What should I do...

VR3

So I go to work today, Im happy because Im coming off a good month and Im stoked about getting on to this month. But my hours are dramatically decreased due to school so I, of course wont be able to sell as much.

Heres the problem. I get paid 5% comission, which to me is fine and I enjoy that.

But today I go in, I get thrown a few contracts I need to sign... one of these contracts is they are changing how we are paid comission...

Its done in increments of 2-3-4-5-5.5-+ % - which wouldnt bother me if I was working full time. I rule, I know it. - I'm jk... but all kidding aside. I feel like I just got side-swiped by a tractor trailer.

I busted my butt last month to get the sales I got. My department is not only the best stocked, best looking, but everything is orderly, priced and very marketable with plenty of stock.

So not only are my earning chances for during school cut by a nice margin, I am now stuck at a job that while has the possibilities of paying good - has come to average pay with a bunch of effing work that isnt needed.

I have all my receipts from last month to double check what they pay me, and Im very tempted to put these on my bosses desk and try to argue my case. I know its pointless...

But this really sucks and its absolute BS. To me its like a f*ck you for doing a good job all most.. I mean I literally sold 3 times more than everyone else and we have 4 other salesman...

I dont know, but what could my argument be and how? Im definitely going to argue, Im just trying to see what I can do here... its BS...

Ern Dog

Maybe this is a good time to consider switching jobs.
If you really like the job and want to stay then talk to your boss about your situation and ask him to consider to "grandfather" you in. If you are as good as you say you are, he may consider keeping you at the 5% commissions mark. He will probably say no way, but there is a chance that he won't- especially if he likes you and your work.

PolkThug

Stop bitching about it and talk to your boss. If there's one thing I've learned in business, its "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Go to your boss and be very matter of fact about why you should stay on the current compensation system.

VR3

Im highly considering it -

But with my age and school it will be hard to get a job this good...

I dont know, I have numbers to talk for me. Numbers dont lie.

I am, tommorow.

janmike

Just be professional about it Sid. The other way is...well, you know the outcome.

madmax

Talk to him anyway and just explain that with the lesser amount of time you will be working you will be unduly penalized with the new plan. I would start by saying what you did in your post about it not mattering if you were working full time. If I were the boss I would give it serious consideration. Possibly an increase in base pay would do the trick if the commission stuff is too hard for them to deal with. (deal with as in it's probably tough/tricky with their pay system to have an exception or possible problems with other employees if they were to find out you had higher commissions)

madmax

VR3

Well, Im not going to be a jerk to my boss...

But... to me..

Its like, say someone calls me at the store and they ask me what the price of our full size guitars are. I saw 50 on up - which is a lie. So the guy comes in the store and he wants that 50 dollar guitar. I dont have that guitar because it dosnt exist. So not only did I just smash his dreams - but I made the guy mad and I lied to him.

Ok, so I start my job, I make 5% comission, I work hard, I get alot of sales and I make money. Im happy. So I have an EXCELLENT month and I go in the next day to see the good news and it be done. But turns out, we dont have that 5% comission anymore, we have 2% - not only did my dreams get crushed, but now Ive been lied to and been under-handed.

Because honestly, it will be next to impossible for me to reach the new standards to get back to 5%... which is BS...

VR3

AND!!!!!!!

To top it off..

IF THIS NEW POLICY WAS IN EFFECT LAST MONTH - I WOULD OF MADE 5.5-6% comission. That is the bigger pisser of it all.

Early B.

Sid.

If you're not working full-time, don't expect to be compensated like one. You're a part-timer, and that's OK, so don't worry about it. Forget about the commission rate and just do your job. Hell, count your blessings. You're lucky to even have a job.

madmax

They lied to you?
madmax

VR3

Early B,
Im working part time...

But IM OUT-SELLING people at full time in half the time...

Today I worked 3 and a half hours! 3 and a half! I sold 860 dollars - the closest guy to me sold 450 and he had been there for 8...

I DESERVE 5% comission.

janmike

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

Early B,
Im working part time...

