Part V SALES FORCE ACTIVITIES

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Part VSALES FORCE ACTIVITIES

• Chapter 9
• Leadership

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Figure 9-1 Leadership Skills
Intuition
Empowerment
Leadership skills
Value Congruence
Vision
Self-understanding
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HAVING A LITTLE CHAT

• Jennifer, I thought wed have a little chat. I
  dont get the pleasure of just talking with you
  very often. I guess we just tend to spend most of
  our time on our problems. Good people like you
  tend to be taken for granted. This is your sixth
  year with us, right? I wanted to let you know
  that it has been a pleasure working with you over
  that time. Incidentally, I was a little surprised
  to hear that some of your customer reports have
  been incomplete. Some of the clerks have even had
  to call some of your people in order to fill in
  the missing information.
• I told them that youre probably so busy out
  there getting us so much business that youre
  tired when it comes to the reports. But it would
  save us time and money if you could be more
  complete. Im sure youll take better care of
  this in the future. Thats what gives me so much
  pleasure in dealing with pros like you. See a
  problem. Fix it. No big deal. Anyway, I know
  youll take care of it.

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CUSTOMER ABUSE

• One day in the office, you overhear one of your
  salespeople being loudly abusive to a customer
  over the phone. Right after he slams the phone
  down, you mention That was a pretty heated
  exchange. Sounds to me as if you lost it.
• Well, shes a pain. Shes always complaining
  about one thing or the other, none of which is
  important and often not true. On top of it all,
  shes rude.
• I thought you were pretty rough, telling her
  that if she doesnt like how her orders are
  handled, she can take her business elsewhere.
• She wont.
• Thats not the point. We dont get nasty with
  customers. Next time that happens, and you start
  getting hot, I want you to tell the customer that
  youll look into the problem and get back to him.
  Hang up. Cool down. Find out what you need to
  know. And then call back. Do you understand? I
  dont ever want to hear a conversation like that
  again.

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ASSERTIVNESS STEPS

• Describe what you see going on
• We agreed youd make 16 calls per week. Youre
  averaging 11.
• Describe how you feel about what is going on
• Im puzzled, I cant tell from your reports what
  youre doing. Im frustrated because each time
  we have this talk you say you will live up to
  your end of the agreement.

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ASSERTIVNESS STEPS

• Be precise in the change you want
• One more time. I expect you to do what weve
  agreed on an average of 16 calls per week.
• Mention the benefit of the changeto the other
  person
• Living up to our agreement is the only way I can
  give you a good appraisal. And you cant afford
  more than one bad or mediocre appraisal

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RESPONSIVNESS STEPS

• What does the other person see going on?
• Yes, I know Im not making the 16 calls.
• How does the person feel about it?
• Im upset. In fact, Im furious. Weve been
  having all sorts of delivery and installation
  problems. It seems I spend half my time on the
  phone with the plant straightening out problems.
  Ive called you, but you always seem tied up.

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RESPONSIVNESS STEPS

• What change does the other persondesire in you?
• I dont call you unless the problem is very
  serious. So I would like you to get back to me
  when Ive got a problem that I think it serious
  enough to bother you with.
• What are the benefits of the changefor the other
  person?
• There are at least two. I produce better,
  because I have time. And the company has better
  customer relations, because I know that other
  people in the field have also experienced my kind
  of problem.

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

• Assessment - examination of the customer
  environment in which the company operates.
• Redesign - initiatives based on three
  interrelated tasks
• Customer orientation - know customer buying
  process.
• Sales strategy - deployment of sales resources
  and buyer segmentation.
• Selling processes - determined by the segment of
  buyer.
• Measurement - determine the indicators of
  successful change.
• Sales Support Programs - programs to support and
  reward implementation of the change program.
• Implementation Strategies - pilot test programs.

