Tired of not being taken seriously

Just got an email this morning at work.....we're having a 4th quarter sales contest. But guess who isn't eligible to participate?

I am SO SICK of not being taken seriously here at work. I have more knowledge, more professional licenses, and more experience than about 1/2 the people here. But here's the deal, I work as a sales assistant, not as an actual agent, BUT I do make commissions (albeit a small portion) on the sales my boss Al and I make. And yes, I am a part of every sale with every client in some way. And because I work as an assistant, I do not have an agency contract that requires I make a minimum amount every year. I fought that (with Al's help) and won. And as a result, the agency was not able to count me as a "recruit" for that year which pissed them off. They also claimed I wasn't eligible for benefits. Partial lie -- No health insurance (don't want their super-expensive plan anyway) but I DO have a 401K Roth although I had to find that out for myself. Bastards. I was also told I wasn't allowed to sell on my own. WTF? That's a total lie.

I'm not going to win the sales contest anyway. That's not the point. I'm just tired of being looked down upon. To be clear, my boss Al does not treat me this way at all. He appreciates what I do and compensates me well for it. I'm just tired of the rest of the jackasses.

I got so pissed I tore up the Sales Contest memo, lol.

oh and get this (rant continues), the agency actually make MORE money from our sales now that I receive commissions.

And a few years ago, our manager (now transitioning out) once told another rep who questioned him about the proper paperwork needed for a certain type of account, "Go see Beth. She knows all that better than I do."

And our admin staff sometimes complains to me that a couple of other so-called assistants continually turn in paperwork that is missing information or is just plain incorrectly done and then expects them to correct it for them. I don't do that. Well, I usually don't make mistakes but if I do, I don't expect anyone to fix it for me.

Ok, think I'll go rip more paper now.

So is there anyway for you to become part of the "sales" where you could get the commission? Is there turn over there?
Would you want that role?
They really should compensate you a different way, for one your not taking the health care and for two you don't get the full commission. Do you have an HR department you could take this up with at your next review?

Is it just your position, or do other positions get comm?

I've got lotsa paper here to shred!!

this makes me so mad!
Beth, I used to work in insurance, etc. (sounds similar to what you do) and I was constantly winning trips and cool gifts that my boss was rewarded with! In all the years I was there he never once considered giving anything to me. It was frustrating. He also made a point to tell me one time that I would be great as "the boss" one day and so I started studying for a placement test. I passed it and all I needed was to be referred by someone in the business (he was the perfect person to do this) and he told them I couldn't handle it. I questioned him about this and he said he did it because then he would have to replace me and he didn't want to lose me!

I quit within days of discovering this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WORK SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All this to say - I'm sorry you're feeling frustrated!

Lou Lou, yeah my boss has been travelled on trips around the world, literally. I'm not saying he couldn't have earned them without me, because he did go on quite a few before I started working for him. Now he just doesn't worry about his clients so much, knowing that I'm in the office taking care of things. We're both Investment Advisors Representatives -- investments and life insurance.

kellybean, it's a bit of a unique situation. I'm actually an employee of my boss. He pays me a salary out of his own pocket. He provides with a retirement plan that he contributes to as well. And he even provided me with health insurance but I told him to cancel it once I got married and on MrG's plan. It was only a couple of years ago that he paid for all my licensing classes and started letting me get a small part of the commission, which was actually just taking money from his pocket. So he's a great boss, aside from that I know way too much about his personal life, lol. It's HIS bosses who are idiots. I'm a valuable person when it suits THEM but easily ignored when it comes to other things. It's mostly just an ego thing with me, I guess. I do know that the other two assistants in the agency are not compensated anywhere near what I make and they are not licensed. Can't say if the agency or the agents pay them.

Guess unless I want to go along with their quota rules, I don't have a whole lot to say....but I'll still complain every now and then!

PS: heh, heh, I just emailed the manager and innocently asked where my last year sales figures were (since they weren't included with everyone else's). Also noticed I was only cc'd on the email....you know, because I'm "only" an assistant. Whoops, there goes my ego again.......

