Evaluation & Mentoring of Individual Sales Persons

Niching companies through Tactical & Strategic Planning, mentoring Ownership & Top Management, & evaluating & assisting the sales forces constitute the bulk of my consulting business. It is what I not only do best, but find the most fulfilling.

However, the marketplace is certainly in a dynamic mode now, and my existing and potential clients seem to have a long standing issue that makes for a new need. It is the individual analysis of, and developing a plan for, the individuals in Sales.

Because of an economy that forces staff reduction to remain profitable, and an extremely competitive marketplace, poor results put more pressure on Sales. And it often tends to single out individual performances.

The quandary for the company is to make sure everyone is performing w/out going on a witch hunt. This is where a neutral third party, often a consultant, can help. Without this objectivity, frustration can creep in, & may be the cause of making potentially large mistakes. I've seen good sales people run off through faulty peer or management pressure, and I've also witnessed non-performers hang around due to distaste for confrontation, or a concern for the person's longevity.

Objectivity, facts and data, must be brought to the process. Interviews need to be conducted without bias. Fellow workers, peers, and even customers (with permission) may be contacted. Performance figures will also be gathered and held up to expectations & benchmarking.

At the same time, it must be discerned if the sales person has everything he or she needs from the company. Training, management support, clear goals, technology, equipment, and a motivational sales remuneration plan come into play here. The wise focus on results, meaning volume, profitability, & customer satisfaction, not politics or even popularity.

The findings are then presented to management in written form with pertinent supporting data. Recommendations are included for moving forward, which can involve everything from promotion and taking full advantage of strengths, to improvement suggestions for weaker areas complete with a mentoring plan, to consideration of a Performance Improvement Plan.

This may seem harsh to some, but these are the realities of accountability, clearly from management to the newest employee.

Hengsbach & Associates