literally.
Boss Boss: Um...ahh...um. Well, you know we are busy working on those, Chaz is new, and I am new at this, so we are working with the numbers and will have those to you by next week. I mean, from what i can tell you since the stations budgets are up, yours will be, and we will look at a higher than 2Q07 number...
Chaz: (butting in like a fucking shit head) Lets just focus on sales. Sell out this green marathon, and then we will talk.
So, because i have a solid head on my shoulders, and so does Runner, we both independently took this away from that convoluted, cursory answer.
1. Our budgets are going to be astronomical
a. mine for feb was 42,000, march was 48,000
b. In 2Q07 which was the first quarter i started, my budget was 60,000. I have never billed over 35000 in a month.
2. We will not be making a commission any time soon.
3. We will not be given a base increase.
4. Chaz is a tool.
5. We will both be working 15x as hard, and making no money to show for it.
So, needless to say, Jameson was pissed, and called them out, saying quiet frankly thats unacceptable, and they conceded because, if you are a sales organization, you fucking sales people better have a DAMN good idea oh how they are getting paid.
So, Jameson, Runner and I called a sit down at our local chinese food joint. We all laid out our interpretations of the events at the station. We all agreed on this:
1. Us three have been acknowledged as the backbone, shit the entire body of the sales staff.
2. We are underpaid
3. Runner and I should be given raises
4. Chaz is a tool.
5. Our bosses obvious prolonging of our budgets is no mistake. they are waiting till the last second so we are all forced to sign the horrible deal put in front of us.
6. Chaz and Boss Boss could care less about us making money, although that is what they repeat day in and day out "at the end of the day i want you to make a lot of money"
7. Chaz and Boss Boss only care about the station making moeny, and them being heroes.
8. Oh yeah, and Chaz is a sneaky little tool.
So, reader. What do we do? When together, we all wanted to think we would be badasses and sign nothing. Demand if they hold us at the highest level of productivity and accountability, they have to be ready to pay for it. And if they cant see that, then fuck off. We quit. But, the economy is in the shitter. What if we cant find work? So, we decided we are going to throw the shit right back at them. When they ask us "fill out this list, where is this client, how many meetings are you going on?" we are going to band together and ask "how are you making my job earlier, how are you promoting our station so people actually watch it, how are you getting our 2% audience closer to the 5% audience you demand?"
(note. we literally draw 2% of the audience watching TV at any given time, and that is a generous estimate. our bosses demand, and will further demand with consequences that we get 5% of the money that is going to be spent in our market. HOW THE EFF DOES THAT WORK?)
So, in short, i can honestly say, i am not signing their offer. I am demanding i get a raise, or that i have a budget that is actually going to yield me a commission. If i am billing 25000 in April, then make my budget 35000 so if i close one new deal, i will get commission.
What will happen? To be honest, i dont know, but without going into further financial details, i have proven that i am losing money while working at my job. Time to stick it to the man.
Learn the terms.
Ok. So since you readers are most likely not in sales, or in TV sales...here is how my pay structure works. You will soon learn, i am being robbed.
So, each of us account execs have monthly budgets, and all put together, in some fashion, those budgets make up the stations monthly target budget. These budgets range form (what i can gather) 45,000-100,000 a month for individual AE's.
No, each AE has their monthy billing, which is the amount of money they are getting from advertisers. I have 4 buying clients. My monthly billing for February was circa 35,000. This month, it is circa 30,000 thus far.
So, in order to make commission, you have to have your BILLING reach 75%. 75% is a magic number. Why? Because any amount of money you bill to put you above 75%, you get between 5-10% commission on.
So. My BUDGET last month was 42,000. My Billing was 35,000. That is 83% of my budget. So, I made a commission. The commission i made was only on 3500 of that total 35000 i billed. Why? the magical 75% number.
Yes folks. We do not make money, or see any benefits of anything under that 75% number. So, although I billed 35000, and in a normal world would make at least 1750 in commission, i only make maybe $175.
