WOW! I'm trying to figure out what I should do with my D&B stock and came across this board. As a former employee I'm shocked that D&B is still experiencing the same issues that were rampant when I left over 3 years ago. I held a few positions in Channel Management supporting inside and outside sales teams. To throw in my two cents as a former employee. The biggest problem was in 2 areas. Senior and Middle Sales Management are not aware and don't care what district/direct sales managers do as long as they hit their numbers. When the Direct Sales Managers don't hit their numbers Middle Managers then try to cover their ass by installing draconian metrics to measure sales people. This is basically to cover their ass and show senior management they are theoretically squeezing as hard as they can.

The other major problem is with District/Direct Sales Managers. Many especially in Inside Sales played favorites. Don't get more wrong every manager has favorites but many of the managers in inside sales took this to the extreme. Many District Managers went out of their way to hire friends and family members of other managers they were friendly with etc. District Managers would then make sure their "friends" achieved their target by giving them choice accounts. This was no secret among most people in the channel. The culture was horrible and moral was bad because or this practice I challenged a middle manager about this practice as it disgusted me and was told directly that "making numbers is all that mattered". The problem with this practice is that it creates a group of top salespeople who can't sell when the times are tough. They are used to making numbers by artificial methods. So until they get District/Direct Sales Managers who will commit to making sure every sales person fairly D&B in my opinion will have tough times in fair or tough economic times.

Just to give insight into what my new organization does. Our salesforce in on target to hit our target which included 7% growth to 2008 numbers. It is done because Direct Managers are accountable for each and every person hitting their numbers. If a a sales person missed their quarter the manager must put in place a plan to get that person back to target. Senior Managers do not fault the sales people for not hitting their target but the Direct Managers. Senior Managers question each Direct Manager to explain why each person is succeeding or failing. Direct Managers must make sure all the account portfolios are fair and are fired for misconduct in this area. This I saw in my first week. Just a hint D&B.