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Started By
Message
Sales Folks: Ethics Question
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:43 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:43 am
So I've got a wedding coming up in Atlanta in September, and I was about to book a flight. I met with a client out of Atlanta last night, and he mentioned how I needed to come out that way. I rarely do, but he's a pretty consistent repeat client of mine.
The company obviously pays for my flights to visit clients. Is it sketchy or good planning to setup a meeting with him Thursday/Friday of the same weekend as the wedding and then fly back on Sunday with the company paying for the flight?
I'm kinda torn...
The company obviously pays for my flights to visit clients. Is it sketchy or good planning to setup a meeting with him Thursday/Friday of the same weekend as the wedding and then fly back on Sunday with the company paying for the flight?
I'm kinda torn...
23
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:45 am to FootballNostradamus
Does it cost your company extra money? I don't see the issue. I've extended a business trip before, just had to make sure it wasn't costing my company any extra.
ETA: And I call it good planning. As long as the guy is as good of a client as you say, your company shouldn't mind you giving him some face time since he's asking for it.
ETA: And I call it good planning. As long as the guy is as good of a client as you say, your company shouldn't mind you giving him some face time since he's asking for it.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 7:48 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:45 am to FootballNostradamus
Would you have gone to see the client if you didn't have a wedding that weekend? The answer to that question is the answer to your quandry.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:47 am to FootballNostradamus
Why don't you look at the cost of the entire flight if you were only going for business (say fly in on Thursday and fly out Friday) and compare it with the cost of wedding airfare. If the wedding one is more tell the company you will pay them the difference.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:48 am to LNCHBOX
quote:
Does it cost your company extra money? I don't see the issue. I've extended a business trip before, just had to make sure it wasn't costing my company any extra.
this.
once a year i visit my sister in Dallas, I schedule a week I'm in Shreveport and take two/three days vacation and drive to Dallas. I put my own gas in my company car and advise my company that I'm taking it out of the terrotory.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:53 am to FootballNostradamus
Sounds to me like you are an opportunist.
I'd work it so the client essentially invites you out that weekend so you have business justification.
I'd work it so the client essentially invites you out that weekend so you have business justification.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 7:56 am to Veritas
If it's legitimate and the client has been asking you, it sounds like you just have more incentive. If you conduct business while there and it's beneficial to your book of business then do it and shake these cheese-sandwich-on-my-13.5-minute-break-each-morning-at-9:45 crowd types...
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 7:57 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:03 am to FootballNostradamus
Nothing wrong with that at all.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:05 am to FootballNostradamus
Nothing to be torn about unless you are planning on expensing the extra hotel nights to the company as well.
I went to California for the company last year. I decided to stay 3 extra nights and go to Disneyland. I made it clear that is what I was doing. Company paid for the flight and the hotel and rental car for the nights I was there for business. I paid for the extra hotel nights and rental car days. No one cared.
I went to California for the company last year. I decided to stay 3 extra nights and go to Disneyland. I made it clear that is what I was doing. Company paid for the flight and the hotel and rental car for the nights I was there for business. I paid for the extra hotel nights and rental car days. No one cared.
This post was edited on 6/26/15 at 8:08 am
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:20 am to FootballNostradamus
Nothing at all wrong with it, even if you specifically scheduled the business trip to coincide with a previously existing date. As long as the business trip is a legitimate business trip that you otherwise would have made, you're good. Scheduling them to be the same weekend is just good planning and use of your time.
Now, if you never would have visited this client otherwise but are only doing it for the free airfare to the wedding, then you're out of bounds.
Now, if you never would have visited this client otherwise but are only doing it for the free airfare to the wedding, then you're out of bounds.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:25 am to FootballNostradamus
I choose Business Ethics...
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:36 am to FootballNostradamus
If you need to go, go. Just let your travel dept know you are extending for a couple of days to take care of some personal business over the weekend. The staying over a weekend may reduce the fare significantly anyway.
No problem at all, as long as it is deemed necessary.
Can this client increase his business with you? Is he in jeopardy? Do you have something new to show him? Is this client just a big customer? All valid reasons for a site visit.
No problem at all, as long as it is deemed necessary.
Can this client increase his business with you? Is he in jeopardy? Do you have something new to show him? Is this client just a big customer? All valid reasons for a site visit.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:39 am to FootballNostradamus
quote:
I'm kinda torn...
I am not in sales but over the last 15 years in 'real world' I've managed to take a wife with me on some training trips.
All you need to do is ask yourself is your mixing business with pleasure costing the company any more $$ or interfering with your purpose for the business trip? Secondly, If moving a flight or something would incur an extra expense, ask your boss if you can expense it by volunteering to pay for it out of pocket.
Short answer? Nothing wrong with it. It's just good planning.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:49 am to SG_Geaux
quote:
Nothing to be torn about unless you are planning on expensing the extra hotel nights to the company as well.
I went to California for the company last year. I decided to stay 3 extra nights and go to Disneyland. I made it clear that is what I was doing. Company paid for the flight and the hotel and rental car for the nights I was there for business. I paid for the extra hotel nights and rental car days. No one cared.
i do this all the time with my company. i run it by my boss of course.
last year i had work in flagstaff. so i booked my flight and car and hotels with the company. but i went a day early, stayed a day late and took my wife. they just didn't pay for either extra hotel nights or her meal (or we split a meal.)
i take my family all over the state and they pay for our hotels, i just get one room and they don't pay for my family's food.
all that being said.... just ask your boss?
Posted on 6/26/15 at 8:58 am to FootballNostradamus
Don't see an issue. Seems like good planning to me. Your client wants to see you and you can schedule it around a personal trip. No conflicts imo. Now, if you didn't go see the client... That would be shady
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:00 am to FootballNostradamus
If he's a legit customer then absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:01 am to FootballNostradamus
I do that all the time (not in sales, but travel for work). I don't see a problem with it at all. The meetings need to take place, so what's wrong with meeting at a time that coincides with something else in the area? Doesn't cost your company any more than it would if you met with them a different week.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:10 am to FootballNostradamus
It isn't a big deal at all. The only way it would be shady is if you were pretending to go see the client, never did, and had them pay for your trip to the wedding. But, since you are legitimately doing business, it's not a big deal.
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:16 am to FootballNostradamus
quote:
good planning to setup a meeting with him Thursday/Friday of the same weekend as the wedding and then fly back on Sunday with the company paying for the flight?
Posted on 6/26/15 at 9:47 am to SG_Geaux
quote:
Nothing to be torn about unless you are planning on expensing the extra hotel nights to the company as well.
I went to California for the company last year. I decided to stay 3 extra nights and go to Disneyland. I made it clear that is what I was doing. Company paid for the flight and the hotel and rental car for the nights I was there for business. I paid for the extra hotel nights and rental car days. No one cared.
Yea I often stay over the weekend if I'm somewhere fun and they never care. I just didn't know if intentionally scheduling something for a particular weekend would look bad as opposed to just staying over.
I know my boss wouldn't care I just know some of the clock-in/clock-out, every minute is accounted for people get a little pissy cause our sales team pretty much makes our own hours.
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