Everyone knows that a good sales manager is a powerful tool for your business’ success. However what happens when your star sales manager gets a little too good? Experienced sales managers realize that they are the clients’ first impression of the company: but after days, or even weeks of building a great rapport with the client, the new client just might favor the sales manager more than the company itself. So when that sales manager asks for a raise or threatens to walk unless their high demands are met, what do you do?

Several business managers that I have met have been faced with this scenario at least once. Their best sales manager realizes that they have the company by the balls and uses that for their advantage. They ask for a raise, a higher commission rate, and a better desk – which in turn makes the other sales managers unhappy and threatens the success of the department or even the company. More often than not, the department manager gives in to the demands. A recent poll in a national business magazine shows that 86% of clients sold by a top sales manager would stop doing business with a company if their favorite person leaves. In an interview in the same magazine, the CEO of a Denver-based corporation stated that “if my star player walks, then I’ll lose most of my client base and my company will collapse. We throw money at [the sales manager] and try to keep him happy no matter what.”

The solution: don’t get backed into that corner in the first place. Great sales managers can make or break your company, but don’t let them control it. Train your support staff to be just as good, so when the client signs their contract and starts dealing with other departments and service managers, they recognize that your whole company is worth their time – not just the sales manager.