| A recent marketing challenge that really was not | | | | force had the same sales quotas for the last 5 |
| that difficult solicited a lot of excuses and whining | | | | years. Holy Moly! Just imagine how much selling is |
| from those individuals who failed to meet the | | | | not going on because these folks are coasting at |
| challenge. Most of these folks accepted the | | | | the expense of the company. These individuals |
| challenge and then when the deadline loomed, the | | | | are making current goals and that is it, just |
| excuses started flowing. | | | | making it. |
| This reminded me of how some in sales | | | | Within this team is one constant complainer who |
| management continue to make excuses as to the | | | | sees nothing but bleakness. His behaviors are at |
| performance of their teams. Sales research | | | | least subconsciously affecting the other team |
| suggests the following: | | | | members. What he needs is a reality shot, but |
| | | | given the structure of this organization (the |
| 1. 40% to 70% of all targets are not achieved | | | | owner is the manager of the sales force and is a |
| 2. 48% of all sales people never follow-up with a | | | | very nice man), I doubt if that will happen. |
| prospect | | | | Chronic complainers and wimpy whiners are |
| 3. 90% of all salespersons make 3 contacts or | | | | detrimental to every business or organization. |
| less | | | | These folks are especially dangerous when they |
| Between Fact #1 and Fact #3 there is probably a | | | | are selling for the company. They create a |
| mountain full of whining and excuses as to why | | | | negative performance culture than affects |
| these folks dropped the ball. Of course most | | | | everyone they touch from the warehouse to |
| people know is it much easier to explain why | | | | billing to even the receptionist and not let us |
| something was not done instead of just taking | | | | forget the customers. |
| action. | | | | What sales management can do is to take action. |
| For example, I recently spoke to an operations | | | | Make quotas reasonable and include a reasonable |
| manager at a telecommunications company with | | | | percentage increase every year. Monitor the |
| sales in the millions. I listened and learned the | | | | results. Get rid of the chronic complainers even if |
| company had grown around 6% during the | | | | they are meeting their targets because these |
| challenging times of 2009. This was really great | | | | folks are like a cancer quickly spreading and |
| news and I am sure it was to the owner. | | | | infecting the entire organization. |
| However, what I also learned is that the sales | | | | |