| Ask most people in an organisation what they think | | | | large part this is because of the above, but |
| of the salespeople, and the response it likely to be | | | | organisations are also sceptical about the agendas |
| mute and/or confused. The best salespeople are, | | | | salespeople hold in presenting any kind of unbiased |
| after all, a bizarre hybrid between the charming and | | | | analysis. To some degree the scepticism is justified; |
| arrogant, generous and selfish, calm and diplomatic | | | | most of these individuals are, after all, in some way |
| extremely emotional and extremely aggressive. | | | | or another rewarded directly for quantity of delivery. |
| Unfortunately, the organisations which these | | | | But equally, these are the people who are talking to |
| salespeople represent tend to see most of the | | | | the organisation's customers every day. They usually |
| negative traits, in large part perhaps because all the | | | | have a far better grasp of what customers want |
| positive ones are reserved exclusively for clients. | | | | than any marketing survey (a real pet hate of mine) |
| Such unpredictable schizophrenia can alienate more | | | | or even worse, demographic projections chart can |
| sober members of the organisation, and lead many | | | | offer. Even in more complex value chains, the |
| to believe that salespeople are just a necessary evil | | | | salespeople are talking to the suppliers who are |
| in any organisation.This reputation has lead most firms | | | | talking to the end consumers every day: it follows |
| over the past two decades to label their salespeople | | | | logically that they are the ones in the organisation |
| with distinctly neutral titles, such as "Account | | | | who damn well should know the customer better |
| Executive" or "Client Services Representative". | | | | than everyone else.Salespeople usually end up with a |
| Organisations claim that the titles detract from the | | | | broader knowledge of the product/service |
| negative 'sales' image prospective buyers might | | | | specifications in an organisation, too, because of the |
| naturally associate with someone knocking repeatedly | | | | requirement implicit in their job descriptions to know |
| on their door for a deal, but ask any salesperson and | | | | such things. Add these two things together and as a |
| you know this is fallacy. Most salespeople only too | | | | manager you get the best part: your salespeople are |
| readily admit at the first prospective client | | | | nearly always the ones in an organisation that know |
| engagement that "I am the sales guy/girl" or "What | | | | what the customers like about your products and |
| I'm trying to sell you is" ... For a salesman there is no | | | | what your customers don't like about them, what |
| shame in the process of selling, and nor for the | | | | features they derive massive benefit out of, and |
| prospect: we're all interested in being presented with | | | | which ones they don't use at all.What's more, |
| offers, after all.Ask most MD's what they think of | | | | salespeople are, contrary to popular scepticism, |
| their salespeople and the response is likely to vary in | | | | usually only too happy to help out. A salesperson likes |
| accordance with the bottom-line performance of the | | | | nothing more than to be called in to help out with |
| company. This is unfortunate, because what such | | | | something other than bottom-line issues. OK, so |
| uncertainty signals is the inability of organisations to | | | | there are some organisations that use their |
| understand the value of their salespeople and fully | | | | salespeople in applications other than pure |
| utilise them for a whole spectrum of activities. | | | | revenue-generation, but I have yet to see one that |
| Perhaps because people do not naturally empathise | | | | really "gets" the value of these individuals at every |
| with these obscure egomaniacs, in most firms the | | | | stage and process of the firm's strategic analysis. |
| salespeople tend to be left on the fringes of the | | | | What company, for example, pulls the top sales guy |
| organisation, with the clear instruction that their job is | | | | into a meeting on accounting in order to asses |
| to create revenue. This emphasis only makes the | | | | whether a certain cost is really necessary at all or to |
| situation worse, and the salespeople more arrogant | | | | come up with ideas as to what other functionalities |
| and alienated, which in turn leads to further feelings | | | | the cost represents? Maybe R&D departments in |
| of detachment from the rest of the firm. And | | | | organisations work more closely with salespeople |
| ultimately, all this negative sentiment impacts the | | | | these days, but it's still uncommon to see a sales girl |
| all-important bottom-line. (How many sales people | | | | from the front desk attending meetings on product |
| usually end up leaving organisations, burned out or | | | | design and specification and contributing |
| just plain pissed off?) But the smart organisation sees | | | | usefully.Organisations might save fortunes on hiring |
| what motivates its sales people and what added | | | | overpriced consultants just by asking these nomads |
| value they offer the firm.Untapped Knowledge | | | | a few simple questions. They are usually the lonely |
| ResourceThe sales force is perhaps the largest | | | | planet guidebooks to an organisation, because to |
| untapped knowledge resource in an organisation. In | | | | succeed at what they do they have to be. |