A University Degree for Sales Managers?

I often ask of the sales managers I meet what 'Sales Management course' they completed at university.

The answer is always "What?" or "Ummmmmmmm, the boss taught me. He was a gun!"

It's a loaded question of course, and a little bit mischievous I admit, however it raises a great point or two.

Sales Orientation

So many sales managers progress from high performing sales into sales management which in many cases, produce poor results. It's not because they are inept, the orientation is all wrong. You have to be independent and focused to be in sales, just ask a sales man!

In sales management you have to be 'them and us' focused. It's no longer about you but about the collaborative result, the team effectiveness and your ability to coach.

The Foundations of Sales Leadership

In the absence of a proper science the sales scientists at Banjar have agreed on 7 core principles sales managers must get right!

• Recruiting – Recruit the right attitudes, behaviors and then skills for selling
• Sales strategy – Build a simple sales strategy
• Coaching and mentoring – Be prepared to jump in the car monthly to coach
• Strategic direction – Continuously develop the sales direction in front of the team
• Negotiation – Negotiate with the team to make sure they get it
• Managing – Manage the teams effectiveness, reports and performance
• Leadership – Your role as a sales manager does not automatically make you a leader, it simply makes you the boss. Leadership differs in that it's not about bossing people around it's behaving in a way that makes sales people follow you no matter what.

We'd love to know if you are practicing some, many or none of these principles and what success or downfalls you've encountered. Which ones work the best to bring about change and which are the hardest to manage?

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Customer Service Online

There has been plenty of talk recently, and in some cases tears, about online business taking custom away from the retail store. But here's something to consider. How long will the party last if these online retailers fail to deliver on customer service?

If like many, you are an online purchaser, chances are the customer service experience has been either poor or non existent. There are notable exceptions, but they are rare.

The big danger nowadays is that the ticked off shopper can instantaneously tell hundreds, sometimes thousands, of their online friends an inflamed account of their experience, worsened by the fact that it is near impossible to have it disappear.

The flip side is to make the customer experience exceptional. It's the simple things that make a difference so start there. Here are some suggestions.

Address concerns and complaints with personal phone calls and people who can speak firsthand about orders. Don't put people on hold 'forever', it's incredibly annoying. And don't transfer them around departments, get them to the right person sooner. Keep customers up-to-date with their orders and address them by name with all correspondence. Make sure your contact details are current, easily located, and that there are people on the other end who are available to help.

Good customer service does not need to cost the earth but it can pay you back ten fold in more ways than one.

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12 Days and Still Smiling!

A few weeks ago in WA, I ventured into the heart of Northbridge to find somewhere to eat. Lots of options but not much that raised my interest until I stumbled on Aisuru Sushi.

With it's bright new interior and clearly definable prescence on the corner of James Street, I sensed something special and I was not disappointed.

As I opened the door, staff members looked and smiled at me, the customer entering their domain. "Welcome," the chef smiled from behind the counter. 

I sat down and was immediately greeted by a cheerful waitress who said "Thank you for joining us and welcome to Aisuru." She explained the menu and left me to read on. As I sat I was also welcomed by a clean-cut almost lawyer-like young man who clearly had some involvement in the restaurant.

I choose my meal and had it reviewed on a iPad right in front of me, pictures and all!

After one of the best Japanese meals I have ever had, I got up to pay. At the cash register of this beautiful establishment I was once again greeted by my professional host.

"How was your meal?" he asked. "Exceptional," I said. It was here the real story unfolded.

Ken Wong, the son of a Hong Kong restaurant family is a trained and qualified lawyer and up until 12 months ago was practicing in Perth. He decided one day to leave his life as a lawyer behind, and peruse his passion and heritage for fine dining. His first restaurant had been open only 12 days and I have no doubt it will be a roaring success.

After a great chat I thanked all the staff who wished me all the best and a big please come back smile.

What we can learn from Ken's journey so far?

What ever you're doing now, if you are not a 100% passionate and committed to it get out and find the passion. The most successful people in the world have one common thread, unwavering passion for what they do.

Smiles work! Get your people happy, engaging and smiling. Hire smile attitudes not sad ones.

Despite all the wonderful fit out, the incredible food and the position, it will be the attitude of Ken and his staff over time that will mean long term success and awards.

Well done Ken you are a sales cat and a star!

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Customer service excellence, a muffin and a sticky note works!

In early March I travelled around Australia delivering the 'AVBA On The Move seminar series—Selling Is Not A Dirty Word' program.

Throughout the journey I made some interesting observations.

While in Northbridge, Western Australia, I stayed in a hotel which demonstrated how easily you can go from Hero to Zero in customer service.

Upon checkout, and after settling my account, I was informed there was a bar charge for three local beers that night. $27 – I was shocked! Not because of the price, I could buy a slab of imported beer for the same amount, or because of the sign at reception advertising 'Take a 6-Pack to Your Room for $20.' No, I was unimpressed at the sour face and angry defense at my query on the price. I reluctantly paid and told them they should remove the confusing advertising sign.

