Sales managers are usually promoted into their positions because they were good individual performers. They were consistent performers in their work and they showed an interest in advancing their careers by earning their promotion into management. They were offered their sales manager position because senior management felt they were competent. But have they been trained on how to “coach and counsel” their people to be as successful as they were? Here are a seven tips for coaching success:
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The New Role of Inside Sales Professionals
Simple order taking doesn’t cut it anymore
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Your customer’s expectations from your customer service department is greater than ever. It’s no longer adequate to simply “be there” when a customer is ready to order. These days, customers expect you to know their business and anticipate their needs. And with instant access to your competitor’s offerings, your prior relationship with your customer is constantly being put to the test.
To add to the mix, your inside sales team plays a more important role as the cost of getting face-to-face with customers from outside sales teams spirals in cost.
When planning how you’re going to confront this challenge, the first thing to do is ask, “What do we actually expect our inside sales team to do that they aren’t currently?” Although companies sometimes label the department as “inside sales”, often times, they aren’t expected to drive sales. Rather they really serve a customer service function, facilitating sales where the demand has already been created. There’s nothing wrong with having exceptional customer service people — without them customers would leave quickly — but it’s important to clarify their precise role.
By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning
Your customer’s expectations from your customer service department is greater than ever. It’s no longer adequate to simply “be there” when a customer is ready to order. These days, customers expect you to know their business and anticipate their needs. And with instant access to your competitor’s offerings, your prior relationship with your customer is constantly being put to the test.
To add to the mix, your inside sales team plays a more important role as the cost of getting face-to-face with customers from outside sales teams spirals in cost.
When planning how you’re going to confront this challenge, the first thing to do is ask, “What do we actually expect our inside sales team to do that they aren’t currently?” Although companies sometimes label the department as “inside sales”, often times, they aren’t expected to drive sales. Rather they really serve a customer service function, facilitating sales where the demand has already been created. There’s nothing wrong with having exceptional customer service people — without them customers would leave quickly — but it’s important to clarify their precise role.
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