Sales Monkeys are only sometimes trainable

So I am a sales rep. I have sold technology services, solutions, and products since 1997. Sales years are much like dog years, but not as generous. I have often said that at 34, I am 507 in sales years, there are two key components that make this true. I was explaining to some of my book club members why I am getting way too old to do this for much longer. The first component is what supports my previous statement. I am not smart enough to work for companies that build business models around multiple sales. There are products that make sense in that way, ie: selling copiers, Microsoft products, SAP, etc., but we are not one of them, nor have I worked for technology companies that have that model. What this equates to is a sales force that must start from zero every single month as recurring revenue does not fall into place. Though there are benefits to this, there are also major pitfalls.

Secondly, I have found myself selling in male dominated industries in which my internal and external competition have all been men. Fine, but I have a mouth like a sailor and really have very little patience for emotional nonsense when it comes to business. I am big picture, business minded and analytical. I do not appreciate grandstanding, nor will I patiently bat my eyes at you while you go on ad nausea while really saying nothing at all. If there is a point, I would appreciate you getting to it. I want change made quickly to benefit the company and the sales staff and I am not about to stroke your ego unjustifiably. Give me a run for my money and you will gain my respect and admiration. So given the male dominance in my professional life, and the fact that I have spent over 7 years in IT Security, there is nothing - and I really mean nothing, that I have not seen or heard. I am in all cases, just one of the guys. So that being said, the mamby pamby sales guy who bullshits about his fabricated pipeline, or treats me like the little lady of the bunch is going to be sad, embarrassed, pissed, when I call him out. It has happened everywhere I have worked and I do not foresee it getting any better. I have almost no ego, but I am good at what I do and produce results. Well DUH - this is a results drive occupation. Is that so hard to understand?

So my point is not to rant about the Kevin Homer's of the world, but to complain that we have had clients in the office all day from out of town. This is good right? More business, good for the growth of the organization. Well, yes. But the sales team has had to be on their best behavior and that is so damn difficult. The month is coming to a close and we are awaiting contracts that should have been here yesterday and we like to bitch, moan, and cuss about these things. I am fortunate in that two of mine came in today, but I am waiting for that one more that is just about to drive me over the edge. Not to mention the fact that our August pipelines are looking extremely thin and we will be white knuckling our way through next month. There are times I am on my best behavior, but there are conditions in which I just hate it.

Speaking of things I have to do: Today is my wedding anniversary and although my husband does not read my blog - Happy Anniversary G. Congrats on putting up with me for so long! So we are going to celebrate on Saturday night as I have one of my committee meetings tomorrow morning at 7:30am and he will be home late tonight. So my daughter is going to have an overnight with my mother and this requires that I call her. I am not looking forward to 1) calling my mother and 2) exposing my daughter to her. This being said, "Little" asked to go to Grandma's house (she actually asked for Grandpa) and they have not seen her since the beginning of June. I am truly working on forgiveness, but for those of you who do not know the selfishness of my parents, you have not idea how steep this climb is and I am doing it in roller skates.