ManServant

Techies vs Sales ....

 

Its never going to be an easy working relationship is it?! There are after all two very distinct camps at work here. Techies often see their role as more viable, genuine and professional. They focus on ‘what will work’, what won’t work’, and a black and white or truth versus fiction argument. To them the salesman has much lower morals, will bend the truth to get a sale, is happy to inhabit in a more ambiguous world, and for sure will treat them as a resource, not a colleague or a human being. In short most techies don’t understand the sales process, actually fear it, and most salespeople don’t know anything about what is actually on the CD or media that they might ship to the customer.

 

But techies have egos too. Interestingly, to a man and woman they fail to notice this in themselves and they will often stubbornly compete amongst each other for the status of technical prowess and the recognition thereof. I find the relationship works best when you do approach techies as the colleagues and individuals they are by taking time to get to know them as people. Yes they are a resource to help make the sale but so is everyone and at times Mr Propeller head is asked to do a great deal of work for you and the company so its best to do what you can to increase the effectiveness of communication because that’s what will help you win the business. As a techie before getting into sales I have always felt I understand both groups a little better than most. How smug am I?!  

     

The brash ego fuelled sales type will often say in a measured but aggressive tone; “there is nothing I hate more than ‘techie turned salesman’”! I had been on the receiving end of such a comment myself at least once. The individual who delivered this I realized much later was actually saying that he felt exposed when having to talk about technology or the technical merits of what he was selling. He therefore hated himself for not having the grey matter to understand what techies talk about. ‘Techies” are way down beneath him. He knows that because they really do know how to use a keyboard and get the laptop to project onto the whiteboard. Techies in a sales department also get paid less than Mr Numero Uno Loudmouth Account Manager. Many salespeople make themselves feel good in the self knowledge that their industry is about business benefit and in their own nicotine stained, vodka shrunk brain this requires much greater and more highly prized cerebral wiring than could ever be realized by your average techie. 

 

There is also the small matter of commission! If a whole of group of techies end up in a non air conditioned basement under Broadgate for three and a half weeks in July, trying to make it work, and by some miracle a deal gets closed before the end of the quarter, who gets the commission? That’s correct the Account Manager, the Sales Manager, the Sales Director, the Country Manager and the WW VP of sales. The techies, if they play their cards right might get to go on the club trip to the Bahamas next January. But believe me I am not taking sides.    

Sales... the traveling life for me......

If you are a manservant - or indeed a lady servant which is a whole different subject!!  - and in sales you are indeed one of life's true leaders and risk takers. Only your fellow sales people will understand what you go through and how you have chosen to live your professional life. Why? well because only in sales do you really understand and experience what rejection is each day. Rejection, risk, fear, determination, and at times gut wrenching emotional reactions have long since been made your friends. Just by picking up the phone you can experience a whole series of 'flight or fight' adrenaline.

In sales there is NO measure of success BUT the bottom line. And there is no such thing as 'an easy day'. The money, revenue, sales - just bring it in - focus can eclipse everything else in your life. The worst affected will start to see family and friends as being 'in the way', and time at home or time spent doing something different for a change is seen as wasted time.

Some will laugh at this synopsis. Usually either because they remain ignorant of your efforts, believing that you have it easy, or they too will smell their own fear at the simple mention of the word 'sales'. These people will be what is lately called in 'back office' departments and functions. They know you are a true leader because they also know that NOTHING else happens in commerce UNTIL something is sold. The product or the service may indeed be good, bad or indifferent, but without the selling  activity or mechanism, the  back office has no purpose.

And yet, sales people continue to get a rotten press, and their role is at times often belittled at best and at worst ridiculed. True, bad apples in all walks of life give certain groups of people a bad press;  Harriett Harman in politics, Osama Bin Laden in religion, Spanish motor racing fans, etc... but on balance, your average sales person who has had the balls to take up the challenge is undervalued and given little support. 

When he or she does deliver, his success will often be rewarded yes with commission - and very well done to you if you get this - but with an increase in target and often a halving of his or her territory. And when the back office receives an annual bonus for 'customer satisfaction'  or for licking more envelopes than last year, the salespersons measurable contribution goes back to a zero setting. Thats right, he or she has to do it all again next year.

Congratulations and well done to all who work and continue down the selling path. You deserve everything you get and much, much more..... 

Get up in the morning and sniff the air….

 

If you have struggled to find your niche at any time as a man, and felt out of step with who you really are at home, work and in your community its because you are a Man Servant living in the modern world.

You see you were designed to climb from under a rock at daybreak, sniff the air for possible dangers to you and your family, drink from a stream and meet up with your fellow men to go out hunting for the things required by the people you care about, young and old.

 

In your own way you are doing that but for the most part in isolation from your fellow men. Forced to compete in a one – to – one for everything goes against the grain and builds resentment. Not only that but losing this contact with men’s groups – your fellow hunters builds a deeper frustration and you simply don’t know why.

 

You might be active in a sports club however, team sports, physical games etc. and feel very little of this as a consequence. Congratulations, you have found an outlet. But most men will only have the time and resources to pursue these ‘hobbies’ for an hour or two per week, The rest of the time Man Servant steps back in line.

 

Happiness is in the struggle however and building a business, nurturing a home and family gets you out of bed to sniff the air in the morning. Your hunting clothes are your overalls or your suite and once on you might be prepared to meet any threat that comes your way.

 

But the feeling of disconnect will return because Man Servant must go on being the prominent provider even to the point of feeling trapped or stuck in a rut. As he gains experience, Man Servant may find he is the most qualified, respected, successful man in his field but through time unfortunately feels there is still a great deal missing from his life. He may indeed have it all but his church and his colleagues cannot fill the gaps.

 

With luck his family and friends succeed for him where others fail. His children will be the greatest joy in his life and his partner his greatest friend. If they don’t make the grade for whatever reason and whomever is complicit in this failure he may up very lost indeed.

 

The truth is however Man Servant, even though he feels more isolated than any previous generation, will live to become just a man again with all the love and support he deserves. Luckily, I did.