SKO Day 2: Almost Party Time!
Las Vegas - Wed, 19 Feb 2020, 6:30pm
I'm taking a quick break up in my room between events. We wrapped up the meetings part of Day 2 of SKO a few minutes ago. Half of the day was sales training, with sales roleplaying events I found pleasantly challenging and fulfilling to have taken seriously. (Not all of my colleagues took them seriously, unfortunately.) The other half was product roadmap updates and, at the end, a rousing session with 3 of our newer customers presenting about how my company has helped their business.
The quick bit of downtime now is before the evening's awards reception. It will be a cocktail hour followed by a catered dinner during which people will be presented achievement awards. For sales account managers the question of who gets an award is fairly straightforward: it's everyone who beat their number (quota) for the year. I've heard a rumor that 20 people made it, which is great. Last year it was only 4.
As a solutions architect, last year I won an achievement award. Will I win again this year? I don't know. For employees in my role it's much more subjective who gets an award. At some companies any solutions architect teamed with an account manager who exceeded quota is awarded. By that standard I'd win again this year, as once again I've helped propel my primary counterpart to well over 100% of his target sales. He's also been promoted, thanks in large part to the success I've helped create. But sadly I'm not sure that I will receive more than a hearty handshake and a "Thanks anyway" tonight.
I'm taking a quick break up in my room between events. We wrapped up the meetings part of Day 2 of SKO a few minutes ago. Half of the day was sales training, with sales roleplaying events I found pleasantly challenging and fulfilling to have taken seriously. (Not all of my colleagues took them seriously, unfortunately.) The other half was product roadmap updates and, at the end, a rousing session with 3 of our newer customers presenting about how my company has helped their business.
The quick bit of downtime now is before the evening's awards reception. It will be a cocktail hour followed by a catered dinner during which people will be presented achievement awards. For sales account managers the question of who gets an award is fairly straightforward: it's everyone who beat their number (quota) for the year. I've heard a rumor that 20 people made it, which is great. Last year it was only 4.
As a solutions architect, last year I won an achievement award. Will I win again this year? I don't know. For employees in my role it's much more subjective who gets an award. At some companies any solutions architect teamed with an account manager who exceeded quota is awarded. By that standard I'd win again this year, as once again I've helped propel my primary counterpart to well over 100% of his target sales. He's also been promoted, thanks in large part to the success I've helped create. But sadly I'm not sure that I will receive more than a hearty handshake and a "Thanks anyway" tonight.