Conference ilbbak::us_sales_service

    Jim,
    You've hit the nail on the head fairly well - I'm in sales support
    too, and until sales' metrics are changed drastically, I'd never even
    consider becoming a salesrep.   Could it be that management wants you
    to move into sales so that you are 'easier' to measure (this company
    has yet to figure out how to measure sales support...)

My boss says his encouragement for me to move to Sales is for my own career 
growth and not necessarily benefits to the Account Team. I respect that and it 
is one of the only reasons I'm even giving it any serious thought. You see, 
being a Sales person is quite a ways down on my list of things I want to be 
when I grow up.

My boss and I agree that me becoming a Sales person would leave a large hole 
in the Sales Support side of things. I honestly believe that my current
contribution as an Account Group-wide resource far outweigh what they would
ever be as a Sales person.

Now its time to shoot for Consultant III.

Regards,

Jim

I went from Sales Support to Sales and back again

AFter 2 years in Sales Support I moved to Sales because it seemed to be a good move

After 2 years in Sales I moved back to Sales Support for the following

	1)  I hated the admin stuff
	2)  I missed getting my hands dirty
	3)  I realized that I am a better Sales Support person than Sales

I have been in Sales Support for 4 additional years since then and am happy.

I don't regret my time in sales.  I got to understand things from their angle.
I also didn't take any level hits during any transition.  I went from a SPEC 1 (I think),
to a SR1, was promoted to s SR 2, then moved to a SPEC 4 and have since been promoted
to a Consultant II.  

When I left Sales I told people that I was doing it because I liked selling too much
to be in Sales.  I still believe that good Sales Support people get to sell more
than Sales Reps who get stuck in the administration.

RE: .0

I would absolutely not take the two level hit.  If your management thinks you'd
be that good, they can make you an exec.  Otherwise, stay put.  There is also the 
persistent rumor of SP2 for Sales Support so that would take away the one advantage.
That's assuming it ever happens.

Maybe the real bottom line is that you have to do what you feel best at.  It sounds
like you're good at what you do.  You have a "problem" that you really only have
one more promotion left and that's a rare one.  I guess moving to Sales would relieve
that problem but so would becoming a janitor.

Sounds to me like you should stay where you are and figure out how to become a 
consultant III.  Lacking that, you need to figure out the logical career path from
where  you are.  When you figure it out please let me know because I have the same
problem.


Ken Slattery

    re .0,1,3
    
    That's strange the corporate Jobs classification doesn't recognize the
    existence of antything higher than a Sales Support consultant (Job code
    24FY)
    
    Are you sure you boss isn't telling stories???
    
    q
    

	Sales support in our account group still fall under the Software
	job titles of 52Ax.  These go up to Consultant III.

tgc

    Small nit.... re. 0 and .3
    
    SP2 (Sales Performance Salary Program) is now called 
    
        SPC (Sales Performance Compensation) so that it will be 
        distinquished from 
    
            SMC (Sales Management Compensation).
    

My experience with Sales Support is that most of the good ones are perfectly 
capable of being good sales reps but only a few sales reps would make good 
support reps. I am capable of being in suport but choose not to because
I prefer the day to day activities of sales and the long term carreer path.
My buddy in sales support who is capable of being a good sales rep choses not
to because he prefers the day to day activities and long term carreer path.

Don't get into sales because someone else thinks it's a good idea or "might
be good for your carreer". Spend some time thinking about what your carreer
and personal goals are and whether this move would be a positive move in 
that direction.

    
    
       I too have worn both hats. Sales support, to sales back to sales
    support. Far all the same reasons that Ken mentioned a few replies
    back.
    
       You would, under no circumstances, take a level cut. Since JEC
    we have something called SRIs, Salary Range Indicators. A consultant 
    II, job code 52AF has an SRI of 40. This is the same as a sales exec.
    I.
    
       If the sales mgr. is telling you he wants to bring you over as a 
    sales rep. I or II, he either doesn't know he can't do this, or is
    trying to "thump" you.
    
    
                                             Phil...

>>       You would, under no circumstances, take a level cut. Since JEC
>>    we have something called SRIs, Salary Range Indicators. A consultant 
>>    II, job code 52AF has an SRI of 40. This is the same as a sales exec.
>>    I.
  
Same SRI's, very different ranges.  This suprised me too, since I was 
considering a non-sales opportunity recently.  Apparantly sales is the ONLY 
organization that doesn't follow the JEC standardization. (if you don't 
believe me ask your personnel rep)

So, if you jump from non-sales SRI 40 to sales SRI 40, your next raise would
be bigger since you're lower in the range at the same salary.  ;')

And vice-versa if you move OUT of sales. :'(

    re: .8
    
    Both those contentions are wrong.
    
    As a hiring manager, I can make a job offer to an internal candidate at
    any job code I wish - I do not have to limit the offer to a code which
    has the same SRI as your current job.  The decision gets based upon how
    I feel your experience and ability match into the job description, not
    what your current salary happens to be.  I know of a number of people
    who moved from other organizations (like Finance) into Sales and were
    stuck at the top of the salary range of their new title for a year or
    two until their performance merited a promotion.
    
    Although I don't have the salary ranges in front of me right now, I am 
    99.9999% sure that a sales support (52xx) SRI of 40 does not have the 
    same salary range as a sales SRI of 40.  I thought they did, but I was
    kinda suprised when I received copies of both during salary planning
    for CY92.
    
    Al
    

As part of my decision process for considering the Sales Support to Sales 
career move, I asked for the Sales and Sales Support Salary ranges. I was 99% 
sure that SRI's were consistent across job functions (since I was a manager 
for a number of years including during the transition to JEC). After getting
the salary ranges, it was quite a surprise to see that Sales Support SRI 40
has a lower range than Sales SRI 40. You'll note that the Sales jobs have a
code of 'S', while the Sales Support jobs have a code of 'E' for exempt, which 
is probably the same range for all other job function SRI 40s 

So, it appears that the higher ranges are there to compensate for a lack
of commissions. However, they are not enough for me to make the move. I've
decided to stay where I am in Sales Support. I really enjoy the work, I'm good
at it, and I do have one more level to go... 

Regards,

Jim

    
    
    
        I agree 100% with the fact the SALARY range is different (higher
    for "S" job codes), but it was the LEVEL issue that I was addressing.
    
        For instance, you may be a the high end of a sales support SRI 40
    and in the low to middle of a sales SRI 40.
    
        My understanding (and I could be wrong "again") was the reason we
    went throught the JEC exercise was to eliminate the vast differences
    between he different functions in the company.
    
    
                                              Phil...

    From the comments of the author of this note, I would advise against a
    move to sales.  You MUST be motivated by a different set desires that
    have nothing to do with job classifications, salaries and the like in
    order to succeed.  I personally think you would be miserable in a sales
    slot.  I have been in various sales jobs in this industry for more
    years than I can count, and believe me, the successful ones sell for
    the glory of it.

    
    
    
    
        I have to agree with -1 (116.13). After selling for 3 years (3 DEC
    100s), I decided I enjoyed the support role much more, and returned.
    There's more to a career the $$$ (although they don't hurt). Sometimes
    you've got to think with your heart and not your head.
    
    
    
                                       good luck, Phil...