8y
I'm really sorry you feel hurt and betrayed.
I know when you left the company you were unhappy. I hope you know that you are missed here at SurveyGizmo. It was great working with you for those five and a half (or so) years, and I am sorry that it didn't work out.
A bunch of what you said isn't exactly true... but I know when you feel so strongly wronged "feeling facts" can be even more real than what happened. I wish you had talked to me (no one told you that you could not).
Hell you have my cell phone number. Give me a call now if you are still upset. I am here.
When you joined SurveyGizmo we were small, still a start up. Just 30 or so employees. While we had a few managers in the company, most people reported to me directly.
You and many of the original small sales team were my friends, and it was great! We were still a startup, very scrappy and personal. I miss those days, too.
Unfortunately, no successful business can remain static. We grew in customers, employees, and complexity and the organization began to develop. That may not have been what you wanted, but we have always changed over time. With each generation of change at our organization people decide to stay on and change with the company, or to move on.
I can see where this felt like a betrayal.
Suddenly you had a new manager; you had a quota for the first time, marketing was held accountable for leads. While the transition happened over many months, I can understand if it seemed like an abrupt change to you. I really can.
There are a few items in your post that may mislead great people that want to work for a great company, so I do need to fill in some details around your statements:
#1. "Since March of 2017 SurveyGizmo has lost more than 70% of their Sales and Marketing team to overly aggressive revenue goals, and managers threatening previously awarded staff with firing."
This is kinda true. The job of sales was changed from what most people would see as "account service" with some occasional sales to a true enterprise sales team. Before 2016 there were no real goals, no quotas, little structure and no one was held truely accountable.
Marketing and Sales combined were about ten people. Only three people are left. So now it's 70% although, technically, one person who is leaving is still here for a few weeks. That said, our sales and marketing teams now employ over 30 people.
Regarding "threatening previously awarded staff with firing." That's very misleading. Yes, you had to make your sales quota. Not every month, but consistently.
In general, our company has a very low turnover. It's about 12% this year. That said, this year *is* much higher than it has been. It's normally under 10% for us.
#2. "Employees were threatened to no longer speak to the owner."
You (and your team) were never told you could not talk to me.
You were asked to stop going over your manager's head when you didn't like her answer. It undermined her ability to manage and was very unfair. Remember, your manager is an employee and person too!
There was never a directive to stop talking to me -- it was very specific.
We have a very open organization, and frankly I talk more with normal employees on a day to day basis than with managers.
#3. "New Managers and Directors were put into place to remove any relationship between staff and the owner."
ROFL. No, new managers were hired because one person can't manage 130 people. While managing that many people seem like an interesting challenge... I'm not up for it. :)
I can manage about 3-8 people decently, but no more than that.
If you want to talk, please feel free to call me, you have my cell number. I don't want you to be unhappy or to continue to feel betrayed.
I hope that you find a company to work for that reminds you of early SurveyGizmo. You are a talented and tenacious person who would benefit a company greatly.
Best Wishes,
-Christian
