| I just finished a phone call with a
| |
| | compensation plans, salespeople who have
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| potential client who had called to
| |
| | been around a long time, highly paid
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| discuss a problem. His 18 person sales
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| | sales people, a corporate culture that
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| force was paid on straight commission.
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| | promotes the idea that a sales person
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| All had been with the company for 8 - 15
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| | "has his own business." All these
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| years and were earning healthy incomes.
| |
| | contribute to the situation.The cure is
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| His problem was that he couldn't get them
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| | to address each of these, making changes
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| to do what he wanted them to do. Here's
| |
| | that I have discussed elsewhere in the
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| the example he shared.He wanted the
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| | book. But, before you can do that, you
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| salespeople to call on new prospects to
| |
| | need to attend to the first step:
|
| expand the company's base. Instead of
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| | Creating and communicating a precise set
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| just seeing established customers, he
| |
| | of expectations to the sales force that
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| asked them to call on prospects, and
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| | describes their jobs and what you expect
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| report back to him on the progress they
| |
| | them to do.Once you have done that, you
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| were making.There were almost no results.
| |
| | will have laid the groundwork for the
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| Instead he got comments like: "I'm not
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| | changes that should follow.The point is
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| going to do this, I'm not a new
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| | this. It is difficult to create change in
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| salesperson." Or, "That's just more
| |
| | the behavior of a salesperson in the
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| paperwork." This list could go on and on.
| |
| | absence of a clear set of expectations.
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| The salespeople resented being asked to
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| | That document is not a guarantee that the
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| do something they saw as outside of their
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| | salespeople will change, but it is
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| responsibilities, and the manager was
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| | necessary to direct the process. It's
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| extremely frustrated.This is a classic
| |
| | necessary, but not sufficient. It's the
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| example of the chronic malady I call a
| |
| | first step.How to...First, let's start
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| lack of "directability."The problem is
| |
| | from the end. What are you going to end
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| that management has not cleared up this
| |
| | up with? There is room for lots of
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| murky difference of opinion.It may be, of
| |
| | variation on the format and formula. I
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| course, that the salespeople choose to
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| | like to see this: One side of one piece
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| ignore management's direction. That's a
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| | of paper, on which you spell out the
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| different but associated problem. It
| |
| | following things:An overview of the job.
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| really doesn't come into play until the
| |
| | The most important seven activities for
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| expectations are made clear.For example,
| |
| | success in the job.
|
| one of my clients moved his company to a
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| | The definition of how success is
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| CRM system. He gave the salespeople six
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| | measured.
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| months to learn to type, offered to pay
| |
| | To whom salespeople report to.
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| for a typing class for them, and mandated
| |
| | What sort of attitudes you expect.
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| that on a date approximately six months
| |
| | The question then becomes, how do you
|
| from now, the company would totally
| |
| | get to that point? Again, there are
|
| implement the CRM system. That meant that
| |
| | multiple paths. You may want to draft it
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| every sales person would be expected to
| |
| | yourself, or do in conjunction with a
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| use it to record sales calls, customer
| |
| | group of key executives. You may want to
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| information, and etc.The expectations
| |
| | appoint a task force.Should you involve
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| were perfectly clear. At the end of the
| |
| | the sales force? I'm ambivalent. On one
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| six months, three of the salespeople had
| |
| | side, I'm a little hesitant to advocate
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| not improved their typing skills. When
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| | that you ask the sales force or that you
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| asked about the use of the system, they
| |
| | add a salesperson to the task force.
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| responded, "We're sales people, not
| |
| | Unless the person you involve is
|
| clerks. We're paid to sell, not enter
| |
| | especially mature, the likelihood is that
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| information."In this case, the
| |
| | the sales people will input in ways that
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| expectations were clear, but the sales
| |
| | are in their own personal self-interest,
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| people held onto an outmoded definition
| |
| | not necessarily the good of the company.
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| for their jobs. The company's course of
| |
| | This is especially true if they are 100%
|
| action was clear and those three
| |
| | commissioned.On the other hand, I've seen
|
| salespeople were replaced.While there are
| |
| | clients who have involved a mature
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| a number of things that should be done to
| |
| | salesperson with good results.So, the
|
| cure this patient, they begin with an
| |
| | answer depends on the specifics of your
|
| often-overlooked initiative - creating a
| |
| | personnel, as well as the corporate
|
| clear set of expectations for the job of
| |
| | climate in your organization.Regardless,
|
| the sales person.This malaise of
| |
| | at some point, you will have a
|
| undirectability has, at its heart, a
| |
| | document.Now you need to communicate
|
| difference of opinion as to what the
| |
| | that. And that calls for a sales meeting
|
| salesperson should do. The sales people
| |
| | with all the key players in attendance.
|
| believe that taking care of their current
| |
| | It's important that the CEO be involved,
|
| customers and being rewarded by a portion
| |
| | to lend credibility and authority to the
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| of the gross profit is the total extent
| |
| | proceedings. The sales people must
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| of their responsibilities. Management
| |
| | understand that there is no opportunity
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| believes otherwise.The difference in
| |
| | for an appeal to a higher source, that
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| these basic expectations generates
| |
| | there is no negotiation on your
|
| conflict, resentment and frustration
| |
| | expectations.It is always a good idea to
|
| almost daily. This negative condition
| |
| | give the "Why's" of the expectations,
|
| leads, of course, to dismal productivity.
