The title of this article is the expression of managers and executives in many companies when a new vendor joins an organization, either by replacement or by growth in the number of team representatives.
Although we know that this haste is obviously due to the generation of the results expected for that period of the year, this acceleration pressure of a process that must be carried out with the highest degree of quality and effectiveness possible, ends up generating errors that may be more costly than the profitability produced by the sales that are obtained.
Under that mandate, the hour and minute chronometer starts running to calm the manager's anxiety to cover himself and ensure the achievements in terms of the month's results, and which falls on both the HR managers of the selection process and the managers and sales supervisors, who must make their best decision on the best applicants.
The key issue of this situation that exists in these organizations should go more to attend with quality and efficiency to each of the aspects that intervene from the incorporation of the new member of the team and its start in the role of sales to play, rather than in time.
According to market research, it could be established that what current clients or potential buyers think about a dissatisfaction received by malpractice is that "managers are only interested in obtaining their results, even at the cost of them and the satisfaction they preach in advertising".
Perhaps due to the pressure exerted by the sales management, those who are in charge of putting new sales representatives into office in the shortest possible time, should carefully consider the answers that are described and that correspond to the question in the subtitle. following:
How to efficiently put the new seller to work?
The following aspects and recommendations arise from the new e-book "Keys to a successful sale", aimed at entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs, managers and managers of all types of organizations that are responsible for obtaining professional sales results through their sellers.
Assuming that the new representative (s) that meet the conditions of the "profile of the ideal company representative", previously prepared and tailored to the operational requirements of the position to be performed, has been selected, the stages that inexorably must be met are described below so that it comes to adequately and efficiently represent its management from the first days of taking office:
1. Induction. At this stage, the new representative must know: the Mission and Vision of the company, its history and trajectory, his colleagues, his manager or supervisor, and all the executives who lead the organization. The inexorable objective of this stage lies in "getting the representative to wear the organization's shirt and reach the highest motivational level to transpire it to its full potential from the first day of management."
The way to complete this first step of your training can be in a different way and by a person in charge of the sales or training area. In medium and large companies this is usually done through “multimedia training modules, achieving the most effective, homogeneous, fast and economical training, and especially in branch locations distant from the headquarters.
2. Initial training. After the previously described training, here it is necessary to provide the concepts, key foundations, the analysis of your products or services in terms of sale to know how to advise with the suitability that provides the conviction in the neighbor, the products or services of the competition, as well as the Professional Sales Techniques for effective sales management of the products and services that you will promote and sell in your daily activity.
In the event that the seller acts "as a visitor", that is, where his potential buyers and clients are, the content of the activity must contemplate how to carry it out efficiently and considering the preparatory and planning aspects so that its full potential yields maximum productivity on each day of its management.
If the seller acts in a place of sale to the public, said content must be related to the environment and the products or services that he will sell in said management environment.
3. Operational monitoring. This work, rarely carried out, is the one that precisely manages to secure the correct and effective application of the key actions inherent to its function in the first days and weeks of its management.
This is always under the responsibility of the Manager or Supervisor of the new representative who, with timely and correct corrections, ensures efficient management that will provide many satisfactions and results shortly after being put into operation.
This inescapable coaching work can be delegated to the team's most experienced salespeople, but the ultimate responsibility for their performance is and always will be with the supervisor or manager.
Avoidable managerial mistakes in sales
Under this name are those decisions that lead the sales team in charge of the supervisor, manager or executive in charge of the sales activity in the organization to an uncertain performance destination.
These decisions can generate low operating results, high turnover of team members, high level of claims and returns, etc., which can significantly harm the finances and current and future profitability of the company.
Within the topic that we are developing, we can point out the following avoidable managerial errors:
- Lack of the ideal profile of the representative to select. For this error, selection risks are incurred, which are then characterized by the heterogeneity of styles and performances in the same team. Among the key aspects to consider in any profile is: the potential for growth and development that each individual has, their conditions and motivation to become professional, responsibility, their values, etc. Select highly experienced sellerswith the mistaken belief that this way they will avoid making the corresponding investment in their training. In this way they incorporate the "sales experts" together with all the vices that they bring with them and without the possibility of any leakage or correction whatsoever, or when existing and potential customers have already been noticeably harmed. Seek inexpensive training options, from teachers who have never sold but who nevertheless teach how to do better, opt for activities that may not be effective depending on the few hours assigned to them. This is where the quality of the content should really prevail to ensure the best performance expected of them when completing the key training activity for a good start.
Conclusions
After the analysis of all the aspects described here, we are in a position to know when we will have to put into operation all new sales representatives so that a management oriented towards quality, consistency, productivity and profitability begins.
Like all good things, this may take a short time, but it is well worth the effort invested in this important managerial aspect of management.
At this stage of the analysis, it is better understood that the higher risk that one runs by anticipating or avoiding the required steps, unfortunately has a much more damaging and difficult to return effect. This occurs when the damage of mismanagement could have damaged the image of the seller, the company they represent, their products, services and brands.
Just for reference, keep in mind how much damage can be done by an improvised seller per day of mismanagement by contacting customers and interested parties, which generates an effect that I have called "the vicious circle of traditional sales" and is the that ends the life of the most promising businesses in a given market due to the malpractice in sales management that has been planted.
© Copyright 2005, by Martín E. Heller
