I fought against a Dictatorship, and the Dictatorship won. True Story...

[diamond]

The Dictatorship= The Dealership where I sell cars..
Iam well like by half the managers and the majority of the sales reps
Anyway this month the managers implented a large cash bonus program for the top 40 percent of the sales force..

The top 7 would recieve between 4000- 3000 depending where they placed in sales volume rank..There are 16 sales reps tho..

They are a total of 16 sales reps ..
The bottom 9 were to recieve NOTHING, yes NOTHING..Nada Zilch..
These 9 CONTRIBUTED to the 150 cars that were sold COLLECTIVELY to help the dealership receive enough profit to pay out this bonus money- to the Top 7.

I was going to be 1 of the 7..in the money
I felt guilty for my commrades who were close to my 3000 bonus who HELPED the store w their efforts..and would recieve no money..

In a sales meeting I spoke out against this flawed program.
Some middle managers bristled..
Some managers agreed w me privately..

It was suggested by the General Manager that my idea was noble and I circulate a petition..to restructure the bonus money.
I was told that they would redistribute the bonus money if all sale reps would agree..

I got 14 outta 16 signatures and then was asked to stop..

The bristling middle-managers hated that their flawed program was about to b exposed
They meddled in the petition signing having 2 salesmen not sign it.
With this flimsy excuse "w/o NOT EVERBODY being 100 percent for a change -(I only had 85 per-cent) they sheeplishly said- " Sorry Dave no changes to the bonus program"

They told 2 not to sign..

I felt a tiny bit like Bono w Debt Relief and The Aids/Africa Crisis
-Always someone there to fu#k up a good idea.

My personal solution was I took my personal bonus money and spent it on all the petion-signers..at a local watering hole
I also extended the invitation to the 2 hold outs and bristling middle managers..
They didnt show up.

Iam currently thinking of changing dictatorships..

-diamond-

 

[z edge]

You spent $3000 at a bar?

Must have been a lot of table-dances



Umm Brother, while that is a noble act, I would not have done that. If someone gives me $3000 I smile and take it and RUN!


Personally, I too am taking on a dictatorship. I hope and pray for a quick end to this ordeal. I should come out with a little $$$$$$ myself

 

[diamond]

No no Z
Not 3k --just a portion of that 3k

-diamond-

u silly goose

 

[AcrobatMan]

diamond

dont get disheartened

my case is even worse.

i fought againt many ideals in my life at many places in my 24 year old life and I lost at all places. these days i accept things as they are

i am a loser

 

[pax]

I thought for a long time about where this thread should go, and while I'm still not entirely sure, I guess I'll move it to Zoo Confessionals and see what happens.

 

[Sicy]

I was thinking Lemonade Stand.

 

[BAW]

On a human level, it was a noble gesture on your part, but...

as someone who owns a small business, I would be seriously annoyed with you for stirring up the shit. I don't consider my company a democracy...if someone works for me, I make the rules and unless they have put up their own $$ and become a partner, they have no say in how things run.

On the other hand, if I was an employee and was offered that kind of bonus, I'd take the money and run...I'd feel bad for the guys who didn't get theirs of course, but I wouldn't turn it down.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I was thinking Lemonade Stand.

Me too. Ah, it's 'k.

 

[diamond]

On a human level, it was a noble gesture on your part, but...

as someone who owns a small business, I would be seriously annoyed with you for stirring up the shit. I don't consider my company a democracy...if someone works for me, I make the rules and unless they have put up their own $$ and become a partner, they have no say in how things run.

On the other hand, if I was an employee and was offered that kind of bonus, I'd take the money and run...I'd feel bad for the guys who didn't get theirs of course, but I wouldn't turn it down.

