Dear SaaStr: Should I Fire a Sales Rep That Lied To Several Customers?

Earlier in my career, I would have said Yes.  Of Course.  Fire any sales rep that lies to customers.  Especially more than once.  Especially in my first start-up, we worked in a heavily regulated, life-or-death industry.  There was no room for lies.

But time has gone on, and I’ve worked with many more sales execs.  I now see and think most sales execs lie, at least a little bit.  At least a bit.

So I don’t think it’s as simple as firing them for it.

I don’t like it. But I’ve come to accept that instead, you have to put gates and process around most sales execs, or most will lie, at least a little, to close the deal.

We did a recent SaaStr survey and you said 97% of software sales execs lie at least sometimes, a little:

Control it, or it will spiral. Join calls / Zooms. Read their email. Put in a system to control contracting. Etc.

But also, expect some lies, and a lot of stretching of the truth, to a certain extent.  Unfortunately.

More here:

93% of You Say Competitors Lie To Close Deals. You’ve Gotta At Least Get Good at Counter-FUD.

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