If you do not want your good sales representatives to leave you for your competition, take time to think about your management style. If you commit some of the following mistakes, it's time to change it. Inc.com summarized the 17 biggest mistakes of managing the sales team.
1. You do not inform your sales reps about important changes
Companies often update the portfolios of their products on their websites without informing their sales reps. They then get into hot water with the customers.
2. You offer lower prices on the internet
Consider whether it pays you to offer lower prices on the internet than your sales reps can offer directly when dealing with customers.
3. Your team is too big
Do not hire too many sales rep regarding the volume of sales that is realistic for you.
4. Do not favour the best
Do not pass the best contacts only the best sales reps.
5. You unsufficiently supply sales reps with sample products
If your sales reps are to showcase your products to customers, they must have them available.
6. You invest big money in marketing with no direct connection to the products that your sales reps actually sell.
7. You have unrealistic expectations - for example to sell something that you do not have at the moment.
8. You set high sales targets without setting an achievable sales strategy at the same time.
9. You reward sales reps who set unattainable goals at the expense of those who remain practical.
10. You create incomprehensible reward plans for your sales reps.
11. After hiring a sales rep you considerably reduce its commission.
12. You appropriate accounts of your sales reps which meand no commission for them.
13. You change your target market frequently (every few weeks).
14. You sell undebugged products and let your sals reps at the mercy of disgruntled customers.
15. You release new products without adequate training of sales reps.
16. You release new products without doing market research and leave your sales reps to find the information about competitors themselves.
17. You overload your sales reps with administrative tasks.
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