To start a grievance procedure at work about this?

[kitonian]

I work in a sales environment; we have low basic pay but can make decent money in commission.

One colleague is clearly favoured by the managers of our office and is given all of the ready made sales to put her name to (managers don't get commission so anyone who approaches the company to buy from us gets given to this colleague). Hence she is earning 3 or 4 times what the rest of us earn each week and is always being put on a pedestal as being 'the best' salesperson by management.

In actual fact, I sell far more from scratch than she does, as do a couple of others, therefore we are better salespeople than she is!

I have approached my line manager several times about the division of these ready-made sales being unfair, and she has promised time after time that they will be divided between us all but it never happens. Colleague is still getting them all, and getting a big fat pay cheque every month! She in turn gets all kinds of perks such as winning salesperson of the month and winning vouchers and other incentives every single month when the rest of us don't stand a chance.

WIBU to approach HR about this now and raise a grievance? I work bloody hard at work and tbh it's fucking sickening seeing someone just coast through like this and get all of the money, perks and the glory and recognition!

She is shagging a friend of the manager's, just thought I'd add that on, as it's (probably) relevant.

[FuzzyOwl]

Make sure you have evidence to back up your grievance and can prove dates/times etc.

[AlpacaPicnic]

I'd think for something like that you would need cast iron, irrefutable proof. Can you get that? What happens when she is away, on holiday or whatever?

[kitonian]

I've been getting obsessive about it and kept a log of how many each day, etc. Also the sales we do from scratch are called, say, Y sales and the other type of sale is called X sales, so there is a difference on the system.

[kitonian]

When she is away they are saved up for her...

[LurkingHusband]

Whatever you do, don't get your friends to generate spurious leads which your colleague ends up wasting time on, thus reducing their performance.

Under any circumstances.

[Mouikey]

Also does the company have a policy on this kind of thing? If not and-or it's the managers discretion, there's not a lot that they will do even though unfair.

Two pieces of advice - know what you want to get out of the grievance - if you don't you'll not be happy with the outcome and secondly make sure you really want to raise a grievance - they shouldn't but often it can come back to bite you.

[Mouikey]

One more thing - don't mention who they are sleeping with won't help your case!

[StickyProblem]

That is super unfair in a sales environment - good luck with the grievance.

[RebootYourEngine]

I would bring this up. She is being favoured and it is unfair. Especially because it affects pay packages.

[kitonian]

When colleague gets given the sales she doesn't have to do a thing except enter them on the system in her name. The customer has already been in and got their goods. She literally does nothing.

[ItsNiceItsDifferentItsUnusual]

If it's already entered on the system as a Y sale or whatever, to differentiate it from a cold sale, then I would strongly consider formally complaining. If your manager is the only one who has the power to pass these on, and your colleague is the only one in the system who ever has these sales against their name, then surely it will be quite clear cut?

It's appalling.

[WiMoChi]

It's so unfair. Sales environments often are. How long have you been there for? If be careful raising a grievance TBH as id be cautious as being seen as trouble maker and then targeted to be pushed out of the business.

If a number of you raise such a grievance it can work, but if be careful of people saying they will do it then actually not. No one is a friend in business.

[PoisonWitch]

If it's all there on the system go for it with your diary. Would other colleagues make it a joint grievance? Probably best to complain about management rather than her directly so no chance of claiming bullying.

[Atenco]

I have no idea about the procedures involved, but if the company allows this to continue, it will end up losing its good salesforce and just keeping the customers who walk in off the street.

However, I think you've got be careful how you phrase it and make sure it is not personal.

[TwentyCups]

I agree that your complaint needs to be about how the 'y' sales are divided between staff.
When I worked in sales (franchise) the manager would put all sales made through customers approaching us as his, so we didn't get any commission. Fair enough, until we had to manage the accounts!

[anotherdayanothersquabble]

Do you have an internal audit department? It's fraud. What about payroll, accounting?

[Bee182814]

Did you post about this before OP? I think I remember a similar thread not too long ago. I really think you should raise it, particularly as you say they are labelled x sales and y sales in the system so it will be plainly obvious to anyone investigating it. Maybe come up with a suggestion of how it can work better and be fairer if that makes sense? Eg if all of the certain types of leads go in to one inbox maybe a rota for monitoring said inbox so that you all get a chance to pick them up? Just so that it doesn't look like you're moaning but have no better suggestion. Not that I think that's the case at all. I think its appalling how they've done this so blatantly to you. Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. The heat is getting to me!

[JudyCoolibar]

I would suggest pushing for them to change the system so that Y sales are kept out of the incentive scheme. After all, the objective for the company is to generate more sales, but if these are sales they would have made anyway it doesn't incentivise anyone if credit is given for them.

[Bee182814]

Actually I agree with Judy. Much better idea.

[RichardBucket]

JudyCoolibar Why on earth would the OP push for less earning potential? Much better for her if she can get the Y sales distributed fairly.

[ForalltheSaints]

If you have the evidence, then yes.

[pluck]

Concentrate on issues of morale, sustainability (need to incentivise generation of new leads) and customer service (WTF are they doing, "saving up" hot leads during her holidays?!).

[wowfudge]

Is there actually a procedure that is supposed to be used or does the division of these leads rely totally on the manager divvying them up? I'd look at suggesting a procedure to be followed when you raise the grievance. That way you are offering a solution to the problem too.