In today’s environment, there is a need to have aggressive selling and to have a sales force which is agile, tough and is willing to take up challenges even if they have to face tension. On the other hand, it is better not to have a sales force which is lazy, non-productive and mentally retired and which comes to work only to collect its salary as pension.
It is important to note that, if you do not have a tough, aggressive and open minded sales force you could be having a decline in sales or a stagnation which could lead to severe problem in the company’s fortunes and bottom line. This could further result in competitors going ahead of you and you losing market share.
Thus it is very important that the sales force that you hire and select has a positive attitude has fire in their belly without that you could have a non performing team which only comes to work with a bag full of excuses of why things cannot be done rather than ways in which things can be accomplished. A positive attitude is a major ingredient in a healthy sales force.
You may wonder what to do with a sales force which is presently only taking pension. Well, the two options are to train them or decide to appraise them with appropriate action. There are young members of the sales force who because of their adamant attitude and non-adherence of systems ruin their own careers as well as the company’s fortunes. It is important to counsel them and train them with regular appraisals and development techniques. Not only should they be told what to do and when to do, but also guided on why to do and how to do.
Initially, all positive approaches should be tried to change their mental approach into an aggressive and open minded one. Despite all efforts if there is no change then appropriate steps need to be taken.
There must be an abundance of motivation and moral boosting activities done so that there is a positive atmosphere. However, if this is misunderstood to be a licence to mentally retire and take pension even at a young age then there must be an overhaul done of the sales force.
The sales force is a major force to gain customers and increase sales with high productivity, vide availability, handling objections, converting prospects and implementing full range selling. If this force is lacklustre, is sleepy, or is weak, the company and its brands could suffer. I would strongly recommend to have a sales force which can take tension and not pension.