I'm not int the retail or corporate sales channel side, but from anecdotal information I hear, there's an occasional need to play with the reported numbers or game the the reporting system, to appeal to executives goals.
Is this just a myth ? and of not how prevalent is it? and why is it done?
Let's say there is a product/service that is the current flavor of the month. A store may have a quota of let's say 15. However each day one isn't sold you must be on a conference call the next morning to explain why and be belittled, even though you could easily be trending above goal for the month.
I wonder if that would make people want to bend the rules a bit to get that certain something out the door. VPGMs may not want shady things going on, but at the same time they never wonder why certain stores are way ahead of others?
Said stores will just say they offer it to every customer. Ha! That's a good one. Front lines shouldn't do anything shady, but they are put in a position sometimes where they can't win, and upper management is the reason why.
It’s true. I did a report that got brushed under the rug. Had to give up my career because of the culture under him. Men who were my boss hitting on me. He was very aware. Very manipulative and a bully to women! Gets them promoted then takes advantage of their work ethic. Makes you work on your days off or you will be looked down on and bullied.
Jack overfields charleston SC market is the shadiest piece of c-ap I have ever seen. Someone needs to fire that piece of garbage asap. He legit tells his managers to commit fraud, and he bangs the women in his market to make them ‘earn’ management roles.
Define “upper management” because I guarantee your VPGM (middle management) and up want to reduce fraud because they are paid on a P&L basis not sales basis. They have to balance sales with avoiding churn/cancels and needless bill credits. Your DOS and Area Manager could conceivably not care but your VPGM should manage the business in such a way that they make them care. Report any fraud! Please!
How prevalent is it to game the numbers in retail?
That depends on the area you work in. There are a couple markets that still seem to be running a legit business, but outside of those few tiny pockets, fraud is extremely widespread, and is spreading fast.
“Sellers” are always looking for new ways to game the system. Upper management pretends to care, but they purposely stay 5 steps behind their beloved cheaters. They send out outdated reporting, on long ago since retired fraud plays.
Everyone who really cared from corporate was laid off years ago. AP doesn’t have the resources, and is in bed with upper management.
Even if you have proof, make a undeniable report, and are able to make a small chip in Mt. Fraudest, it won’t really help. You will be retaliated against, fired (or forced to quit), and then they will replace you with another cheater. They win either way.
Then you will complain to HR, but they won’t help you either. They will look for evidence to disprove your complaints (instead of try to prove them), and believe anything the cheaters say. Then management will use that investigation’s “findings” to hurt the credibility of whoever made it.
I see it everyday. Stores aren’t growing the base, and are just juggling existing customers around.
It’s sad really. I have already sold all of my stock in the company. This place is a sinking ship.
God Speed to the few good people left.
Att taught enron how to cook the books.
I worked in business sales and had colleagues in retail. The service lines are posted once active, and you'll be charged back the commission if it deactivates within 12 months. Reported numbers are based on activations. When customers leave, those are reported as "churn". The business group is regularly audited so they don't report bogus numbers.
As for retail, I know that reps will tell people to activate trial features such as DirecTV Now, and that the customer should cancel before the trial is over. That way, the retail channel gets credit for the activations. That's why there was a problem with reporting those numbers, but apparently AT&T management did this to show activity in a product they were pushing. Also, after a promotion for that product expired, most customers canceled.
totally true. The " reported " numbers are so bogus. We are bleeding customers that have been with us giving us straight profit and so called " gaining " new subs. But the rate at which we are loosing vs gaining.......... well, you need to take a course in death star math to figure it out - as they report it as a gain in profit and we are doing so well. Let me tell you something from someone on the front lines - we are a dying right now and someone is gonna have to turn off the lights when its all done. We are being told not to save existing customers that have been with us ; ones that are profitable ; ones that pay their bills on time. Let them go, do nothing for them. And they are leaving in masses. I really don't see how we can stay in business at this rate. The ship is going down, grab that life vest.