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Should I ask to switch supervisors or wait a while?
I work in sales as a telemarketer. I sell insurance to people over the phone when they activate their credit card. When I first started I wasn’t doing very well and had low sales. I finally memorized the selling pitch and reached the percentage goal my supervisor set for me. At work, I have to meet with my supervisor once a week. Recently, they switched my supervisor. My old supervisor was strict but encouraging. The new one is very critical. He constantly pressures me to make sales. In the days that my sales are low he forces me to admit my faults and why I wasn’t making sales. Normally, I would talk very little and nod my head and say yes to whatever he says. It’s my fault because….
The last time we spoke I had enough. I told him honestly that some of the callers admitting to having financial troubles and can’t afford our product, which I understand. Some say no right away and hang up. I said I was not going to push something on a person if they truly didn’t want it. He said I have a negative mind set for accepting that. I should always assume everyone is going to say yes. I asked if he was calling me negative. He asks me why I was being defensive. I said I wasn’t. He returns to his regular routine.
It’s your fault because…
I can’t stand him. I can’t help it. I started crying. He comes up with the excuse that I was under stress from health issues I had previously told him about and offers me candy. See, this was the first time I spoke up and I felt like he was not listening to me and throws blame at whatever possible.
I liked my job and my old supervisor. I was more productive with her and not him. I want to switch back, if possible. I don’t know how I will react when I see him next week. I believe he’s the one making me have a negative mind set by constantly making me recite this. It’s up to the point where I’m making stuff up like: It’s your fault because…my tone wasn’t cheerful enough. I paused too long between sentences, etc…
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Definitely switch ASAP! He sounds like a total jerk and he's treating you very poorly. He's also effecting your emotions and thoughts, which isn't good. So I say switch them.
Hope this helps~
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I am one voting for going to HR and talking to them. If nothing else moves them, at least let them know you did better sales under the leadership style of your old supervisor. They can check the records to see the differences.
You are in a tough phone job...telemarketing. If you enjoy working on a phone, I used to work in a call center, first taking inbound calls of people placing orders. These are people who already want product and are simply giving you what items, arranging delivery instructions, etc... much easier. Then there is also such a dept. as outbound calls for such companies, products that didn't ship cus they now have a new CC than what is on record or the date on theirs in system expired and company needs the new one. Do what you can to work things out here, but keep your eye open for call center help on inbound calls, rather than telemarketing/outbound calls.
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When they make someone a supervisor in sales it is generally because they are a superstar at selling. The hope is that there ability can be transferred to those they supervise.
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Supervisors have to be trained they do not grow into the job because they were great salespeople. I was in a situation where me and the rest of our region were constantly making amends for his mistakes and the problems he caused. We finally had enough and made it our goal to get him promoted. We succeeded and he promptly fell on his face without us to backstop him.
You could go to HR or upper management and ask for a new supervisor. If HR is good at what they do they will understand that there are times when people just don't work well together. That his way of motivating someone is not motivating to you but more demoralizing and works against the goal you are trying to obtain.
The flip side is they may not be able to move you and they counsel him. Now he is under the microscope and thinks could get worse for you. Does he use any four letter words, you know the kind I mean, when you meet with him. If he does then you have an EEOC action for making a hardship in the work place. The way he talks to you now may just make it into that description as well.
IF you do go to HR you might want to say you believe you have an EEOC complaint against your supervisor then explain to them how he talks to you and how it ended with you in tears. HR has to investigate all EEOC complaints.
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