The Improvement of Sullivan Window Companys Productivity and Sales Through Coaching Sessions

Coaching Session

Sullivan Window Company sells and installs windows throughout the United States. The sales office is located in New York, NY is planning to improve the productivity of their sales force. One of the inside sales representatives Lauren Smith is lagging behind the department average of selling new products at 5.8 minutes over the phone. She has improved her phone calls by reducing her average from 8.5 to 7.2 minutes however; there is still room for improvement. A coaching session will take place which will consist of training to help improve Smith’s selling strategies.

To reduce Smith’s length of phone calls and improve her overall strategy for selling new products, she will be assigned as a mentor to act in a 6 day coaching session. The mentor will be one of the top-leading sales representatives for Sullivan. The coaching session will provide Smith with the necessary education, strategy, and experience to reduce her length of phone calls and improve her overall sales strategy.

Action Plan

Organizations must constantly adapt to change to keep up to speed with competitors. Sales managers must ensure their sales team is prepared to work in the selling environment by providing training. For example, Micros Systems, INC provides a three-part course over six days which includes covering the marketplace, introducing the product, and training a basic selling approach. Once the rep has finished the course, they collaborate with their manager to create a customized selling strategy (Cron and DeCarlo, 2009). Sullivan Window Company can use a similar approach to train new and existing employees.

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For instance, Smith can be put through a six-day course to improve her own strategies. Smith will learn how to properly and effectively engage with the customer, be concise, and close the sale of new products. She will also be given the opportunity at the end of the course to improve her own strategies with hands-on training.

Training

To improve Smith’s phone call productivity, a training session will take place to reduce her average phone call to the team’s average of 5.8 minutes. Evidence shows that salespeople can improve and develop their own selling skills by observing their coworkers. For example, according to Wash, (2014), “They are hardwired to observe what peers do, seek out insights and best practices, and apply – and even share (in our experience, the selfish salesperson’ who doesn’t share insights and tips is a bit of a myth – modern sales teams win together and encourage collaboration)” (p.11. The first step for Smith is to be assigned to train with the leading sales representative for six days. The sales representative will train smith how to be concise yet engaging over the phone in order to reduce her overall call duration. Smith will practice new techniques to keep her conversations concise and effective.

Coaching

Providing training for Smith will show long-term results. Smith can train by observing her mentor, listening, and hands-on practice. Smith will be able to embrace the top sales reps strategies are and effectively close new product sales in a timely matter. Once Smith is aware of what strategies her colleagues are successful with, she can apply them to her own methods. Through training and coaching sessions, Smith will be up to speed with the rest of the team. For instance, Walsh (2014) suggests several strategies for training sessions such as, “Capture best habits and techniques of your top performers. Build out the day/week in the life of your best people.

Curate videos of them pitching to show it in action. Make it a part of what you expect from your winners” (p.11). In addition to hands-on training, Smith will also watch videos of successful sales-calls with the sales manager. Smith will take notice on differences between her current strategies and her co-workers. By observing what the team is doing, Smith can modify her strategy to reduce her time on each phone call. She will be able to prioritize leads, follow through, and close sales in a timely matter. Benefits of coaching. Coaching is a long-term investment for managers to develop and grow with strong sales fore. If a sales manager neglects to coach a sales-rep that has potential to succeed than they are denying their talent (Edinger, 2015). Since Smith is a passionate employee with potential talent, she will benefit from the coaching session tremendously. In result of the six-day training session, Smith will be able to push the sales of new products, reduce her phone duration to the company average of 5.8 minutes, and be motivated to excel in the field. The coaching session will benefit the entire company because Smith will be able to save time and increase profits.

Conclusion

Sullivan Window Company can improve the productivity and effectiveness of their sales team through coaching sessions. Smith will be the first sales representative to be provided with the necessary education, information, and experience to reduce her length of phone calls and improve her overall sales strategy. In result of the coaching session, Smith will no longer lag behind the company’s average phone call and will have new techniques to sell new products.

References

1. Cron, W. L., & DeCarlo, T. E. (2009). Dalrymple’s sales management: Concepts and cases. (10th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.