Challenging work - District Manager CFIB / FCEI Employee Review

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience and for recognizing the importance of the work we do to support independent businesses across Canada. I’m glad you see the commitment we have to serving our members. You make many important observations about your membership sales role, and I want to address them. I appreciate your honesty and frank assessment. There is no question that the District Manager role can be a challenging one – especially for those who are used to working in a far more structured sales environment. The position is a rewarding one for strong performers who are self-motivated and disciplined in using their time in the field. While we have added a few positions across the country, we have 103,000 members and approximately 200 District Managers. In fact, we have fewer DMs today than we did five years ago as we can now serve members in more ways. But I am proud to say that while other sales organizations are cutting in-person visits with clients and customers, CFIB is not. We recognize the importance of continuity of service and I’m proud that we have many staff with 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years of experience at CFIB. But it is true that we have more turnover in sales related positions than we would like. We’ve just completed a major compensation review and change to address some of the ideas our DMs have shared over the years. As for the use of a sales script, I know it can be challenging to learn. The script is an important means of helping us balance the high degree of autonomy that comes with the role. As President, it is one of the only ways I can assure that all business owners are given the same understanding of what it means to be a CFIB member and what it doesn’t. As you can imagine, with 200 reps, if each one tailored the presentation just a little, a member in Newfoundland and a member in BC could walk away with a very different understanding of what we are all about. Protecting the integrity of the organization is one of my most important jobs. Please do not be shy to share with me your ideas on how we can do even better in making CFIB a great place to work. Our employee surveys consistently find that more than 94% of staff would recommend CFIB as an employer, but we can still do better. Thank you again for sharing your perspective. Dan Kelly President and CEO