The Sales team probably hates you, and it's personal

I made my first semi professional sale at the age of 9. In the back of a comic book edition of Ghost Rider sat an advertisement for child labor opportunities hawking greeting cards door to door for the princely sum of $1 per sale.

In the event your aunt Clara dropped 6k on greeting cards, my commission wouldn't change, still a buck.

Sensing my ambition and industrious spirit, my dad agreed to drive me around our impoverished community during the height of winter in the Midwest featuring knee deep snow and black ice. Parenting was different in the 80s.

I made $16 that day. Sixteen sales from people who probably weren't in a position to do it, but saw a kid in the snow with a strange man outside, and decided to help me out. That day, a salesperson was born.

Fast forward a decade, my Freshman year in college was spent selling fake designer cologne in Walmart parking lots with a team of truly scary people, followed by a stint selling insurance without a license for a small regional office.

Luckily, I eventually got off the street and scored internships for the next three summers.

Funny: I probably made more money with the greeting cards than insurance.

Sales is hard, kids. Stay in school and land a Sales gig with an expense account selling 3M blue tape like uncle Dwayne did back when flip phones were all the rage. #motorolarazr4life

What was the point of the autobiography? I want you, my audience to know I'm acutely aware of the challenges Salespeople face from SMB to Global Enterprise, I've done it all.

I wish to create a global union with Sales provide a seamless united front to provide the best customer experience possible, regardless of customer size or vertical. It can be done.

Customer Success was developed from a subscription environment spawned by the very technology that made some Sales professionals obsolete. They are aware of this fact.

THAT my friends, is a primary reason why the crusty old Sales dude with the dad bod and struggling slim fit shirt buttons wants to kick you down several flights of stairs.

For your edification, I've compiled some additional reasons why your Sales team is upset with you:

Pressure and Targets

Sales teams often work under high pressure to meet targets and quotas. This pressure can lead to stress and frustration, which might inadvertently affect their interactions with potential customers or clients.

Rejection

Salespeople face rejection frequently. Not everyone they approach will be interested in their products or services, and constant rejection can lead to negative feelings and a defensive attitude.

Stereotypes

Salespeople sometimes face stereotypes as being pushy or insincere. This stereotype can create a negative perception before any interaction even begins, making it harder for them to build positive relationships.

Misalignment of Values

If a sales team is selling products or services that they personally don't believe in or that might not align with customers' needs, it can lead to internal conflict and dissatisfaction.

Lack of Training or Support

If a sales team lacks proper training, resources, or support from their organization, they might struggle to effectively engage with potential customers, leading to negative interactions.

Cultural and Personality Differences

Sales teams often deal with a diverse range of people from different cultures and backgrounds. If they're not trained in cultural sensitivity or lack the interpersonal skills to connect with different personalities, misunderstandings can occur.

High Turnover

Sales roles can have a high turnover rate due to the challenges and pressures associated with the job. Constantly having new team members can disrupt the team dynamic and lead to inconsistent interactions with customers.

Focus on Metrics Over Relationships

When sales teams are primarily measured and rewarded based on numbers rather than building strong customer relationships, their interactions can become transactional and less personable.

Lack of Empathy

Successful sales interactions often require empathy and understanding of customers' needs. If a sales team lacks empathy, their interactions can come across as cold or uncaring.

Key Fact: Most of the top performing CEOs and visionary leaders / entrepreneurs such as Mark Cuban began their career in some form of Sales/Marketing.

With that said, it's still possible for individuals in Sales to feel jealous or envious of the shiny new toy called Customer Success.

Although this sentiment is not universally experienced across all sales professionals, I've been in numerous AE encounters in which I had to extend a XXXL sized olive branch to codify our partnership.

Here are a few reasons why such feelings might arise:

Recognition and Contribution

Salespeople often work hard to secure deals and generate revenue for their company. Witnessing customers cite Customer Success, granting recognition based on the products or services the Sales professional sold can sometimes lead to feelings of under appreciation, especially if the salesperson's efforts are not similarly recognized.

Personal Comparison

If a salesperson is struggling to meet their own targets or is facing challenges in their role, they don't wish to risk the relationship introducing a new entity (CSM) into the mix.

Company Culture and Recognition

If the company culture places more emphasis on celebrating customer success rather than recognizing the efforts of the sales team, it can contribute to feelings of jealousy.

Lack of Fulfillment

If a salesperson doesn't find their role fulfilling or doesn't see the impact of their work beyond generating revenue, they might be more prone to feelings of jealousy when customers achieve substantial success.

Obviously there are many extremely successful sales professionals who genuinely enjoy helping customers find solutions that meet their needs. Take each talking point with a grain of salt.

Sales is the backbone of capitalism and the driving force behind every for profit business globally.

In order to properly recognize the people who keep the lights on, we must be intentional in creating a culture of teamwork which incorporates other parties, such as Customer Success in a manner who respects their contributions by organically growing that initial sales deal exponentially over time.

Companies can foster a supportive and collaborative culture that values both Customer Success and the contributions of their Sales teams.

Providing recognition, collaborative training, and cross functional avenues for personal and professional growth can help mitigate morale issues which plague many organizations in blending new roles into their existing Sales ecosystems.

I am a Sales legend in my own mind, and you can't change that.

Your friend,

Dwayne