The Serious Part
Legal Advice
It's a fact that a vast number of career salespeople believe 'you are only as good as your last reference'. For that reason we often put up with shoddy job descriptions, unreasonable targets and broken promises. All of which are contrary to employment law. This part of the site aims to provide a guide to all you need to know about where you stand ~ and how you should proceed.
We should emphasize that the content of this page is designed to provide general insight and guidance, and not to be applied to specific circumstances. If you require our opinion on your own position please fill in the box at the bottom of this page and we will do our best to help.
The first thing to say is that legal proceedings rarely suit anyone. For employers they are costly and time consuming, often they damage an organizations reputation with existing employees and in the worst cases can make it difficult to recruit quality people.
For employees the process is stressful and costly, there is a feeling or ‘limb’ whilst often slow progress is being make and self confidence can be damaged.
That said it is critical to all involved is the selling game that fairness and realism preside. Whilst we put ourselves on the edge of misinterpretation and blame each day, we often rely on poor tools and unclear direction. If these conditions exist it is then patently unfair for us to be chastised, disciplined or even fired due to circumstances beyond our control.
Your duty as a professional sales person is do your best, you can not be contract bound to achieve unrealistic targets or magic up sales when the marketing campaign is running 6 months late or that new product on which you were relying gets held up at the docks.
The Sales Manager or Director who puts you under undue pressure without offering the support you need is at fault. The company believed that you were good enough when they gave you the job, exceptional sales performance relies on a mix of inputs and is not solely down the salesperson ~ though many old fashioned managers and companies unfortunately believe it is.
TRUTH and CLARITY are key in any modern sales organization. Broadly speaking if you feel that you are not being told the truth, or things are not clear (Targets, bonuses, product details, marketing support, timings, customers etc), it is unlikely you can be held at fault.
If someone tries to tell you that you are, stay calm, express your opinion as clearly as you can, and MAKE NOTES at the time or shortly afterwards on what has been said. Take advice from the Citizens advise bureau, your solicitor, or let us know what’s going on and we will try and help.
DON’T LET THE BASTARDS GRIND YOU DOWN …. As a professional sales person your confidence and enthusiasm are your most valuable attributes.
‘HAPPY PEOPLE SELL THINGS’ … It’s your responsibility to make sure you’re one of them !!
Send your question to ‘Legal@shinyshoes.com‘