BAW-
In good conscience NOBODY can run w the money..
because..we COLLECTIVELY had to HIT the MAGIC number of 150 cars

The bottom 9 contributed to 65 cars of that 150 cars that only 7 got bonuses on.. Without the other 9 contributing THERE WOULD HAVE been NO BONOUSES
The 7 lucky ones would of had nothing..
This is WHY 5 of the 7 bonus-boys signed

Get it now..?
This is WHY a total of 14 outta 16 signed..
This is why privately some managers agreed that the program was flawed..

-diamond-:::

 

[Angela Harlem]

Generally speaking, car salesmen are arseholes.

They have a reputation for a reason.

 

[diamond]

can we plez refrain from all stereotyping
and
stay on topic plez

carsalesmen r ppl too

thank u-

db9

 

[Angela Harlem]

Actually Diamond, I am not stereotyping. There are dreadful stories about car salesmen around. This was not a personal jab at you. Keep in mind, I will not make any judgement on you based on your chosen career. If anything, I feel sad for you, they choose to extend their bastardliness to their staff as well as consumers.
Yes, they make me sick with the lies and tactics they adopt. But I know you as a fellow U2 fan, not a salesman. Take offence if you wish. But your story merely highlights the lows the industry goes to. Very sad it affects staff as well I think.

I dunno, I can see BAW's point, and I dont know the ins and outs of your industry, but in such a target driven field, I would expect yard figures to matter. Your view that as a team you are working to this goal, with the rewards limited to a few, is worth noting for sure. And yes, noble on your part to attempt to rectify this for the lesser successful sales members.

 

[Sicy]

 

[Angela Harlem]

 

[diamond]

Angela-
It's ok my comment about stereo-typing was facetious, you and I are good friends.
BAW and I are good friends too, I can understand her postion as well

However-

The way I drew up the petetion was w/these words-.."In The Spirit of Unity, TeamEffort and more Equality among the salesforce"...

What AMAZED the negative middle managers is that of the 25000 slated for the top 7 "Bonus-Boys"..I had them sign off on 5000 of their money and distribute that money to the "bench-players"-the bottom nine..I also asked the dealership to match/contribute whatever the bonus-boys contributed as the program was admittedly "flawed"..

The managers were in SHOCK when they saw that usually greedy car-salesman were willingly sacrafice some of their money

The NegMiddleManagers were angry when they felt like I had the "masses" on my side and told the 2 bonus-boys to not sign..
The hated the fact like I was some sort of "RobinHood" figure

This is why they went and had the last 2 not sign, then approached the Gen Manager saying "well 2 wont agree to sign so "Diamonds noble efforts were close but no cigar"..
but in reality it was to placate their egos, w/exposure of their flawed program..



Its ok I can sleep at night..

btw 60 percent of the salesforce are in the dumps this month:rollseyes:

DB9:

 

[hiphop]

I think what you did was great, buddy.

I am an idealist too. Maybe this is the reason why we?re not called Rockefella.

Bravo, I say. It was noble and you have a good heart.

Who cares about the middle managers. We know we are the true geniuses.

Bono?s American Wife: I don?t know how small or big your business is, but if you are not able to accept critique (which doesn?t mean someone else makes the decisions, but means that you listen to what your employees have to say, because they are in touch with other areas of work and therefore can help YOU to maximise your profits if they critisize... you!!!), it means that the social competence factor of your business is not as high as it could be. Just my 2 cents.

 

[BAW]

I think what you did was great, buddy.

I am an idealist too. Maybe this is the reason why we?re not called Rockefella.

Bravo, I say. It was noble and you have a good heart.

Who cares about the middle managers. We know we are the true geniuses.

Bono?s American Wife: I don?t know how small or big your business is, but if you are not able to accept critique (which doesn?t mean someone else makes the decisions, but means that you listen to what your employees have to say, because they are in touch with other areas of work and therefore can help YOU to maximise your profits if they critisize... you!!!), it means that the social competence factor of your business is not as high as it could be. Just my 2 cents.

I hear you hiphop...at the moment, I don't have any employees but during busier times, I've had between 3 and 5 and I have no problem at all with open dialogue, including critisism. I am a pretty easygoing boss who will generally pay people more than what they ask for because I know the value of a good staff. I appreciate it very much if someone tells me that my way of doing something could be improved upon and I'm always willing to listen.

