Have you ever heard of the expression, “Not enough chiefs and too many Indians?” Do you need more leaders? Are your sales people in need of leadership with CRM training, but as a manager you just do not have the time to give them the proper training? Well, spending the time with Customer Relationship Management is worth the investment.
Tiger Woods, Brett Favre, Christine Aguilera. What do these 3 have in common? They all have a coach, and I may add, a GOOD one! It is true that our staff is only as good as the person leading them. Thus, the reason that our employees are worth investing time into because in the end it will reap dividends with CRM .
In most cases, great coaches are made, not born. The qualities that make a great salesperson aren’t the same qualities that make a great coach. Yet most people promoted to management are given no training on how to be a good coach or Customer Relationship Management . Managers don't know how to coach, boost other performance influences, such as incentives, recognition, or training. While these should be part of a complete CRM management system, they are not a substitute for coaching. In fact, in the absence of follow up coaching and a CRM tool in place , researchers at Huthwaite, Inc. found that 87% of the skills acquired in formal sales training disappear within 30 days.
Other managers lament that they "can't find the time" to coach, while others make the time, but find their coaching efforts are awkward and poorly received. Want to make coaching work with CRM in your organization? Here's what I've learned:
· Begin with average performers, or those new to sales. Average performers don't present the same challenges as either under-performers or high achievers, so they offer a good opportunity to practice coaching skills with CRM . New representative offer an opportunity to mold a fresh mind and teach them great techniques using Customer Relationship Management .
· Ask salespeople to assess their own performance. When it comes to coaching, questions are essential. Most salespeople know what their strong and weak points are; let them tell you. This process ensures critical buy-in and allows you to build on their self-appraisal.
· Don't pile on many areas for improvement. Resist the temptation to recite a litany of ills and ineffective behaviors. Pick a single need with the greatest potential for payoff, the other smaller challenges can be addressed later.
· End sessions with an action plan, including provisions for follow up and CRM . Without this step, behavior change will be temporary at best. If you are serious about helping people develop their skills and use CRM , coaching needs to be a continuous loop, not a series of random, unconnected events.
Put these practices into action and watch your sales coaching effectiveness with CRM - and your sales - take off!
