Help me get along with Sales

[Anonymous]

I am an in house lawyer and I am really struggling with my relationship with Sales. The personalities and values are just 180 degrees different between us.

Any other in house attorneys want to share what they have done to make the relationship more effective and less strained?

[Anonymous]

Watch the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. It is all about the pressure of sales.

Can you describe what is the core of the problem? What is the big clash about?

[Anonymous]

Sales rep here (different industry) and I’m curious what values are different? Also curious what you don’t like about working with reps as I’m wondering what my cross functional colleagues think of us!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sales rep here (different industry) and I’m curious what values are different? Also curious what you don’t like about working with reps as I’m wondering what my cross functional colleagues think of us!

Sales:

1) Are only about the $$
2) Are big picture, don't understand why the details have to be right
3) Don't plan ahead so routine work becomes an emergency
4) has no idea of turnaround time
5) Dip in and dip out of the office all day long, and are frustrated when contracts isn't available in the evenings after contracts has worked 9 hours at their desks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Watch the movie Glengarry Glen Ross. It is all about the pressure of sales.

Can you describe what is the core of the problem? What is the big clash about?

They will do anything to make a sale, and contract language is seen as an obstacle to their commissions. Have a loose understanding about misleading the customer as to functional capabilities.

[Anonymous]

OP, it honestly sounds like you're not in the right job for you. Sales people are driven by commissions, they are not as concerned with accuracy as lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Have a convo w/leadership as to how your company can provide living wages to salespeople lol. Do you know what their base is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have a convo w/leadership as to how your company can provide living wages to salespeople lol. Do you know what their base is?

OP here. That's part of the problem. Even the most junior salesperson, who started last month, has a base higher than my tenured contracts head. And the sales base is supposed to be only 50% of total comp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have a convo w/leadership as to how your company can provide living wages to salespeople lol. Do you know what their base is?

OP here. That's part of the problem. Even the most junior salesperson, who started last month, has a base higher than my tenured contracts head. And the sales base is supposed to be only 50% of total comp.

That seems like your company’s problem. Junior salespeople at top tech companies make 80k base in nyc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sales rep here (different industry) and I’m curious what values are different? Also curious what you don’t like about working with reps as I’m wondering what my cross functional colleagues think of us!

Sales:

1) Are only about the $$
2) Are big picture, don't understand why the details have to be right
3) Don't plan ahead so routine work becomes an emergency
4) has no idea of turnaround time
5) Dip in and dip out of the office all day long, and are frustrated when contracts isn't available in the evenings after contracts has worked 9 hours at their desks

Np. In house too.

Ha I always laugh at the sales reps attitude. They’d slit their grandmas throat to get a sales in by quarter end.

I agree with the above.

Don’t sweat the details with them.
Don’t over lawyer.
Be patient. They sort of pay for your job and they have a lot more pressure than we do in many ways.
Prioritize their work (see above)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sales rep here (different industry) and I’m curious what values are different? Also curious what you don’t like about working with reps as I’m wondering what my cross functional colleagues think of us!

Sales:

1) Are only about the $$
2) Are big picture, don't understand why the details have to be right
3) Don't plan ahead so routine work becomes an emergency
4) has no idea of turnaround time
5) Dip in and dip out of the office all day long, and are frustrated when contracts isn't available in the evenings after contracts has worked 9 hours at their desks

They are all ADD under enormous stress and they pay for your job. Deal with it

[Anonymous]

I sit somewhere between legal/contracts and sales, and I really appreciate the legal/contracts people who have a problem solving/getting to yes mindset - in particular, being realistic about details that would actually cause problems vs. dwelling on worst case scenario minutiae.

[Anonymous]

At this day and age if connectivity, I also find myself questioning the value of salespeople (customer facing). I do find most to be always selling-- whether it's their product, their image, or both. Very hard for me to take them seriously. the great salespeople earn customer trust and respect with true competence and expertise in their field. They are rarer

[Anonymous]

You’re a typical goalie, which is a great position and typical of attorneys and other quality review positions. When you get stressed, you’re going to lean into your checklist and hunker down, but what you need to work on is seeing the big picture so you see how all the pieces of the company fit together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You’re a typical goalie, which is a great position and typical of attorneys and other quality review positions. When you get stressed, you’re going to lean into your checklist and hunker down, but what you need to work on is seeing the big picture so you see how all the pieces of the company fit together.

In house poster above. Totally agree.