SALES MANAGER’S
ROLE IN THE SALES TEAM MEMBERS' LIFE CYCLE
Managing salesforce
performance begins with managing the satisfaction of the sales team.The costs component
of a company's Sales force can be as large as 80% for a market intensive
company. A large proportion of these costs will relate to the hiring, firing
and everything in between for the recruitment, retention and release of an salesforce
member. It is important, therefore, to understand and appreciate the benefits
of knowing and understanding the basic elements of an salesforce member
lifecycle and how managing managing salesforce member satisfaction can help to
create a winning sales performance
Although models and descriptions of an salesforce member
lifecycle will vary, the most common terms that will be found include the
following stages: recruitment, orientation, development, progression and
departure. From this last point, the cycle will start over: a new salesforce
member for the company, a new company for the former salesforce member. It is
important to remember that different keywords may be used in examples of salesforce
member lifecycles but the basic concept remains the same. From one company to
another, it is possible to adapt the salesforce member lifecycle to suit the
individual needs of each company and HR department.
RECRUITMENT
The beginning stage of the salesforce member lifecycle is, quite
obviously, the recruitment stage. It is during the recruitment phase that the salesforce
member-employer relationship is first established. First impressions are
possible, introductions are made and, depending on how all stages of the
recruitment are conducted, it becomes the starting point for the salesforce
member lifecycle. In regards to the salesforce member lifecycle, the
recruitment stage may cover more than just the traditional methods of hiring an
salesforce member. For example, the first stage of the salesforce member
lifecycle could also cover scenarios where the salesforce member is transferred
to a new department or subsidiary company as the salesforce member process
starts over from the beginning once more.
ORIENTATION
Once a decision is
made to accept the transferral or hire a new recruit, the orientation phase
begins. Alternatively known as the settling-in stage or the induction; this part of the salesforce member lifecycle
is about allowing the salesforce member to familiarise themselves with the
company and explore the responsibilities of the role. Decisions need to be made
about the time for the orientation to last and how quickly to share information
with the new salesforce member. It also important to strike the right balance
between being involved in your salesforce member's induction period while also
giving them enough space to find their own way in the company. My experience has shown that the orientation can offer long term
benefits in terms of company retention.
DEVELOPMENT
In order to increase the likelihood of salesforce member
retention, it is necessary to invest time in the development of an salesforce
member. Both personally and professionally, if a company enables its salesforce
members to develop, it will be able to satisfy the needs of those salesforce
members. This could range from allowing salesforce members time off to develop
new personal skills or further any established hobbies or set time aside for
professional training courses funded by the company as part of its commitment
to the future of its salesforce members. Engaging the workforce by presenting
them with a visible focus on their professional development will help to ensure
that the salesforce members are invested in the success of the company as much
as the managers are.
PROGRESSION
The future prospects for salesforce members will often dictate
how long a person will spend with any particular company. Progression
opportunities could refer to financial benefits (increase in salary, monetary
bonuses, etc.) or to psychological success (supervisor title, managerial
responsibilities, etc.). Most importantly, progression for the salesforce
member lifecycle should reflect the tenure of their stay with the company and
the educational qualifications that would make an salesforce member a good
candidate for progression within the company. Other positive targets for
progression could include rewards and similar forms of recognition that
highlight their achievements and outline the future.
DEPARTURE
At some point, every salesforce member will leave their job. The
only difference between salesforce members is the how, why and when that is
involved in leaving the job and ending the salesforce member lifecycle. At this
point, the salesforce member has gone full circle from starting out with the
company, continuing along the chain and finally reaching the end stage. The
relevance of this point is to minimise the risks on both sides. Where the
parting is done on pleasant terms, the separation can be a positive opportunity
for both company and salesforce member. The salesforce member will venture out
into another part of the business world, while the company could gain from
having someone who could forge new networking possibilities. This works both
ways - the former salesforce member and the company should always remember that
word of mouth is the strongest tool in promotion.
The journey of an salesforce member from the start of their relationship with a company right through to the very end is just one example of the most common lifecycles in the business world. It easily defines the contributions of both salesforce member and company to the success in the salesforce member-company relationship. Every sales manager should be made aware of the salesforce member lifecycle as a way of making sure that their work is targeted to the specific stages of an salesforce member's interaction with the company.
With best wishes
Dr Wilfred Monteiro
