There are rules to the sales lead program. The main difference between those rules and seniority, as you point out, is they were not negotiated by two sides and written up in a legally binding contract. So, yes, the rules of the Sales lead program are more flexible. I was not trying to claim it was a perfect parallel to seniority, but just because the analogy is not perfect, does not mean there are not common characteristics. And just because the rules are subject to being subjectively reviewed, and hopefully for your friend, results altered based on a compelling case being made, does not mean that there are no rules.
I see what you are saying, im concerned more with the rules that are negotiated on my behalf than ones that i have no control over, so we agree.
But you know what? I will concede that point. Let us for the sake of discourse assume that the rules may be ignored and it does not matter who first put in the sales lead for this win. I agree with you that right is right, and it would seem right to me that the person who put in the most fruitful effort leading to the win of this large customer should get all or most of the reward.
The problem here is that you have not made a compelling case that it is indeed your friend that has put in the effort that has had the greatest impact on the company's decision to go to UPS.
How about answering a couple of question -
What is the position with the company of the guy your friend has been working with over the past couple years? You have not indicated if he is a decision maker or not. Has your friend been delivering packages nearly daily to the receiving and shipping clerk and extolling the virtues of UPS service to him? If so, while that is a great way to protect the shield, and certainly helps to get a friendly voice on the inside, it would pale in comparison to say the cousin of the company's VP in charge of transportation and logistics calling him from Wyoming and chatting with him taking a second look at UPS, and saying "Can I have a sale professional call you to talk about some fantastic discounts we could get for you with your volume" in terms of impact toward winning the volume.
From my undersatnding its the shipping manager, the driver has bent over backwards for some time delivering all of the packages before 1030 and working this customer on the benefits of using ups.
Now bd has promised him they would give him the credit for the lead after the customer got involved, and i give the driver alot of credit for not going back and complaining to the customer on how he was shafted.
Of course, we also have no idea what level of effort was put in by this other party, nor by the BD people who followed up on the lead. So here is another question, if you friend has been working on this company for a couple years, why is only now after the lead was turned in and BD followed up that the account was actually sold? I may be off on the time frames, if so, please correct me. Certainly I would have to ask if your friend had been working on these guys for 2 years, and it is as you claim, through his efforts that we have this win, why did this win not come 2 or even 1 year ago?
So, humor me, practice up for the case you will present to management in your district to win justice for you friend. Make your case.