theadudley@charter.net
Dear Thea,
What ideas do you have in dealing with a sales rep who constantly goes over your head about every credit application, credit hold, or customer decision that he doesn’t like? I have one rep who does this all to time. Every time he doesn’t agree with me, he goes crying to our president who then gets in the middle of it. How do I deal with this?
Signed, Fed-Up in Farmington
Dear Fed-Up,
Sure! I have lots of ideas, but as I have pointed out in more than one column, it has to be legal, has to be somewhat HR compliant, and leave no visible scars. I can absolutely relate. Dealing with those types of reps (or people for that matter) is like deja poo: The feeling you have heard all the same crap before, usually on the same accounts.
Your real problem is not the sales rep, he’s a by-product. The real issue here the guy sitting at the top of the pyramid. Pull El Presidente aside and tell him (as bluntly as your relationship allows) that this is counterproductive behavior and is actually working against the whole concept of having a credit manager.
If he continues to give face time and then help “solve” the issue every time this same rep comes to him, he is teaching the rep this behavior is acceptable and encouraged to continue. If that is what he is going for, then great; the sales rep can just skip a step and keep you out of the whole process. In other words, if they want to do your job, let them go ahead. You need additional time to work on your “I told you so” comments when the adventures roll into the train wreck you know is ahead (and that credit usually ends up cleaning up).
If you can’t get him to listen, you may have to wait it out. Log each and every account that comes into question in this scenario, what your recommendation was, and what decision the dynamic duo made. If the account pays as agreed with no issues, great. If, however the account has issues, grab your popcorn, sit back, and get ready because it is game on.
By game on I mean, at the first sign of past due, you are letting them both know their “pet projects” are past due and they need to take care of it. If you have a list of the accounts (which from your email sounds like you might) can you get IT to help you create a special report just for the duo that contains their accounts. This is where you will need to be hardcore about it. Those accounts are not your responsibility. The couple wanted ownership, they have ownership. All the way. This will be tough and not popular with your president. It may be seen as, dare I say it, insubordination. But, you are making a point.
The game-changer in this scenario really does start at the top. If you cannot get your president to acknowledge and understand that entertaining every battle cry and whimper from said sales rep damages the relationship you have, or are hoping to build, with the rep, then you are fighting a losing battle. It’s a fight you will not win. It may take an extreme measure to make the president see that.
Part of this exercise will bring another conversation like the one you originally tried to have but got nowhere with. You will be armed with examples of why the current process the rep is using isn’t working and what support needs to happen. Explain that challenges are OK, but gratuitous whining to get your way is not.
Disagreements are healthy and while I like a good battle of wits as much as the next credit manager, I don’t appreciate it every time, on every decision, from the same person. Every encounter for every decision should not be up for a point/counterpoint style combat event that ends up in the corner office.
If that doesn’t work I have a tractor and several shovels, just tell me when and where. No one will miss a whiny sales rep.