Got a reply on my email:

Beth,

I sent info on this contest to you in your role as Al's assistant, so that you would know what he needs to achieve to gain extra recognition and be able to continue to help him succeed.

I didn't include your numbers since this is a sales contest and your contract does not allow you to market products or services. BULLSHIT!

I stopped short of writing a terse reply. Feeling pissed off again.

OHHH! I just remembered I HAVE turned in time-sensitive account applications with me only listed as Rep. because Al was out of town. We just added him later. How does Mr. Manager explain that one, huh?

I guess I'm just a bitch today.

I am sorry for what you're going through Beth.I am also sorry to say I do not understand why you cannot be part of this if you indeed sell,Just because of your contract,also why can't they give you a contract which allows this? I am sorry if I am being ignorant it just seems stupid if you do it anyway ?

I am sending you hugs.It's just another day...Things wont seem so bad tommorow!Go home and watch a nice movie with hubby or something that makes you laugh and maybe? A glass of wine? xxx

Girl, your situation sounds absolutely maddening. I would see what you can do to make yourself part of that commission contest, YOU DESERVE it.

I know it's a bit confusing to all of you....sorry about that. Mostly I just needed a vent space.

I pulled my contract and read through it and couldn't find any anti-selling clause in it. That's just ridiculous and counter-indicative anyway. I was going to email the manager again and ask him (politely, lol) to point out that part but decided to hold off. I'm having lunch tomorrow with a good friend (former co-worker) and he asked to see the contract himself.

Like I said, i'm not going to win the contest anyway and don't particularly even want the prize (weekend trip for two to Chicago --- I hate Chicago). But as my boss Al says, "Show me the Green!" Yeah, I'd take some cash.....

Awww Beth, I feel for you, sometimes working with people just plain sucks. Did you know we moved here from Northern Indiana - where we lived for six LONG years? We like to call our relocation to Arizona our 'escape from Hoosier Hell' (sorry, but that's the truth).

I never had employment issues before or after Indiana -- but had nonstop ones the whole time we were there. And alot of it was 'knowing my place' type of things similar to what you are talking about. Very frustrating, especially when the one you actually work for is not part of the problem, but the problem circumvents him!

***Update. After this last night I had a nightmare about my last job in Indiana lol. Basically I got a 'friend' a job working in my department who was underqualified but I spent alot of time training her so she could do it. She spent alot of time smoozing with my boss and was well on her way to taking my job from me when we left there......
Oh yeah, that is what really happened, not my nightmare lol.

Well I sent an email to the manager this afternoon asking him to kindly point out in my contract where I am prohibited from selling/marketing. (it doesn't, duh). Awaiting a response. Yeah, I'm sure he'll jump right on that.

dolly's momma, sorry you didn't have a good time in Hoosier-land! I'm Hoosier-raised but Michigan-born so maybe I can distance myself just a little bit, lol.

Well MrManager still hasn't responded to my email....and I 'm pretty sure he won't. He's avoiding the issue.

I told my boss Al that I was going to send MrManager another email on Friday and say that I had a chance to sell a life insurance policy on my own but since he never got back to me about the whole "selling" issue, I lost the case. Al's a bit hesitant on that idea, but I said if there's money involved, then it might get MrManager's attention.

We have to go through our semi-annual client file compliance check soon. I am not excluded from this check. Thought I'd present my contract to our compliance guy and ask him to show me where it says I can't sell. Al liked that idea better, lol.

Al says I have a bit of devil in me!

EQUALITY FOR WOMEN!

bETH GOOD FOR YOU!!!DONT BE BEATEN DOWN!!! fyi,I also think you have a little devil in you!...I love it

Beth, I am extremely proud of you. Keep going. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Princess_Longbottom wrote:Beth, I am extremely proud of you. Keep going. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Wow I had not heard that before Tiff,thats deep! I will use it for sure!

It's sort of an old fashioned thing to say. My grandfather always said that