Cisco's Cost-Cutting Criticised

In response to Cisco Cancels 2009 Global Sales Meeting, we just received this insightful letter from John Kiser, CEO at security consultant Gray Hat Research:

"I am increasingly amazed at the what has become a typical pattern when the economy becomes tough -- cut costs by eliminating rewards for sales professionals. The one group at Cisco that can most impact the company’s success or failure in the marketplace, their salespeople, will enjoy a year without an annual event to celebrate successes, learn from one another, the company and others. What a shame that someone who likely has had little or no direct interface with people who can make a decision to buy or not buy Cisco products can cause this kind of result.

Many others besides Cisco, I’m sure, have taken similar decisions lately or will be soon -- and they are all wrong. In fact these spreadsheet jockeys should be looking for ways to further incent their sales organization to go out there and succeed, to go out there and over-achieve! Of course, what is to be expected from the bean counting hall of fame. It is these same bozos that brought us complex CRM applications that only diminish sales face time with decision makers so that the accounting can no where those no good snake oil reps really are and what they are really doing. Oh how misguided it is!

I never cease to be amazed at how our industry does the same thing to itself, over and over again. What a shame!"

Posted by Joe Caponi at 03:22 PM, November 12, 2008

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