Have you noticed a number of your salespeople or wholesale distributors have recently quit? A little bit of turnover is always expected, especially among new hires who are dipping their feet into sales to see if it’s a good fit, but if the numbers are higher than usual, there may be a problem. Here are some of the reasons why your team could be calling it quits:
Compensation changes.
Perhaps one of the most obvious reasons why salespeople would begin to quit is a change in compensation. If you recently implemented a commission cap, reduced base pay, or decreased the commission percentage, this could definitely lead to a high turnover.
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Unrealistic expectations.
If a salesperson believes he is being set up to fail, he could be tempted to leave to find a new job where his efforts will be appreciated. For example, if your company just introduced a new product that is clearly not ready for the market, but you expect your sales team to sell it anyways, this can be very frustrating. Salespeople do not want to lie to their clients by touting the benefits of a product they don’t believe in, so this is an unrealistic expectation. Another example of an unrealistic expectation is setting new goals for the members on your team that are double or triple what they usually are. This is not motivating, it’s showing your team how out of touch with reality you are.
No access to sales tools.
Sales managers need to give salespeople the tools they need to succeed, and when these are not provided, you can expect to see a few people pack up and leave. If your team needs a CRM system to manage information, provide it to them. If clients are asking for marketing materials to learn more about your brand, make sure you have someone on staff who can create these and distribute them to the team. Selling is a team effort, so you need to be able to provide your team with this basic support.
Lack of training.
Salespeople, especially those who are new to the industry, need to be trained to stay competitive. When a new product comes out, the entire department should be trained on its features, benefits and value proposition. But, that’s not the only time training should take place. As a sales manager, it’s your job to set up mentoring programs and group trainings so everyone can learn new tricks and techniques. No matter how many years an employee has been on your sales team, there are always ways to improve. Keep trainings consistent to retain your team.
New sales culture.
If your company has recently changed its sales culture, this could be the reason why so many employees are hitting the road. Have you asked traveling sales employees to come into the office for morning meetings so you can touch base with everyone in person? This may seem like a great teambuilding exercise to you, but to busy salespeople, this is nothing more than a nuisance. If you do implement changes in your sales culture, make sure you actively seek feedback from members on your team to ensure you’re not ruffling the feathers of valued employees.
How do you retain the members of your sales team? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!
5 Reasons Why Your Salespeople Are Quitting
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