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How Change Oriented are You?
Instructions To find out to what degree you
like change, use the following scale in
responding to the following eighteen statements.
There is no right or wrong answer. Rather, the
intent is to help you explore your attitudes
toward change. SA Strongly Agree A
Agree ? Undecided D Disagree SD
Strongly Disagree
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How Change Oriented are You?
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How Change Oriented are You?
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How Change Oriented are You?
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How Change Oriented are You?
Scoring Give yourself the following points for
each circled response. SA 5 points A 4
points ? 3 points D 2 points SD
1 point Interpretation Total your scores for
all responses. The higher the score, the more
willing you are to be innovative and welcome
change. A score of 72 or greater is high a score
of 45 or less is low. Innovative people like to
create change non-innovators have a tendency to
maintain status quo.
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Figure 9-2 Four Leadership Styles
High
Supportive Behavior
High
Directive Behavior
Low
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Figure 9-4Internal Systems of a Group
Activities
Norms
Interactions
Sentiments
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Leadership Factors in Sales Management

• Sales Team
• Activities
• Interaction
• Norms
• Sentiments

• Situation
• Task structure
• Time pressure
• External system

Salespersons Behavior

• Salesperson
• Professional maturity
• Needs
• Goals
• Relationship with manager

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Jose Guerrilla

• You are the boss with the title, rank,
  experience,and all the
• accountability that comes with the job. You have
  the feeling that your salespeople are not
  following many of your orders. You wonder if you
  are becoming paranoid. Although you are the
  formal leader, an informal leader has emerged.
  Its Jose Guerrilla.
• Deliberately or not, he has become influential,
  even playing amore dominant role than you. Jose
  is one of your top salespeople, but is behaving
  like an underground rebel. The groups overall
  performance is quickly dropping. Is there a
  connection?
• You must correct the situation soon. You do not
  want to lose Jose, he is a valuable salesperson,
  besides you really like Jose. Ground rule 1,
  you have got to turn the situation around. Why
  did an informal leader emerge? How do you handle
  Jose? What can you do to prevent this from
  reoccurring?

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DECISION OPTIONSJose Guerrilla

• Get the group together and remind them that you
  are the boss. Tell them like it or not the
  ignoring of your orders must and will stop.
• Take Jose aside and tell him you appreciate the
  help in managing the group. Tell Jose that by
  pulling together, you can make the situation work
  out right for everyone.
• Let nature take its course. Sit back and let
  Jose make a big mistake that will cause him to
  lose favor with the group.
• Take time to get to know Jose. When you know his
  career objectives you will probably find that he
  is not after your job. Use Jose to make your
  communications between yourself and the group
  more efficient.
• Talk to each member of the sales team separately.
  Let them know that you know what is going on and
  that it is tantamount to insubordination.

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PROS CONSJose Guerrilla

• Appeals to the authoritarian manager but
  disregards the possibility that the problem is
  that your interpersonal communication skills are
  to blame.
• Jose may not admit to being the guerrilla, but if
  he does and accepts the bribe that you offer, the
  possibility that another member of the group will
  assume the role cannot be ruled out.
• Highly risky and puts your rear in the frying pan
  as well as Joses.
• Jose could become a valuable link between you and
  your team and possibly help you define
  interpersonal problems and help you suggest
  possible solutions.
• This solution might work with an unschooled or
  unskilled labor force but not with the highly
  productive members of your sales team.

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Effectiveness in Selling New Ideas or Programs

• Are the Following Statements True or False?
• You should try to sell an idea to the "natural"
  leaders first.
• Thoroughly explaining the reasons for a change
  will invariably turn resistance into cooperation.
  
• Getting to know your people well is one of the
  best ways to obtain control over their resistance
  to change.

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Effectiveness in Selling New Ideas or Programs

• Are the Following Statements True or
  False?(Continued)
• It's usually better to hold a meeting to address
  the entire sales force about a change that will
  affect them.
• You should inform your sales force as far in
  advance as possible about changes that will
  affect them.
• When you propose a program or an idea, you are
  unlikely to encounter resistance except on the
  most important issues involved.

