atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Betrayal

I dont know if this happens alot in the telecom world, but since we've had the company (13 years) its happened at least 3 times to us at it happened again today.

Someone in your company who you trust and have not only taught but supported when they werent producing and should probably have been let go decides that they should start thier own company, using the sales prospects and skills that you paid for them to develop. As much as it out and out sucks on the business side, the betrayal feels all the worse.

Yes, I'm sure it happens alot. It has happened to us a couple of times. I know how you feel.

Don't let it bum you out.That is just a natural progression; it happens in the residental building trades all the time. You learn the ropes from your employer and when you get your ducks in a row and you leave to start your own buisness. You can't make any real money working for someone else. What I think is wrong, is if they steal clients, buisness or equipment from their current employer.

The betrayal of someone you have brought up and showed the ropes is tough to swallow. It has happened to anybody that has owned a successful business. Just remember when you come up against him on a job you taught him all that he knows. If he has struggled in the past he will struggle again. And when your at the palm beach hotel sipping Singapore slings he will not matter anyway.

They have to do their first independent job somewhere, at least he got some training...thanks to you.
I'd say he owes a at least a beer.

Yes, we have had this happen several times in the past. Anyone must stick to the high road and turn the other cheek.

Just about two months ago we went up against one of our former sales reps on a quote and all vendors had to present their quote to the board with all others present. He got so nerves that I almost felt sorry for him.

But we won the bid!!!!!

Most of the people that I have known that have received all their training from their employer . Then left to start up their own company have either fallen on their face or have had to set the company up in a different city/state . I only know of one silver tongued bull shi$er that competed with the company he left that actually stayed in business very long . That guy could sell sand to an Arab !

I feel that this subject is a double edge sword if there ever was one. And it not only applies to telecom but every field there is. I’ll go ahead and apologize for the length of this post now because it’s gonna take a while for me on this one.

Here goes:
Your view differs from every angle depending upon how you are looking at it. One view appears to be as wide as a six lane highway. Yet from another angle it looks as small as the edge of a razor blade.

I am not for backstabbing, stealing equipment, bad mouthing…… all the associated bs such as that.
As mgere said, it is the nature of things to change. We all try to improve our life and support our family the best way we possibly can.

Stop and think of how you got the experience you have gained and how you apply that knowledge today. If you were trained by a former employer and decided to branch out on your own or go to work for another company, why did you do that? And if you currently work for the company ( or person ) that taught you the ropes do you feel obligated to work for them for the remainder of your career no matter what happens?

I feel that if I take care of my customer and do what they pay me to do they can not be “stolen” by anybody. Yes, we all loose customers to gimmicks and sweet heart deals offered by the “big boys” ( and Girls for you ladies ) as well as new managers from the customer’s end. But I have found that the majority of them come back sooner or later. Some, I will “take back”…. as for the others I will recommend they should just stay with the “new” vendor.

I guess it all goes back to something I firmly believe: People ( even people you think you know better than they know themselves ) will do anything when it comes down to their family or yours.

I agree with Bobby. It's natural for it to upset you that someone is leaving to start their own business. But, that's how I got started and how most other business owners get started.

Anyone has a right to leave, slavery has been outlawed except for some very interesting couples but I digress.

He has NO right to take any leads with him. If he has any honor, he will start cold calling or putting up ads or whatever.

If you try to keep a friendly relationship you may find someday that you need him or you sell him something. There in no need for bitterness, you may feel it but you don't have to act on it.

I've been running my own storefront company office for about 18 years. Before that I worked for my first employer and did 60% of the sales among the three people who "worked" there.

When the owner decided to cut my commissions in half, I gave him 30 days notice and he immediately showed me the door. Little did I know he wanted half of my commissions so he could buy a lot more cocaine. A year later the company folded and all the employees who had invested in the company lost everything. People come and go for different reasons. Maybe he was just unhappy not greedy. Maybe he had to go out and prove himself, this is normal occurance, not treachery.

This could work out for you. You have less payroll, if you get stuck for help, maybe you could have him sub part time, he is trained.

His leaving can be a lemon or lemonaide, its just how YOU handle it. And it is OK to make it clear that YOUR customers are YOURS and it is OK to go find new ones for himself.