Employees Yearn to Learn: TopLine Sales Training Case Study February 19, 2008 Edited by Stacy Straczynski
If your sales team's morale is getting low, perhaps a lack of coaching is to blame. Discover how one telecommunications company turned their low productivity around by improving their managers' training efforts in a case study from TopLine Leadership.
Situation: One telecommunications company surveyed its sales force of 2,500 reps and discovered the team had poor morale overall. And, although the salespeople felt their supervisors "cared about [their] success," reps felt they were not getting the adequate amount of coaching from more-experienced managers. The lack of sufficient training was resulting in low motivation, productivity, and, ultimately, higher turnover.
Solution: The VP of Sales recognized his managers had never been trained on the importance of—and how to create—a coaching culture. He also realized that years had passed since the expectations and requirements of sales management positions had been examined. As such, the lack of clearly defined roles meant managers were acting more like sellers, not guiding and motivating leaders.
Reno, Nev.-based B2B sales training firm TopLine Leadership, Inc. worked out a plan to revamp the company's culture. First, TopLine gathered the company’s regional vice presidents and helped them define the behaviors of their top sales managers into a measurable "Standards for Excellence" tool. Major changes included managers being given more accountability for their team's training and performance, and overall improvements in coaching for employees.
Next, a forum was created to clearly communicate these new expectations to the management team and give them the tools and training needed to fulfill their new coaching roles as active—and accountable—facilitators in the coaching of sales personnel.
Results: TopLine customized a "Leadership Development Program for Sales Managers" over three months. The program resulted in:
• People development was reported as the number one priority for 99% of the client’s sales managers. • 98% reported an improved leadership mindset • 95% had a clear understanding of the company’s managerial expectations
With improved morale and an active coaching culture, turnover dramatically decreased and productivity rose 20% per sales person over the previous year.
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