Confronting Underperforming Reps & Reenergizing Senior Reps

Title: Confronting Underperforming Reps & Reenergizing Senior Reps

Description:

Confronting Underperforming Reps & Reenergizing Senior Reps
presented by Kevin Davis

Add To Cart - Audio CD ($39/cd)
Add To Cart - Immediate Download ($39/download)
Add To Cart - $249 Individual Training Package includes all the downloads on this site plus all upcoming live teleseminars. (Click here for details.)

The Problem

“If you think the problem is “out there”…..that thought may be your problem.”

The above words, which were spoken to me by my boss over 20 years ago had a profound impact on my development as a sales manager because he was suggesting that I should consider what role I may have played in the sales productivity problems that I was facing.

When it comes to confronting underperforming salespeople – be they underperforming “newbies” or senior tenured reps who have fallen on hard times - the fundamental mistake most sales managers make is that they manage results, instead of the behaviors and activities that lead to the results. It’s entirely rational that we sales managers focus on results because that’s how we are measured and, of course, compensated. Unfortunately, it’s not very effective. Here’s why…

A sales “result” is what comes about as a consequence of the sales process(es) that preceded it. Sales managers who manage by results – by which I mean a sales manager who waits until a poor result is produced and then confronts the salesperson about the poor production, is like a general manager of a factory who stands in the shipping department counting the number of products produced by the factory that are ready to be shipped. If there are fewer products produced than the manager was expecting he now learns that he has a problem, unfortunately he doesn’t have a clue as to what went wrong inside the factory during the production process that caused the poor production.

B + A = R. Behaviors + Activities = Results. To be an effective sales manager you must focus on the input side of the production equation, the behaviors and activities that contribute to the sales results.

Many sales managers haven’t clearly defined the behaviors and activities that sales reps need to be successful. Here’s a test for you. Suppose I was to email five of your salespeople individually and ask them to reply to the following question: “Please describe to me the specific behaviors and activities you need to perform to achieve the sales results your company expects”. How many different answers would I receive? Often times when I have asked this question I receive a different answer from every salesperson. So, there is a lack of clarity regarding that company’s “standards for success.” All salespeople understand the results the company expects, but they often lack a clear understanding of the “what’s and how’s” they need to do to produce those results.

Now, imagine that you’re a salesperson. You’ve just had a bad month. Your boss confronts you about that bad month, but he or she doesn’t have a clue what caused the bad month. So the manager “pushes” the button sales managers always push when they don’t know what caused poor production: “You’re not making enough sales calls. Increase your activity level and you’ll sell more.” How does that make you feel? Chances are, you feel demoralized. You would appreciate a more constructive coaching discussion, but you’re not getting it. “Now, your boss tells you, “get out there and sell more.”

The Solution

Here are some additional questions that this presentation will answer:

What part of the sales process should I pay the most attention to when coaching?
What are the four components of a performance standard?
What are the two components of productivity that every sales manager should consider when diagnosing a sales productivity problem?
How can I re-energize a senior sales rep who has become “stuck in a rut”?
How should I confront an under-performing rep when I don’t know what the cause of the problem is?