Conference 7.286::digital

      The travel agency industry has a class of salesrep that might be
   workable for Digital (however, some significant changes would have
   take place to make it work).  They are called outside salesreps.

   o An outside salesrep is not an employee of the agency.

   o An outside salesrep works on 100% commission.

   o An outside salesrep has no permanent space assigned to him/her.

   o An outside salesrep has access to most of the agency's resources:

   	o computer terminal
   	o sales literature
   	o conference area for presenting to clients
   	o etc.

     It usually does not include secretarial support.


   The outside salesrep's commission is higher than regular employees
   because no base salary, benefits, etc. are involved.  

   I have several acquaintances who are outside salesreps.  They do it
   for many reasons:

   	o extra cash for part-time work
   	o free spirits
   	o hobby
   	o something to do after retirement

   You don't get rich doing it (but senior travel agents usually only do
   $18K-$20K; it's the agency owners who do well).  

    
    re: base note
    
    
    Wish I had something positive and enlightening for you; but alas, in
    the world of high tech sales involving long sales cycles and
    salary/commission payment schedules you may have hit the wall.
    
    My suggestion would be to find a position that utilizes a team approach
    to sales with a salary/bonus arrangement based on team performance.
    What I'm not sure of is whether those type of positions exist at
    Digital.
    
    Unfortunetly you have hit on one of the major problems of our modern
    age - the plight of *no* parent (at home) households. This discussion
    of both parents working probably belongs somewhere else; your problem
    vis-a-vis Digital is most difficult.
    
    My best thoughts would be to find someone else in your office who
    wishes to do the same thing, and present to management how both of
    you working half/time can save the company money while producing what
    would be results of TWO full-time jobs. Good luck...
    
    
    		the Greyhawk
    

    The 1-800-PCBYDEC folks seemed to have pairing of sales people set
    up.  I don't know how they worked commissions (or even if they get
    commissions).  But when I was dealing with sales rep A, her voice
    mail pointed me to a specific sales rep B on her day off, and vice
    versa.
    

    Re .0
    A couple of years ago in the Digital Peoria office, two senior sales
    reps had babies and decided to suggest the teaming approach to sales. 
    It worked pretty well for them, but I don't know how it was done.  The
    sales reps were Lori Norlander and Sandy Sheppard/Campbell.  Niether
    one is still with Digital and the Sales Managers are gone too, but
    Lori's husband Tom is still at Digit and now lives/works in Dallas?
    Hope this helps.
    Sue
    

    Hi, 
    
    Tom Norlander is know working in the HSO facility, Houston, Tx.
    
    See Ya, 
    
    

    Hi,
    
    May be an AGENT concept. Digital has already done this in some areas
    with a very few selected folks. (I don't know the exact critetrias).
    
    Here is an idea for the AGENT Program:
    
    Once you become an Agent, 
    o	you are 100% commisioned Sales Rep., 
    o	you get all the leads in your specialty markets from Digital  
    o	you are a catalyst between VARs/TVARs and Digital (leads and folow
    	ups). 
    o	you use Digital name and facilities for presentations, 
    o	you have access to internal resources such as training,sales support,
    	marketing, literature and product info (groups).
    o	you represent digital like Digital Sales Rep. but are free to
    	represent any other manufacturer where Digital doesn't have product or
    	is not competitive. This will motivate Digital product manager and
    	engineering to produce better products at very competitive costs.
    o	you have access to digital's benifits (healthcare, dental, LTD...)
    	as long as you pay your fair share.
    
    I think if we offer this program, there will be a many takers such as
    .0 and will Save digital lots of bucks..
    
    My 2 Cents worth...

    
    Digital shot the AGENT program dead in April. C'est la vie.
    
    	the Greyhawk

I know someone who works as a sales rep, three days a week, for IBM in southern
California.

Bruce