Great Need of Executive Level Experienced and Educated Leadership at all levels for the Growth Trying to be Accomplish
Pros
A great across the board retail branded coffee offering for office coffee service in a world of competitors offering generic vending coffees.
Cons
Very dysfunctional organizational structure in the CSD-DSD division.Structure creates animosity not team work. AE's (strictly a hunter position) are paid very minimum base (definitely not a living wage) with the assumed appeal of "unlimited cap" ...only to be paid if they can bring a certain $ amount of new business to the table each month and in reorders whether the company has had a presence in market with consumer brand recognition for 15 years or brand new to the market for 1 year. An AE competes not only with established market coffee vendors but also competing with every salaried Community Coffee employee in that market (ASM's TSM's SS's and Route Drivers). Company prides itself on the statement that "Everyone in our company sells", thus incentivizing the ego's of every salaried position to grab a sale to receive "atta boys" in hopes of promotion, and yes big sales brought to table means company promotion opportunities, not skill sets. AE's do not receive sales leads called into HQ for their territory.The salaried positions take them (very unethical). Absolutely no respect given to the AE's which are tasked with bringing $125,000 in new business to the table each year. Very blue collar thinking by leadership concerning sales. AE's DO NOT receive 12 months of credit for a sale only the number of months left in the year from the time the sell is made. With a new business year June -May the AE number rolls back to $0 and their hunting task starts all over again from "scratch". KEY question to ask during an interview for the AE position: How long has Community been present in this market? How many former AE's in this market have made their number? (FYI: which would mean a payout of $70k if on plan) What has been the company wide AE turnover rate? What overall percentage of all AE's every hired have every made their number? If interviewing for a new market (=brand presence as an office coffee provider less than 5 years) what is the companies "Go To Market Plan"? Note: The company marketing plan is an AE in a company car with a logo on it knocking on doors and a Community delivery truck. Company funds will be allocated for running TV commercials advertising Community Coffee in the market only when a certain amount of sales dollars have been generated. This is an example why the need to executive level experience in company. The AE in these new markets takes the financial hit of advertising to grow the brand with their door to door knocking and cold calling...not hitting their numbers as in all businesses creating market brand awareness takes time and money before a return on the investment will be realized. That new market brand awareness is strictly up the AE and that money is what AE will realize is a cost to them in not making being able to turn accounts quick enough in new markets to be paid a living wage. This will have to change, be offered only to young individuals starting out and able to manage living on $35k for a few years until brand awareness grows to a level of return or the heavy turnover rate will continue and eventually catch up as negative press to the company.
