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Identifying gaps in your sales peoples ability
It is inconceivable that any sales manager would attempt to manage their sales department without regularly assessing whether their sales team require support in the form of sales training to improve their performance and working behaviour. Without regular assessment changes in performance that are early indicators of a need to re-train will be missed.
In practice, there are various different methods that can be used, each with different advantages and disadvantages. If you use an assessment system based on indicators such as turnover in pounds or market share, for example, there is the danger that the figures are often influenced by other determinants which your salespeople cannot control. This can then jeopardise the assessment as a whole.
A proper assessment system must be neutral. It should be carried out on a regular basis, so that the assessment is not based on individual snapshots, and it must take into consideration every area in which the salespeople are able to prove their abilities. These areas include product knowledge, work organisation, sales techniques and personality development. Finally, a proper assessment system should only test things that can be measured, counted, observed and described and, whatever system is used, it must be fully understood by every salesperson.
Assessment systems that fulfill the above criteria should also evaluate each individual criteria according to its importance to the company’s success i.e important factors have a greater influence and less important factors are accorded less influence in the overall assessment process.
E. Gnuschke, a sales expert, has developed an approach to testing which meets these requirements. Details of his approach to sales force evaluation to objectively determine sales training needs are described below.
The first step in the process is to set the test criteria. These criteria should be selected so that they are appropriate to your company. A few examples are provided below to give you a starting point for developing your own company-specific test criteria.
Product knowledge: does the salesperson know the construction characteristics, advantages and disadvantages and financial viability of the products they sell? Does the salesperson know the references for most product categories in small, medium-sized and large companies?
Work organisation: Does the salesperson work out a travel itinerary which allows him to visit as many clients in as little time as possible? Does the salesperson have different systems of acquiring new clients?
Sales technique: Does the salesperson lead the sales discussion? Can the salesperson counter client objections?
Personality development: Does the salesperson work on their personal appearance, manner and ability to establish contact? Is the salesperson known for their reliability and honesty?
Having identified the test criteria, the next step is to extend the test check list. To do this you will have to formulate all the criteria you have set down in every area in a way that is appropriate for every salesperson. You also need to incorporate particular ‘emphases’.
For example “I know the advantages and disadvantages of our XY machine uses perfectly (1), almost perfectly (2), more or less (3), half and half (4), in individual cases (5), really not at all (6).”
The test should not put any pressure on your salespeople to give the “right” answer: you need an honest evaluation if the test is to be of use.
In order to evaluate the individual criteria according to their importance to the company’s success, it is best to use a multiplier where, for example, a multiplier of 3 used for very important criteria, 2 for important criteria, and 1 for less important criteria. Thus for a given criteria the total score awarded would be the salespersons assessment of their ability (1 to 6) multiplied by the multiplier (3 to 1).
The next step is to fill in the check list. To do this, you need to get together with each salesperson and work through the questions one by one. The salesperson should assess him/her self and you should discuss their assessment and agree the final score. If you cannot decide on a classification, go with the salesperson’s assessment. After the check list has been completed you should make time to observe the salesperson. By working through the test paper with the salesperson and by observing them and encouraging discussion, you will be able to identify the weak points in the salesperson’s performance and establish the causes of these weaknesses.
Following the test, work out what measures the salesperson can take to counteract these weaknesses and improve their techniques - this may include refresher sales training. You may find it useful to repeat the test at regular intervals.
Carrying out an assessment system like this on your salespeople can only succeed if the salesperson being tested has faith in the test and is not afraid of negative consequences. This means the results of the test must be dealt with using tact and diplomacy. The test should not be used as a means of putting pressure on the salesperson; it should be solely used as a way of increasing the salesperson’s ability and success by identifying any sales training needs.
