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Often in companies, you'll see tensions between sales and…

“Often in companies, you'll see tensions between sales and marketing. Sales people will want to give discounts to clients because they often get paid a commission based on how much they sell. So they're always pushing to give discounts because that will increase sales. Marketing, however, is judged…” quote by Charles Duhigg
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“Often in companies, you'll see tensions between sales and marketing. Sales people will want to give discounts to clients because they often get paid a commission based on how much they sell. So they're always pushing to give discounts because that will increase sales. Marketing, however, is judged by overall profitability.”

Charles Duhigg

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Describes conflict between sales incentives and marketing profitability, highlighting misaligned goals.

In simple terms: Sales and marketing have opposing incentives.

Key Takeaway

Align incentives across departments.

Themes

business conflict incentives

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

business strategic

When to use this quote

  • product pricing
  • team meetings
  • performance reviews
  • budget planning

Key Concepts

organizational behavior profitability commission structures

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you redesign incentives for shared goals?
  • What metrics balance sales and profitability?
A Different Perspective

Changing incentives can be complex and meet resistance.

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