But IM OUT-SELLING people at full time in half the time...

Today I worked 3 and a half hours! 3 and a half! I sold 860 dollars - the closest guy to me sold 450 and he had been there for 8...

I DESERVE 5% comission.

Then command IT. End of story.

joeparaski

It would seem that your boss is taking advantage of you, and that will only happen if you let him.

If I were you I'd go scouting for another store that would benefit from your services. A store NEEDS a salesman like you and they should pay accordingly.

Here's what you do......check out the competition and let them know what YOU can do for THEM. Once they show interest in you, go see your boss, because if it doesn't go well, you have your backup plan. You must NOT allow him to think that YOU need HIM and his job. And also make sure you've got as much cash in your pocket as possible. Carry $500 or more in your pocket. Having lots of money in your pocket makes you feel more powerful and in control which in turn changes your behaviour and the way other people behave with you.

You can't talk to your boss with the fear of losing money or losing your job in the back of your head, because they can "smell" it.

The absolute best scenario would be a competitor ready to hire you for more pay and more commission. Then you give your boss a one week notice, after which HE will be throwing offers at you to stay. (All this assumes of course, that you really are the TOP DOG salesman and losing you would hurt the stores profits.)

Joe

Polkersince85

Keep your eyes on the prize, get thru school, then you'll get a good job.

danger boy

Sid,

Welcome to the real world... talk to your boss and you may have to suck it up, since you can only work part time during the school year.

good luck.

Early B.

In virtually every job you'll ever have, you're gonna get screwed. How do you think companies get rich? They exploit their workers. The harder you work, the more you're gonna get screwed. it doesn't matter whether you're a cashier at McDonalds or a manager at a major corporation.

I learned that lesson very early in life. The first job I ever had was as a paper boy at age 12. My paper route doubled, but I only received $3 more per week. I eventually quit because I knew it wasn't fair. In hindsight, I shouldn't have quit because, by quitting, I was no longer making any money at all.

Sure, you can get pissed off, protest the new policy, and ask for a raise -- you probably deserve it. Just don't expect to get it.

The thing to do is to find additional value in what you're doing. First, you enjoy the job and you're good at it. That's fantastic. You're blessed because most people don't like their jobs. Second, find a way to personally benefit from the knowledge and experience you are gaining there. Network with the customers and find out what they do. You'd be surprised at how your customers can help you out in some other way. Also, learn everything you can about the sales business. It will come in handy for virtually everything else you do in life (such as picking up women). Bottom line -- look for value in your job that is more important than the money you're earning.

Willow

janmike wrote:

Just be professional about it Sid. The other way is...well, you know the outcome.

I agree, talk to him, don't argue and don't go in there on the offensive either. Tell him how you feel. If anything he will think this kid has a spine and may come more respect for you. Which right now might not do much for you but it may help down the line. If nothing good comes out of it at least you know you tried and you learned something about yourself.

Dennis Gardner

The breakdown of commission seems skewed in the company's favor, from a straight 5% to a 2%-6% scale. It really is a plan to pay lazy people less.......Try to talk it through, but realize that you are still a relatively new EE. As a manager, I would rather see your intelligence and concern over the new plan, than your selfishness and anger.

VR3

Well we got it worked out.

Lets just say this was a way to kick the lazy into gear, not to hurt me.

He said if I kept what I was doing, I would get paid...

Im a happy camper.

Right now, Ive worked 11 hours and am up to like 3,000 -

PS: There is no selfishness in this whole deal - I bust my butt and I sell stuff, I do about 100% more than everyone else does and I should get paid to reflect that.

Early B.

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

Well we got it worked out.

Lets just say this was a way to kick the lazy into gear, not to hurt me.

He said if I kept what I was doing, I would get paid...

What does that mean? Did he offer anything concrete? Do you have anything in writing? Did he give you a raise? Or is he just telling you what you wanna hear?

VR3

Well, Im not sharing specifics...

But he spelled it out in specifics that I would basically make the same, or more if I sold enough...

