[JSL23]

Agree. In my experience in the B2B finance arena over the past 10 years, it seems to be profitable for companies to have that level of turnover. A lot of them foster the environment for it to take place in my observation, so I must assume its a profitable business structure and not a byproduct of a shoddy or lazy interview process. The guys at the top give the new salesperson a song and dance about 6-figure dreams, a quick pump up 2 day training, and it's off to the phones with the yellow pages and a micromanaging boss counting calls and call time. The rep builds the database with qualified leads, but gets burnt out quickly, quits, and the guys at the top sweep out the leads that were produced and close them. Rinse. Repeat.

The problem with this model is they are essentially just using people and flipping them into telemarketers when they are promised real opportunity. Pretty dirty.

Very true. you have to wonder though, just how profitable is it really? If the top Producer who is going to take the pipeline the Account Executive built up, wouldn't he produce without it anyway? And what about the people who actually have potential and options? They will jump ship at the first decent opportunity. Instead of having 3 or 4 really great people you have one or two.....And of course, the more savvy reps are going to take whatever pipeline they built a decent amount of the time and some other place will gain those clients.

I've heard the argument that it is profitable to burn and turn people a few times, but I'm really not sure-it seems to me it's more of an unwillingness to change from what may have worked in the 80's/90's and an inability to cultivate talent. That's the one thing I will give Medium-Large companies who pay a base, they invest in talent. Not just by paying a base/benefits but they spend a lot of time and money to find the right person, and invest in their success. If they lose that person or it just doesn't work out, it effects them; they have skin in the game. Of course, as the Salesperson, you have to put up with a lot more red tape and BS corporate politics. The earning ceiling is often lower as well in that type of situation because they offset the base with lower commission structures.

It takes thick skin and a lot of savvy to be a Salesperson, not only because you have to deal with rejection on a regular basis, but you have to be careful where you choose to work.