Our VP of Sales also insists on holding the Customer Success and Account Management seats on our Accountability Chart because his bonus structure is tied to total client retention. However, he is dropping balls in all three areas. How do we restructure these seats and realign incentives so he willingly relinquishes control to a dedicated manager?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

Your VP of Sales is suffering from seat overload, and your misaligned incentive structure is the root cause. When compensation rewards someone for holding onto territory they cannot effectively manage, they will protect those seats at the expense of operational health.

On your Accountability Chart, Sales and Customer Success are distinct functions with entirely different goals. Sales is about hunting and closing new business, which requires a high Quick Start instinct. Customer Success is about farming, building deep relationships, and systematic retention, which requires a high Follow Thru instinct. One person holding both seats naturally compromises one or both.

To resolve this, you must first decouple the incentive structure. Redesign his compensation so he is highly rewarded for new business acquisition, while removing retention bonuses from his direct control.

Next, run an IDS session to show him the reality of his dropped balls. Demonstrate that by trying to manage retention, he is actually limiting his own sales capacity and earning potential.

Create a separate Customer Success seat on your Accountability Chart and hire a dedicated leader who excels at client retention. Transition the account management roles to this new seat.

By aligning your incentives with your Accountability Chart seats, you remove the financial fear of letting go. This allows your VP of Sales to focus entirely on what he does best, while ensuring your clients receive the structured care they need to stick around, maximizing your company's valuation.