Basically he said he KNOWS I am working part time and it will be near impossible for me to do what I have been doing and he said...

Ok, if your working 25 hours a week and then joe blow is working 40 a week - and you out sell or sell the same as he is, OBVIOUSLY you are going to get paid the regular comission wage and hes going to get the amount he worked for.

I mean seriously, I go to work and I dont stop until Im off. Im there to work, Im not there to hang like these guys are - I have no desire to be their next best friend. I got a job to make money and nothing more. I get along with my co-workers and I pick around when IM DONE* with what I need to do, and not until that point.

But I really dont have enough behind me for a contract or in writing type deal. He basically said ya know, you keep doing what you are doing, keep your section running how youve been running it and selling the best you can - youll get paid and he explained further.

He told me that before but he left it to my imagination and I undoubtably dont have enough.

But if he puts me on the short end of the stick come pay day - he'll hear from me again and Ill say whats up - but I trust my boss quite a bit so we shall see...

wallstreet

Funny how businesses penalize everyone for a few bad apples. I see it all the time. They've got a few lazy asses on board and instead of dealing with the dead weight, they come up with some effed up plan to get them motivated. What happens is all the top performers looks around and say WTF just happened?! To me the answer never is be happy you've got a job. If you're a good employee, the company wants to keep you.

Early B.

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

But if he puts me on the short end of the stick come pay day - he'll hear from me again and Ill say whats up - but I trust my boss quite a bit so we shall see...

Don't trust him until he delivers on his promises consistently. Hell, he knew the new commission system would adversely affect you, but he didn't come to you and talk about it beforehand. The purpose of the new system is to put more money in the owner's pocket, not to reward you -- their top salesperson. Your boss is probably not looking out for your best interest (they never do).

You should be guardedly optimistic.

VR3

Well, Im not afraid to ask questions and point fingers and call out BS when it comes to me getting paid...

For instance, in my last pay check they deleted my hours where I had came on a Sunday (we are closed) to paint the front of the store for some overtime and called them out on it. It was on this past hourly check...

So yeah, Ill call BS openly.

Early B.

Vr3MxStyler2k3 wrote:

Well, Im not afraid to ask questions and point fingers and call out BS when it comes to me getting paid...

For instance, in my last pay check they deleted my hours where I had came on a Sunday (we are closed) to paint the front of the store for some overtime and called them out on it. It was on this past hourly check...

So yeah, Ill call BS openly.

****. They're already trying to screw with your money.

Also, watch your back. Your co-workers may not be your friends 'cause you're making them look bad. Maybe even your boss, too.

Is your boss the owner?

VR3

Well the hourly thing, I think was more so a mistake - just because they go in adjust the hours to make sure we didnt clock in to soon or didnt clock out one day and was like 6 hours over or something... and I think when the manager was doing that he had deleted that day since he didnt have ready knowledge on what I did.

My coworkers are muscians and they are the kind that just dont really care. There is one guy I honestly think will put forth the extra effort and try to sell more, he had a really good day. But hes not the kind of guy that will screw me over. I help him and he helps me.

My manager is really cool, he fought for me to get the job and he fights for me when I mess up ocassionally. Hes even called me sometimes after work to make sure Im not incredibly pissed from of the situations...

I mean its a really big family type enviorment - its just theres ALOT of slackers in the work place and they are trying to remedy that problem. Honestly, Im kind of glad they are.

The company I work for has alot of hands in it.

Airplay355

you made 3000 in 11 hours?

brettw22

Sold 3000, not made.........according to the 5% pay, he made $150

VR3

Yeah, after hourly and comission, I make a nice wage. I like the job.

exalted512

I know how you feel. I work part time and get 10% comission on labor and 3% on sales. When I was in school i was barely making less than the 2 full time guys when they were working 20 hours more than me. During the summer when I was full time neither could touch me in comission. I work 38hrs/week and they consider me part time because our shop is open 9-6:30 mon-sat. After working there almost a year I'm finally starting to get to where my boss considers me full time, especially since im whipped both the full time employees **** this summer in comission.
-Cody