While we expect Salespeople to drive sales, we encourage our sales training partners in Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton and Calgary to entice all staff to become sales-minded. This can be a great source of new business development by identifying the personal motivators of employee recognition and rewards. It encourages everyone to have a customer-focused attitude and look for opportunities to grow company sales as a team.
No one would argue this point – regardless of job description, we are all indirectly employed in Sales. The only difference between team members is how we are paid for the work we perform.
The job description for Salespeople is simple to understand – you will be evaluated and paid according to your ability to close sales. The motivator comes in the form of a commission or bonus based on performance.
How can this be applied to all employees?
Why restrict the ability to become sales-minded to commissioned Salespeople? Why not create a sales motivated culture with all staff? While each person in your company possesses specific talents to perform their given task, many of them are in direct contact with clients and part of the customer experience.
Surprisingly, often the highest levels of customer interaction comes from employees with non-sales roles. Here are a few examples. See if any of these apply to your company. I will explain how to incentivize each of these employees in Part Two of this post.
The Receptionist
This is your brand ambassador – usually the first person a customer or potential client meets. In many companies, the receptionist is the eyes and ears of the company. He or she can be your company’s air traffic controller and external communication specialist.
If you look beyond that essential role, you’ll quickly find your receptionist to have many more great abilities. He or she an be the source of determining your most qualified new potential customers.
Years ago, I worked at a company where the receptionist (and all staff) were paid full commission on monthly company sales. She constantly qualified leads for me and told me which people to call back first. At another company where I was a Sales Manager, I relied on our receptionist to give me her opinion of each Salesperson who was being interviewed for a job. How she was treated by our guest was an excellent example of how this applicant would perform in the field.
Customer Service Representatives and Technicians
The role of these employees has a major bearing on levels of customer service and retention of clients. A customer-focused philosophy starts with understanding that the experience of dealing with everyone in your company is the true product that you offer. Happy clients whose expectations are surpassed renew agreements. They are also your most credible Salespeople when speaking highly of your services. Your CSRs and Technicians are in constant contact with your company’s clients and are often the reason they stay with you and justify price increases.
Smart Salespeople have great relationships with CSRs and Technicians because they recognize the influence they have with key decision makers. Close, regular communication between these groups may lead to upsell opportunities and information when clients might be considering a new supplier.
Drivers
Recognize the importance of drivers if applicable in your company. In many cases, delivery drivers with a keen sense of people skills and customer service know a great deal about your clients and their needs. Don’t be shocked to learn that they may have a closer relationship with decision makers than some of your company’s Salespeople. Why? Because they see buyers on a face to face basis more often. Many decision makers have confided with me that they tell their supplier’s drivers more than their reps because of the lack of motive in constantly trying to make a sale.
Recently, a Service Technician from one of our Vancouver-based clients gave me a nugget of information that will stay with me forever. After deciding to make the move to Sales with no previous experience as a Salesperson, he was reaching the sales target of the previous Salesperson after two months on the job. Why? He was meeting with his clients with the eyes and ears of a technician and the mind of a Salesperson.
Imagine harnessing that kind of power to drive sales in your company!
Driving Sales With The Right Culture With All Staff
Look at the individual role of each employee and his or her interaction with customers. Ask this question:
What can they do to recognize current and future sales opportunities?
In Part Two of Driving Sales With The Right Culture, I’ll give you specific ideas to incentivize your staff. Subscribe to The PROSALESGUY BLOG and you’ll receive it in your inbox.
Please feel free to check out our online sales training The Sales Skills Incubator or our book SHUT UP! Stop Talking and Start Making Money. If you liked this post, share it on your favorite social media platform. I’m always interested in reading your comments.
Thanks!
Dave Warawa – PROSALESGUY
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