GAP HR Services - My Sales Force Isn't Performing, What Can I Do About It?

My sales force isn't performing, what can I do about it?

Sales staff are particularly easy to measure performance wise, as the first "black and white" aspect to measure is whether they are actually meeting their financial sales targets. This of course assumes that you have clearly defined what the targets are and that they are attainable. I will go into more detail on how to structure the induction period for a salesperson in another issue. However if you already have a sales force that hasn't been performing, then you need to start by checking that targets are clearly defined and that you can attribute each client to a particular salesman. Then start the performance disciplinary process, which is the same four step system as the disciplinary system but based on performance rather than bad behaviour. If you were looking for a dismissal, you would need to leave about 4 months of the process from the start of the process to dismissal, so that it would be considered fair. Offer training, mentoring, coaching, reassess the sales targets, look at the reasons why targets aren’t being met and what could be adjusted to allow that. But don't let it go on too long - a sales person who isn't meeting targets/making sales and increasing turnover needs to have a really good other reason for existing - and not just that they are related to the owner!