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COACHING
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COACHING
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Additional Suggestions for Coaching Salespeople

• Instead of criticizing them, repeatedly tell
  salespeople what you like about their
  performance.
• Help salespeople improve by giving them how to
  advice.
• Insist that salespeople evaluate themselves in
  order to develop their evaluative abilities
  regarding their own work habits and performance.
• Ask questions to ensure the salesperson is
  actively involved.

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Additional Suggestions for Coaching Salespeople

• Make the most of resources that are available to
  you, such as special training materials and so
  on.
• An agreement between you and the salesperson
  should be arrived at regarding corrective actions
  to be taken.
• Keep records of specific standards of
  performance, including how performance will be
  measured and by what date.
• The salesperson should be shown these records
  when they are written to avoid any
  misunderstandings.

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Table 9-1Sales Managers Rankings of the Causes
of Plateauing Among Salespeople
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Hot Shot

• When asked the question, Are you a winner? Hot
  Shot answers, Well, how did you know? When
  dealing with this type of personality it is best
  to keep a cool head.
• Although she is a top salesperson, meeting or
  beating quotas, she is clearly a victim of tunnel
  vision. High productivity is a great asset to
  have in an employee, but she believes that this
  asset alone is reason for a managerial position.
• Hot Shot has heard an incorrect rumor that a
  district sales manager position is opening and
  believes that she deserves the job. She shows no
  tact in letting everyone know her feelings.
  History has shown that although she is an
  excellent salesperson, she is quite a loner. In
  your opinion she isnt ready for a job with the
  responsibilities of a district sales manager.
  You have a reputation of being fair and rewarding
  outstanding achievements.

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Hot Shot

• There is not need to change your style now, but
  you have just received a letter from Hot Shot.
  She is very direct and states, I have worked
  long and hard for this company and have always
  been the top salesperson. I have no complaints
  at all about salary, or the commission and bonus
  plans. I want you to recognize that I feel I am
  totally ready for a sales managers job, the next
  one that opens up. It is important for me to
  tell you that if this company cannot use my
  talents, I have only one choice to make. What
  say?
• The letter enrages you but you realize that you
  cannot fire her or give her a job that does not
  even exist. In fact it is your job to keep her
  self-esteem and energy as a salesperson intact
  since your job depends on the productivity of
  your sales force. Your boss wants to know
  exactly how you are going to handle this one.

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DECISION OPTIONSHot Shot

• Make a sincere promise to Hot Shot that she will
  get the next manager's spot that opens.
• To give Hot Shot more recognition you send her
  and her husband to the national sales convention
  with the company picking up the tab.
• Do not let the other salespeople think you give
  into ultimatums. You consider the letter as a
  letter of resignation and let Hot Shot go.
• Make special managerial training available to the
  sales group. Tell Hot Shot that when an opening
  becomes available her excellent sales record
  along with the techniques learned in the course
  will place her among the top applicants.

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PROS CONS Hot Shot

• Hot Shot has every reason to take your promise
  seriously a problem that arises if at the time a
  position opens you think another member of the
  sales team is better suited for the job.
• Some will consider this industry bribery. Hot
  Shot could construe this to be an insult since
  she clearly stated that she was happy with the
  money and benefits she was already receiving.

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PROS CONS Hot Shot

• A good sales manager is as hard to find if not
  harder to find than a good sales representative.
  If you allow Hot Shot to leave, one of your
  competitors will doubtless hire her immediately,
  leaving you with a stronger competitor and a
  weaker sales team.
• Probably the best choice. You explain to Hot
  Shot that the criterions used to choose the next
  sales manager will include sales record, group
  interaction, and effort put forth in seminars,
  workshops, home study, and night courses.

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Termination Suggestions

• Establish a paper trail.
• Reasons for termination should be specifically
  spelled out.
• When possible, offer an attractive severance
  package and outplacement services.
• The firing session should be brief.
• The firing session should be held at the
  beginning of the week.

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Table 9-2Women in Sales Percentages by Industry
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Harassment Suggestions

• Conduct yourself professionally.
• Dress appropriately.
• Be cautious when drinking at business functions.
• Dont listen to sob stories.
• Avoid being alone when possible.
• Use independent transportation.
• Trust your instincts.