Transcript Continual Development of the Sales Force: Sales Training

Continual Development of the
Sales Force: Sales Training
Real World Sales Training
An Expert’s Viewpoint:
Whirlpool developed a sales training program that mirrored
MTV’s The Real World. National training manager Jackie
Seib helped come up with the idea of putting a dozen or so
strangers (new salespeople) in a house full of Whirlpool
appliances. The new hires stay in the home for two
months, using the appliances and working with engineers
to learn how they work. Seib says “We really wanted them
to understand the appliances as a consumer would, so
they can bring real-world stories about the appliances to
the sales floor.”
Action
Real World Sales Training
An Expert’s Viewpoint:
Result
The program’s impact on revenue has yet to be
determined, but it has had a positive effect on
employees. Of the first 40 salespeople to complete the
program, 8 have been promoted—all attributing their
success to the knowledge and confidence they received
as a result of the training. Even though the program
costs a bit more than the two-week classroom version,
Whirlpool believes that the investment is worth it.
Role of Sales Training in
Sales Force Socialization
Sales training helps socialize the new hires,
providing them with a positive:
• Initiation to Task — The degree to which a sales
trainee feels competent and accepted as a working
partner
• Role Definition — An understanding of what
tasks are to be performed, what the priorities of the
tasks are, and how time should be allocated among
the tasks.
Sales Training as a Crucial Investment
• Most organizations see a link between
sales training and salesperson
productivity
• U.S. companies spend approximately
$8.7 billion annually on training
• The need for sales training is continual
• Sales managers play a crucial role in the
training process
Managing the Sales Training Process
Assess Sales Training Needs
Set Training Objectives
Evaluate Training Alternatives
Design Sales Training Program
Perform Sales Training
Conduct Follow-Up and Evaluation
Assess Training Needs
• Determine desired skill set and levels of
performance
• Assess salesperson’s actual skill set and
levels of performance
• Analyze gap between desired and actual
to determine training needs
Assess Training Needs: Methods
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Sales Force Audit
Performance Testing
Observation
Salesforce Survey
Customer Survey
Job analysis
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