I do draw the line at my employees telling me how to spend my money though. I have encountered the situation in the past with one employee comparing their hourly rate to another employee's and asking why they make less and I have to tell them in the nicest way that what I pay a certain employee is between me and that employee. I don't feel that I have to sit down and explain myself in that regard.

I do agree with you that what Diamond did was very thoughtful and probably something I would have done myself...but I also see where the higher-ups were coming from. I can't speak for his industry but I do know that big bonuses are usually given out for tax purposes and they are usually structured so the company gets the maximum write off...who knows?

 

[diamond]

I hear you hiphop...at the moment, I don't have any employees but during busier times, I've had between 3 and 5 and I have no problem at all with open dialogue, including critisism. I am a pretty easygoing boss who will generally pay people more than what they ask for because I know the value of a good staff. I appreciate it very much if someone tells me that my way of doing something could be improved upon and I'm always willing to listen.

I do draw the line at my employees telling me how to spend my money though.

Char-
Here's where a pt that needs to be clarified.
The 25,000.00 came from Chrysler Corporation if ALL the sales reps hit the 150 car mark ..we did.
It was 'found money' from the corporation NOT the dealership/store.

They wanted to only divvy it up to top 40 per cent, when 100 per cent contibuted..
My prospal was modest too.
The top 7 would recieved approx 300-325 per car.
The bottom 9 100 per car.
INTEAD of-
350 t0 375 for the top 7 only.
Hope this clarifies the situation

DB9

 

[diamond]

I hear you hiphop...at the moment, I don't have any employees but during busier times, I've had between 3 and 5 and I have no problem at all with open dialogue, including critisism. I am a pretty easygoing boss who will generally pay people more than what they ask for because I know the value of a good staff. I appreciate it very much if someone tells me that my way of doing something could be improved upon and I'm always willing to listen.

I do draw the line at my employees telling me how to spend my money though.

Char-
Here's where a pt that needs to be clarified.
The 25,000.00 came from Chrysler Corporation if ALL the sales reps hit the 150 car mark ..we did.
It was 'found money' from the corporation NOT the dealership/store.

They wanted to only divvy it up to top 40 per cent, when 100 per cent contibuted..
My prospal was modest too.
The top 7 would recieved approx 300-325 per car.
The bottom 9 100 per car.
INSTEAD of-
350 t0 375 for the top 7 only.

My idea was to give a 'sliver' of a pie-piece to the bottom 9
and
still a decent piece of pie to the top 7.
It wouldnt have cost the mangers really a thing.
Hope this clarifies the situation
It was about equity..

DB9

 

[hiphop]

I hear you hiphop...at the moment, I don't have any employees but during busier times, I've had between 3 and 5 and I have no problem at all with open dialogue, including critisism. I am a pretty easygoing boss who will generally pay people more than what they ask for because I know the value of a good staff. I appreciate it very much if someone tells me that my way of doing something could be improved upon and I'm always willing to listen.

I do draw the line at my employees telling me how to spend my money though. I have encountered the situation in the past with one employee comparing their hourly rate to another employee's and asking why they make less and I have to tell them in the nicest way that what I pay a certain employee is between me and that employee. I don't feel that I have to sit down and explain myself in that regard.

I do agree with you that what Diamond did was very thoughtful and probably something I would have done myself...but I also see where the higher-ups were coming from. I can't speak for his industry but I do know that big bonuses are usually given out for tax purposes and they are usually structured so the company gets the maximum write off...who knows?

I think we could run a business together.

Tell me another thing: here in Europe, companies change their employees contracts (with full security, 14 salaries per year etc.) to a kind of work for hire contracts; partly due to high taxes. If you pay f.e. 2.5k/ month for an employee, plus taxes it will cost you around 4,5k. Do you have the same high rates in the U.S.?