Evaluate This Offer For Me Please.

Thunder Johnson

In the company I work for, the owner does the majority of the selling on commercial, he gives me the residential and some commercial. We bid a lot of public bid and apartment complexes etc and the owner bids them tight so he can get them. My level of technical knowledge is probably less than the average roofing salesperson, I spend a lot of my time on non-sales duties. My company is opening a 2nd office in Florida, we will be taking out a 1/3 page phone book add. Here's what I have been told.

Draw against commission plan. 4% on shingle jobs, 10% on commercial jobs, 5% for any public bid job, split commission on referrals from outside parties.

I also have to "help" with house accounts and perform other non-sales related duties, office management etc. I will have to aquire plans and specs for public bid, research pricing for materials, order materials, pull permits, "help" supervise crews as needed. The owner says I will get all the Florida work (we get a good bit of referrals from other contractors) but I'm pretty sure he will keep some large jobs for himself.

This past year I was on a similar plan in but ended up spending 70% of my time on non-commissioned duties (small, understaffed). What I ended up getting was a salary plus discretionary bonus.

I want to ask that my quota before commission be reduced in accordance with the amount of time I spend on non-commissioned duties. If I spend 40%of my time on non-commissioned duties, I want my quota reduced by 40%. My regular weekly "draw" pay would continue to compensate me for non-commissioned duties and at the end of the year adjustments made based on adjusted quota and sales bonus. I fell that if my quota isn't adjusted based on time spent on non-commissioned duties I'm really not getting paid commission for sales because I wont be able to make my quota.

I have posted something similar to this a year or so ago.

Any thoughts anyone has on this would be greatly appreciated.

Scottsdale

I have a very large roofing sales team. THe salespersons job is to "sell!" nothing else. If you ar spending a great amount of time doing non commission work. Stop! Your job is to sel, let the owner hire a secretary for all of the other stuff or another person in house that does the office work your doing now. I have a stricty routine for my staff that consists of dedicated hours to making appointments, offcie duties, research and development and face to face time with the customer. Dont try to negotiate a reduced quota, this makes you less of a salesperson not more. Go out an sell! Let the owner worry about the other business, its not your job. Are you a secretary or a salesperson?

Grumpy

The last job I had I was the chief salesman and I also ran the office and all the marketing. In addition to managing the office and the marketing, I sold more jobs and at a higher margin that anyone else. I not only sold the jobs but I completely managed my jobs in the form of scheduling materials and labor and collecting final payment on my jobs.

I hated the work I did in the office sometimes and somewhat resented the fact that I had to do it but at the same time I liked the responsibility and the faith my boss placed in my hands. As I think back on it I took that responsibility when I saw the office wasn't being run too effeciently and I felt like I could do it better, nobody asked me; I just did it.

I was paid a small salary and a commission based on profit. I did pretty well. Honestly if he bumped up my commission I'd have been glad to eliminate my salary and do the office crap work for free. I did it because I sometimes exercise the old saying "If you want it done right, do it yourself."

I don't care if you are a salesman or a secretary or a combination of the two, like it appears you are and I was, If you do your job well you should be properly compensated. If you are tired of the bull crap in the office then tell your boss you don't want to be bothered with it anymore and you can earn him more money by dedicating yourself to selling. If you don't mind the bull crap in the office but you feel you deserve more pay then that is what you should dedicate yourself to. Be true to yourself.

Thunder Johnson

Scottsdale, Grumpy, thank you for your replies.

A description of the owner might help you understand the personality of the company and what is expected.

The owner is an intelligent, “thrifty” businessman with a legal background; he has numerous licenses and certifications. He does the work of 3 people. He’s a micro manager, he calls all the shots, directs every employee on what to do and when to do it. No person does only 1 job

He views sales as “easy money” and he won’t pay someone to just sell. For employees, sales are secondary to other duties as assigned by him. The owner is the primary salesperson; everyone else provides support and sells when there is time to. If there is a lot of other work to be done, you do it first, and then do sales duties on remaining time, nights and weekends.

I don't mind doing multiple tasks, it helps with job security but the expectation to do whatever is needed, whenever it is needed is the reason I have questions about the compensation plan.

Based on your experience and knowledge of what is “normal and fair” for the roofing business, are the commission rates for the different type of sales fair, and, is it fair for me to ask for my quota to be reduced in accordance with the time I spend on sales vs. other duties? Is there another way I should approach it?

The company is paying for my truck and cell phone, no medical benefits yet (possibly this year) holidays are paid, sick days and vacation pay are at his discretion.

Grumpy

10% net is typicaly commission for a roofing saleman.

I was paid 25% of gross which encouraged me to micro manage my own jobs since I was paid based on profit, and make sure they were brought in with maximum profit. I also received a $250 per week salary for all the office bull crap.