Advice: "My company started a split commission structure that cuts into my OTE"

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Dear Quota Team,

 

My company recently introduced a "team selling" approach where each deal requires collaboration between an SDR, AE, and sales engineer, with commissions split among all three. I'm an AE and have been sourcing and running deals by myself the last two years. While I appreciate the support, my commissions have been cut dramatically compared to our previous individual model. The AEs who struggle with technical details love this approach, but as someone who's invested years learning our product inside-out, I feel penalized for my expertise. How do I advocate for a compensation structure that recognizes different contribution levels without seeming like I'm not a team player?

 

Frustrated in Location Withheld

 

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Dear Frustrated,

 

It looks like having more cooks in the kitchen is introducing complexity and disincentivizing you. Ask your manager for a hybrid model where self-sourced deals have a different commission split than team-sourced opportunities. Highlight your past performance and ability to run the full cycle independently. Frame your request as maximizing company profitability rather than opposing collaboration—you're simply advocating for a structure that incentivizes efficiency while still supporting team selling when beneficial. Good luck!

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