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Prospecting, Follow-up and Solving "Around" the Problem

Written by: Gary Silverman

Article Overview: Do you solve problems by “solving around the problem?” This is what I mean. Manager “Ken” is frustrated because his sales force isnʼt prospecting because they are relying on the companyʼs expensive advertising budget to drive the traffic. Even though personal prospecting is the least expensive form of advertising and has the highest success rate in closing customers. Because the sales force hasnʼt been trained or managed properly they are “rewarded” by manager “Ken” who increases his ad budget. Kenʼs defense is that he canʼt get his salesmen to prospect. A classic case of the tail wagging the dog.

Prospecting, Follow-up and Solving "Around" the Problem

Ken reacts by establishing a Business Development Center or Call Center to handle incoming phone calls and prospect for business. The business incurs the cost and the ineffective salespeople win and ultimately get even more lazy. Ken also canʼt seem to get his team to contact their prospects or customers after their visit or purchase. As a result, customer satisfaction scores are suffering. When customers are asked whether they have been contacted by their salesperson the answer is “No” and the score is a “0”. Prospects who would have bought have fallen through the cracks as nobody has followed them up, particularly the salesperson. Most prospects expect a call from their salesperson. To solve this problem, Ken once again calls on the Business Development Center to contact prospects to set appointments and call customers to thank them for their business. The department is so busy that it must be expanded and incentives are instituted to reward personnel for Customer survey improvement. Again the salespeople are being rewarded for bad behavior. Ken has solved “around the problem”. The added expense of the Business Development Center falls on the company when their activities should be part of the sales personʼs responsibilities. After all they are being paid a commission. Most customers would prefer to be contacted by their salesperson. They have built a rapport with him/her and they have a better understanding of the nuances of the transaction. Many times the third party contact has to get the salesperson or manager involved to answer questions anyhow. Ken now has to divide his time among more people. Historically the effectiveness of the people in the Business Development Center declines because of the routine nature of the job. Or, this may be because Ken is also managing them. Does Ken work for you? Or are you Ken? It is vital that we have a daily discipline to "work out" the sales muscle or it will turn to fat. We are in a world of texting, e-mail, and voicemail and we are gradually losing our ability to hold a conversation with one another. The regimen of daily prospecting and follow-up will not only strengthen your sales person but it will also strengthen your business. My apologies to all of the "Ken's" out there who do a great job.

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Article Tags: added expense, bad behavior, business development center, call center, customer satisfaction, customer survey, declines, e mail, establishing a business, incoming phone, nature of the job, nuances, phone calls, prospects, routine nature, sales person, salespeople, salesperson, satisfaction scores, voicemail



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