Seem fair? I didnt think so.
So...we are now awaiting our 2Q budget target numbers. Read the next post. I think you can follow along now.
So, each of us account execs have monthly budgets, and all put together, in some fashion, those budgets make up the stations monthly target budget. These budgets range form (what i can gather) 45,000-100,000 a month for individual AE's.
No, each AE has their monthy billing, which is the amount of money they are getting from advertisers. I have 4 buying clients. My monthly billing for February was circa 35,000. This month, it is circa 30,000 thus far.
So, in order to make commission, you have to have your BILLING reach 75%. 75% is a magic number. Why? Because any amount of money you bill to put you above 75%, you get between 5-10% commission on.
So. My BUDGET last month was 42,000. My Billing was 35,000. That is 83% of my budget. So, I made a commission. The commission i made was only on 3500 of that total 35000 i billed. Why? the magical 75% number.
Yes folks. We do not make money, or see any benefits of anything under that 75% number. So, although I billed 35000, and in a normal world would make at least 1750 in commission, i only make maybe $175.
Seem fair? I didnt think so.
So...we are now awaiting our 2Q budget target numbers. Read the next post. I think you can follow along now.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Will closes a deal
So Friday I closed a deal. 5,000 a month, from a local car dealer. first local dealer on our air in like 2 years. pretty go win.
i was really excited, beacuse Rudy (now known as Chaz) was really stoked and maybe he will be off me...syke. He wants a close like that every week.
anyhoo, it felt good to make this deal because first off, car dealers have a shit load of money (at least this one does) so another 5K wont kill them. Also, it may just work. Not just saying that.
So, pray for more wins like that in Wills future.
i was really excited, beacuse Rudy (now known as Chaz) was really stoked and maybe he will be off me...syke. He wants a close like that every week.
anyhoo, it felt good to make this deal because first off, car dealers have a shit load of money (at least this one does) so another 5K wont kill them. Also, it may just work. Not just saying that.
So, pray for more wins like that in Wills future.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Rock Bottom
Everyone hit rock bottom in their job, i imagine. The moment you REALLY realize you should have left 2 months ago when a more fun, less stressful opportunity came up at a college. Well, i am glad i didnt move that way, however, Will Loman did in fact hit rock bottom.
weekly sales meetings have been increasingly shitty as new management has stepped in over the past 2 months, but today, the shit storm really centered on TV Station, and namely Will Loman.
Rudy (who i know want to call Chaz, because when i think of Chaz, i think of a meat head, frat rat, who because he is smaller than everyone, must pick on those in funny little "im joking but i am not" cut downs) So, CHAZ, stared the meeting off happy and fun, we went through our usual bullshit, and when it came to "things to come" i knew we were all in for a real treat.
first thing to come: a little jar that if we get "called out on a mistake" we put 5 dollars into it. what was the first mistake? Will didnt bring a pad and paper to a meeting (that was supposed to just be a meet and greet with the big boss) so (in a Chaz tone, with a Chaz laugh) he goes:
So will is our first "call out". He went on a meeting and forgot to bring a pad and paper (apparently the 8th deadly sin) and when i asked him about it, he just points to his head, and says "all in hear bro".
I did do all of the above. But you know what? I also had ALL THE FUCKING FACTS IN MY DOME! He quizzed me, and i dominated him about what we discussed. So, that was the first kick to the nuts today.
Second. The new hours are 8:30 to 5:30. He went on and on about us being there all day. But just last week? WE WERE TOLD TO BE OUT OF THE FUCKING OFFICE. Jesus. Pick a preference. Granted I do leave Fridays early, and I do come and go as i Please, but i get my shit done. Maybe i need to put in 4 more hours a day of cold calling. To people who WILL NOT BUY US.
