Part 1: Where does the need for a sales process originate?
Wow, there is really no connection with the customer. I wish he would have asked some more questions before he goes into info dump mode. Please ask for the sale, please ask for the sale! Why is he arguing with the customer? Did he really just say, “why do you need to talk to your wife, can’t you make decisions that benefit your family?”
Have you ever been a manager listening to a call with one of your reps and had thoughts like this? You would not be the first. The big question is what do you do next? How do you coach to these opportunities?
For many managers, it might sound something like this, “Bill, I really need you to build some more rapport with your customers. If you ask more questions and ask for the sale it will also help you out. Can you do this for me?”
While this feedback directly addresses the areas of concern, it leaves the sales rep still lacking the fundamental skills necessary to improve. In some cases, they may end up taking your advice and start asking an overabundance of questions. In an attempt to build rapport, you may hear them spend twenty minutes talking about the upcoming Super Bowl. Fortunately, many of these coaching challenges can be resolved when your team has a defined sales and coaching process.
Successful businesses understand the benefits of providing tools that allow managers to deliver the best coaching to their team. Having a defined sales process is a vital facet to success as it creates a common language for the team. This common language allows managers to be even more effective in coaching by encouraging behavior-based improvements through encouraging small wins, and providing a platform to discuss the what, why, and how of each step along the way. In addition, reps benefit from a process that creates consistent service levels and increased confidence.
Visit us in the next few weeks to read more about the common language and encouraging small wins!
You can reach Steve at [email protected]