| |
| | particularly if the expectations
|
| The sales manager continually squanders
| |
| | represent a major shift from current
|
| his time in the dubious effort of trying
| |
| | practice.It's also a good idea to
|
| to shape the behavior of the salespeople.
| |
| | encourage dialogue and discussion. Use
|
| The salespeople focus on doing exactly
| |
| | the meeting as an opportunity to
|
| the opposite of what management asks so
| |
| | encourage people to mentally process the
|
| that they can build their case and prove
| |
| | information. There is a line, however,
|
| their point.There is another, longer
| |
| | between discussion and negotiation. I
|
| range and more sinister effect. The
| |
| | take a hard-line view on this issue. I
|
| company caught in this kind of malaise
| |
| | really don't think it is up to the sales
|
| has virtually no ability to implement any
| |
| | people to tell you what they should do. I
|
| strategic initiative. For example, let's
| |
| | think that is management's job.You don't
|
| say that the company has decided to take
| |
| | allow your CSR to explain that they don't
|
| on a new product line. Management sees
| |
| | think they ought to answer phones. Nor is
|
| the new line as holding excellent future
| |
| | it acceptable for your warehouse foreman
|
| potential to grow into a category that is
| |
| | to refuse to take inventory.There is
|
| a minor piece of business at the moment.
| |
| | plenty of room for sales people to define
|
| As management looks ahead, they see this
| |
| | the "hows" of their job. But the "What's
|
| category growing, and want to use this
| |
| | "are the province of management.What's
|
| line to position the company in this
| |
| | next?The written set of expectations,
|
| promising segment.So, management makes a
| |
| | clearly communicated, won't by itself,
|
| commitment to the new line, buys the
| |
| | make transformational changes in many
|
| beginning inventory, loads the SKUs into
| |
| | sales people. A few may have an "ah-ha"
|
| the computer, works out the pricing
| |
| | insight, but it will take more than just
|
| columns, posts the products on its
| |
| | this to power the change you want.
|
| website, and educates the customer
| |
| | However, the expectations are necessary
|
| service department. One last, but
| |
| | to set up the changes to come.It's like
|
| essential piece remains - harness the
| |
| | outfitting a sailboat. You need to put
|
| power of the sales force to generate
| |
| | the mast in place. A mast by itself,
|
| business.Management calls the sales force
| |
| | without a sail, a rudder and a keel, will
|
| together, brings in the manufacturer's
| |
| | do absolutely nothing to move the
|
| rep, and introduces the new strategic
| |
| | sailboat. But, you can't hoist the sail
|
| initiative. At the end of the day, the
| |
| | until you fix the mast.So it is with a
|
| sales manager announces that, because of
| |
| | written, communicated set of
|
| the importance of this line to the
| |
| | expectations. It is a necessary, but not
|
| company's future, every salesperson
| |
| | sufficient, step in the process of
|
| should introduce it in every one of his
| |
| | transforming your sales
|
| good accounts in the next 30 days.The
| |
| | force.~~~~~~~Excerpted with permission of
|
| sales force nods gravely, and then goes
| |
| | the publisher, from the Transforming Your
|
| out and does whatever they have been
| |
| | Sales Force for the 21st Century,
|
| doing for the last few years. At the end
| |
| | Copyright 2004, by Dave Kahle. Used with
|
| of the 30 days, virtually nothing has
| |
| | permission of the author.About Dave
|
| been done.Sound familiar? I have sketched
| |
| | Kahle, The Growth Coach(R):
|
| this scenario to thousands of principals
| |
| | Dave Kahle is a consultant and trainer
|
| and CSOs at annual meetings and national
| |
| | who helps his clients increase their
|
| conventions. I then ask the question, "If
| |
| | sales and improve their sales
|
| you were in this situation, what would be
| |
| | productivity. He speaks from real world
|
| the likelihood that every one of your
| |
| | experience, having been the number one
|
| salespeople would do what you asked them
| |
| | salesperson in the country for two
|
| to do?" The response is dismal.How about
| |
| | companies in two distinct industries.
|
| you? Take a moment and reflect on the
| |
| | Dave has trained thousands of salespeople
|
| state of "directability" of your sales
| |
| | to be more successful in the Information
|
| force.Now, consider the implications. If
| |
| | Age economy. He's the author of over 500
|
| you cannot implement a strategic
| |
| | articles, a monthly ezine, and four
|
| initiative like this, what is the future
| |
| | books. His latest is 10 Secrets of Time
|
| for your business? Do you have a
| |
| | Management for Salespeople. He has a gift
|
| future?You can see why I am so adamant on
| |
| | for creating powerful training events
|
| the importance of a "directable" sales
| |
| | that get audiences thinking differently
|
| force. It is one of the most valuable
| |
| | about sales.His "Thinking About Sales"
|
| assets you can have. Almost to the point
| |
| | Ezine features content-filled motivating
|
| that your company's future may well
| |
| | articles, practical tips for immediate
|
| depend on it.There are a number of causes
| |
| | improvements, useful resources and
|
| of this situation: 100% commission
| |
| | helpful tips to help increase sales.
|