Third. The HAIR comments. Now, I have "long hair" right now. Does it cover my ears? No. Is it a mullet? No. Is it long? To everyday standards, no. Chaz LOVES to call me "boy band hair" and "why dont you comb your hair" and all of these would be FINE comments if we were friends. They are said in a friendly, shit talking way (much like my brother and i would make fun of one another) however, he is my boss, so you never know if he really means it. Runner and myself agreed today. He means it 85% and is using the 15% joke to mask that meaning. Jesus. Do i really have to have a fucking high and tight hair cut? what century are we in?
So, when i was leaving work (at 5:31 ma fuckas), my father called me. I was filling my car up, and I told him how i was about to quit. But do to other circumstances (like feeding myself) i didnt. He was completely helpful and understanding, but at the last moment, i will admit, i broke down. I started to cry, which i haven't really done since a close uncle died, because i am just straight up overwhelmed. How can i succeed if the station is set for failure, and some assholes are all over my ass? I am much more calm now after cleaning the shit out of my apartment and making a good dinner, but I really dont want to face the music tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next. But i AM. Because i am not a quitter. I will find a new job in the next week. I will make my financial woes be answered, and i will fucking waltz into Chaz's office and tell him to fuck himself. His stallion is cutting loose. Oh yeah, and pay me for 2 weeks of vacation. hahahha.
weekly sales meetings have been increasingly shitty as new management has stepped in over the past 2 months, but today, the shit storm really centered on TV Station, and namely Will Loman.
Rudy (who i know want to call Chaz, because when i think of Chaz, i think of a meat head, frat rat, who because he is smaller than everyone, must pick on those in funny little "im joking but i am not" cut downs) So, CHAZ, stared the meeting off happy and fun, we went through our usual bullshit, and when it came to "things to come" i knew we were all in for a real treat.
first thing to come: a little jar that if we get "called out on a mistake" we put 5 dollars into it. what was the first mistake? Will didnt bring a pad and paper to a meeting (that was supposed to just be a meet and greet with the big boss) so (in a Chaz tone, with a Chaz laugh) he goes:
So will is our first "call out". He went on a meeting and forgot to bring a pad and paper (apparently the 8th deadly sin) and when i asked him about it, he just points to his head, and says "all in hear bro".
I did do all of the above. But you know what? I also had ALL THE FUCKING FACTS IN MY DOME! He quizzed me, and i dominated him about what we discussed. So, that was the first kick to the nuts today.
Second. The new hours are 8:30 to 5:30. He went on and on about us being there all day. But just last week? WE WERE TOLD TO BE OUT OF THE FUCKING OFFICE. Jesus. Pick a preference. Granted I do leave Fridays early, and I do come and go as i Please, but i get my shit done. Maybe i need to put in 4 more hours a day of cold calling. To people who WILL NOT BUY US.
Third. The HAIR comments. Now, I have "long hair" right now. Does it cover my ears? No. Is it a mullet? No. Is it long? To everyday standards, no. Chaz LOVES to call me "boy band hair" and "why dont you comb your hair" and all of these would be FINE comments if we were friends. They are said in a friendly, shit talking way (much like my brother and i would make fun of one another) however, he is my boss, so you never know if he really means it. Runner and myself agreed today. He means it 85% and is using the 15% joke to mask that meaning. Jesus. Do i really have to have a fucking high and tight hair cut? what century are we in?
So, when i was leaving work (at 5:31 ma fuckas), my father called me. I was filling my car up, and I told him how i was about to quit. But do to other circumstances (like feeding myself) i didnt. He was completely helpful and understanding, but at the last moment, i will admit, i broke down. I started to cry, which i haven't really done since a close uncle died, because i am just straight up overwhelmed. How can i succeed if the station is set for failure, and some assholes are all over my ass? I am much more calm now after cleaning the shit out of my apartment and making a good dinner, but I really dont want to face the music tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next. But i AM. Because i am not a quitter. I will find a new job in the next week. I will make my financial woes be answered, and i will fucking waltz into Chaz's office and tell him to fuck himself. His stallion is cutting loose. Oh yeah, and pay me for 2 weeks of vacation. hahahha.
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