Viewpoints | Working Life/Sales
Consulting the right people Overcoming call reluctance about your office layout Robyn Pearce is a time management expert, helping people turn time challenges into high productivity. Visit www.gettingagrip.com
If your company is relocating or you’re remodelling your premises, I urge you to get input from the people who’ll be working in it, not just the boss, the architect or the interior designer. Nearly every week I hear stories about offices designed with a primary focus on what looks good, not what encourages real efficiency. Maybe there’s something missing in the curriculum for architects and designers? Far too often the people who will work in the new space are only consulted after all the design elements are finalised, if they’re lucky. More often they’re presented with a fait accompli – often it’s only a choice as to where their desk will face, sometimes not even that (especially in big offices). And then, within days of moving, complaints start to surface about inefficiencies. I might be wrong, but it seems few get advice from building efficiency consultants who specialise in helping companies use their office space effectively. They can save you many thousands of dollars and costly mistakes. Here’s a small selection of stories I was told by frustrated workers in different locations around New Zealand. One organisation has just moved most of their staff from all around town into one lovely new building. They reckon having them all in one building will be more efficient. They will certainly spend less time walking between buildings, but as for efficiency, I’m not so sure. The organisation is mostly open plan which, if they had plenty of quiet rooms, might still be okay. However, space is already at a premium and they haven’t yet got everyone moved into the new building. This is already putting a lot more pressure on quiet rooms and the workers already there report people running around with clip boards, counting heads, trying to work out how they can squeeze in 50 or more people into spaces already quite tightly packed with humanity. Heard of battery hens, anyone?
Of course we can make do with whatever the environment allows – I’ve done it myself more than once. And we can work very effectively in very small spaces. Problems arise however, when we have to constantly share with other people in small spaces. Why? Because we all have different space needs and work styles, let alone different roles. Then there’s the new building designed to meet the coveted five star green rating. I’m a big supporter of energy efficiency, but did anyone stop to consider worker efficiency – and eye strain factors. At least some of the staff can’t see to do their work with the lower wattage light bulbs that meet the coveted five star standard; so guess what people are doing if they can reach the light-bulbs? While we’re on lighting, you might like to do some research into the impact of working under fluorescent lighting all day long. Many people get eye strain, others report headaches and there are many other potential issues reported. And if a light is flickering because it’s due for replacement, some people will get really sick, often with dreadful migraines. And one last one for today; a very attractive looking building with a lot of glass is impossible to work in for the staff seated anywhere near the windows. People couldn’t see their screens. At first they put up cardboard near their desks. That didn’t look too good! The firm then installed blinds. Now the workers have to put their lights on to see and can’t tell what the weather is doing, so they feel like they’re in a box. I’m sure all the organisations involved in these stories were trying hard to create beautiful efficient buildings. But in these cases they’ve missed the most useful planning resource – their staff – and it would have cost them virtually nothing to get their input.
Richard Gee is an author, international speaker and trainer of sales people. His websites www.geewiz.co.nz, www.geewiztv.com and www.successful.co.nz contain examples and free strategies for sales marketing and business development
Every sales manager dreads sales people who will not go visit customers or are reluctant via a host of excuses of trying to sell.
Check the call guide or language being used on the phone and the structure of the email - especially the ending offer of action to follow up.
You can add to these “I can’t get appointments” and “I am waiting for his decision”.
Lack of quote follow up
These are all symptoms of an exercise known as ‘call reluctance’ where the salesperson is scared to call and sell because of lack of skill or likely refusal to buy.
This template includes a customer brief, your offer, your benefits and the investment. There must also be a set follow up time and date to contact the customer. The check every day for two weeks, then drive the response to follow up quotes every day at a set time.
Set the standard that emails and phone calls do not count as activities to measure - only They use excuses such as “It’s quicker to send face to face calls count and if emails and emails” and “I have phoned, but he has not phone calls are being counted, then change returned my calls”, or “There is no time left needs to occur. today to drive out there and call”.
It is serious but can be fixed... Personality Examine the sales person personality and check if it is outgoing and likes to meet people or is timid and admin focussed. By going on sales calls with the salesperson you can help overcome this trait, or decide to change roles or help find a new career if the personality does not like meeting new people. The actual cause of this issue was that it was, in fact, a hiring mistake. Skills issue By travelling alongside your rep in calls you can observe the skills used.
Set a standard that all quotes must follow a template.
Sales planning Encourage use of AIDA or SPEND as structures that drive a decision and spend time with your rep face to face selling, to observe the use of a structured conversation plan. If these basic skills are not present, you need to send the rep to training to build these skills as your business depends on it. Call reluctance might seem like a massive hurdle, but it can be easily overcome with the above strategies.
Look for listening technique, questioning technique and their ability to overcome objections.
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If any of these are observed - start training them. Either do it yourself or put them on a seminar / workshop to add skills.
June 19 - Leadership with Results
Knowledge will bring the confidence back and help make a good sales rep.
June 18 - Sales Basics
July 16 - Sales Basics July 17 - Sales Management Aug 13 - Sales Basics Aug 14 Advanced Selling
Telephone or email focus This is time wasting and non productive. You hired for face to face selling skills - not actions that get there by phone calls for appointments and emails.
www.aucklandtoday.net.nz July/August 2013 9