What do we want from sales managers, anyways?
May 1, 2005

I spend a lot of time working with companies who are trying to improve sales performance. Not surprisingly, the sales area seems to get a lot of attention when company profits are down.

The "poster child" that seems to get a lot of attention when "sales" is being scrutinized is, of course, the sales manager. Get her more to be more effective, and sales and profits must improve. Here are some examples of some senior management/owner initial assumptions I've heard that are perceived as fixes to drive sales management effectiveness:

• "Get the sales manager to spend more time getting his own accounts"
• "Get the sales manager off his butt and on the street, working with the reps"
• "Get the sales manager to plan his time more effectively"
• "Get the sales manager to get our commission plan working for us, not just for the reps"
• "Get the sales manager to get rid of our dead weight"
• "Get the sales manager to get his reps to get out of the office and in front of customers"
• "Get the sales manager to get the reps out of their comfort zone and sell more to their existing accounts"
• "Get the sales manager to get more doors opened. We need more new accounts"

... You get the picture, I'm sure.

When I hear these comments, I have to be careful. You know why? Because, having been a sales manager, I know that well-intentioned senior managers have a tendency to think that the sales manager doesn't know about these options. And, being that I get paid as a "consultant," I have to be careful not to say what I am thinking.

What am I thinking? I am thinking that senior management can't expect its sales managers to improve productivity, sales and profits very much until it is clear about what it wants from the sales manager. Then, once it decides what it wants, (also known as performance expectations), senior managers can determine the correct behaviors that are needed from their sales manager to ensure these expectations are met.

Let's focus on the "wants" we might have of the sales manager. If we can determine these expectations and be committed to them, then it is a relatively fluid process determining measurable behaviors that support them, as well as the characteristics and experience we need to look for when hiring the sales manager in the first place.

Here are some sales manager "wants" to consider:

• Develop a close working relationship with each assigned salesperson in which the salesperson is considered by the manager to be his customer
• Ensure that each salesperson has a clearly understood and agreed upon sales and profit forecast to which he, (and the sales manager), is accountable
• Ensure that the sales manager works closely with marketing, (which he may also be), in identifying the accounts that must be called upon by the best prepared and motivated salesperson
• Ensure that sales territories generate profitable results driven through meeting or exceeding account management activities and targets including inventory management, accounts receivable management, order entry accuracy, order entry size, and other "profit drivers"
• Work collaboratively, as a "coach," in helping each salesperson properly plan, implement and receive feedback on accounts and initiatives important to the company's and the sales representative's growth
• Develop and maintain control over an approved annual expense budget for the sales area that is designed to enable sales representatives to meet or exceed their forecast
• Develop and maintain an awareness, and where appropriate, a working relationship with the each of the company's "top 80%" most profitable accounts and prospects
• Serve as a "facilitator" to manage and solve working problems that the sales team may experience, causing disruptive and poor service with one or more customers

There are obviously many other "wants," or expectations that senior management may have of its sales managers. Do you or your company have a clear list of "wants" in place that your sales manager understands and is measured by? If not, I suggest that you determine what you expect from your sales manager, and then determine the behaviors you expect that will demonstrate he is meeting these "wants".

Otherwise, by making quick changes based on some of the many assumptions I have heard from well-intentioned managers, trying to "fix" profits by addressing the sales manager and sales area, you will fall into the insanity trap. That is, doing things the same way multiple times and expecting different results!

We will review a list of "behaviors" that support possible sales management wants and expectations you may choose in our next SAPI newsletter.

You can contact Jeff Grover, President of The Grover Group LLC, at one of the following locations:

Office: (440)247-3330
Email: j.grover@grovergroupllc.com