Raving Fan scale down to minus 2 on this hotel.

Composing myself we began the seminar at the same hotel. During the morning break I collected myself a cup of tea and a muffin which, unfortunately, I had not had time to touch.

As we broke for lunch the staff began refreshing the room. I commented to one as he took the muffin away that I am sorry I did not get to eat it as the session had been so busy. He asked me "Can I get you a fresh one?" "No, no," I said "It's OK."

Upon returning from lunch, there on my table was a cling wrapped muffin and a sticky note which read "Enjoy" and a smily face. Ahhhh... my faith in exceptional customer service in Australia was reignited.

Raving Fan scale now a high 8.

Was that simple act in the induction manual? No. Was that random act of kindness discussed in the staff meeting? No.

It was a choice of attitude in a human being to do better and go beyond text book process and basic service.

No matter what you build, how well you paint it, how far you promote it, your strategic advantage will always come down to how well your people smile, engage, go over and beyond on the little things that matter, like a muffin and a sticky note.

Well done Andrew at All Seasons Northbridge.

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A Simple Tip on How to Increase Sales

Sales Managers have a tough job. Grow sales by improving sales effectiveness of the sales team – the sales behaviors.

They must keep all those they report to happy, as well as coach the team, drive tactical and strategic sales, motivate, smack and hug. If we compare it to a set of golf clubs, a sales manager must use nearly all his leadership clubs daily! Some days a driver, and other days a six iron with a soft hands chip and run. They need to be flexible, multiple club players to win at sales management golf.

Amongst all the busyness there is one activity which must be completed weekly. Building sales behaviors in your sales team is key to high performing sales. 

How do you change sales behaviours?

Once you have identified the key sales competencies needed in the role of sales, audit your team against them. The simplest method is to use a scale from 1-10. Score them from a sales manager's point of view and also allow them self assess. Come together monthly and compare results. Focus on the weaker competencies and develop coaching around the main 4–5 behaviors that require change. Coach over the following 30 days to increase the effectiveness of those behaviors.

Let's say, for example, the competency is 'good planning.'  If a member of your sales team is unorganized, a little overwhelmed and/or complaining of time management issues then coach the behaviors of goal setting, priority management and one page planning over the next 30 days. Over time the results will reflect with better sales.

Armed with a set of 4–5 sales behaviors to coach every month, ad-hoc support will become a thing of the past and a disciplined approach to increase great sales behaviors in your team will result.

This is how great sales managers coach their team to become sales champions.

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The Quiet Sales Cat – Are they Really Selling?

During the production of our book Sales Cats much discussion was had about the behaviours of those Sales Cats—top gun sales people.

Most people's perceptions are that all sales people are gregarious, loud and ego driven. In some cases, elements of this is true. There is no doubt that self confidence, high energy and resilience rank highly in top performing sales people. So what about the quiet ones?

Today I was building a sales strategy with a CEO of a wonderful small business in Perth when we started to discuss one of his high performers. "He has all the attributes you describe in a Sales Cat and a lot of the competencies you outlined in the Banjar competency model" he commented, "but he is unusually quiet and often says, "I'm not really selling."

"What?" I said, "Not really selling! How could that be?"

The facts are this guy is so comfortable in his particular selling environment he has become the ultimate stealth bomber Sales Cat. He knows his product well, he is experienced in the particular trade he sells into and most of all he clearly understands how his product solves problems and helps the customer see this. He is a true business person who sells!

The tip here is this. Recruit sales people who know their product or service well, however make sure you recruit and coach people that are intimate with the application of their product or service in it's business environment. What problem does it solve? How will it add value to the clients business so they get better? Teach your current Sales Cats about the industry they sell into. If it's retail get a retail person to describe the language, issues and gaps to success in retail.

These quiet sales stars will grow raving fans in your customer base and no competitor will hear it coming.

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The Sales Funnel (or Sales Pipeline) Part 2

A sales funnel is for sales. CRM is for managing the data about customer relations.

A commonly cited definition of CRM is that of CRM (UK) Ltd (2002), as follows:

Customer Relationship Management is the establishment, development, maintenance and optimisation of long-term mutually valuable relationships between consumers and organisations.

Let's unpack this definition.

The key to the definition is long-term mutually valuable relationship. This is based upon a definition of marketing that considers marketing as a mutually satisfying system of exchanges (for example Baker 2002).

So CRM is the building and maintenance of long-term customer relationships. The relationship delivers value to customer, and profits to companies. The relationship is supported (but not driven) by cutting edge IT. 

The business strategy is based upon the recruitment, retention and extension of products, services, solutions or experiences to customers. This is the core of CRM.

CRM is not an indicator of sales effectiveness or sales process unless the system you use directly and accurately reflects the organisations ACTUAL sales process. CRM is not sales pipeline! 

Now, get your sales process right, build an authentic sales funnel/pipeline and then coach it. Simple. 

Once that is done investigate and implement an accurate CRM strategy with a company who has a track record in developing and implementing CRM as their core business.

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