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General
Managers
are being asked more and more often to assume responsibility for management of
the sales staff. It is a job for which they have received little training and
for which they have a number of challenges.
Five years ago, when demand was high and the
sales function was relegated to answering the phone and taking the order, it was
relatively easy for General Managers to keep an eye on things in the sales
department. Unemployment was at historic lows and in order to keep positions
filled, we were reluctant to expect too much or discipline an under performing
employee. There was a tendency to keep the chair warm rather than let a position
go unfilled.
Times have changed both in terms of demand
and the employment pool but often the attitudes of management have not. Sales
people represent a distinct management challenge. The good ones are bright,
aggressive, able to sell their managers as well as their clients but they are
also very human.
They, like most other employees, will take
the path of least resistance. They need to have expectations made clear and have
objective standards of performance by which they are evaluated. The fact of the
matter is that no one does what no one checks!
Sales people (like everyone else) do not
perceive the importance of job duties that are not monitored by their
supervisors. In addition, there has to be the WIIFM factor, "what's in it for
me." If an employee, sales or not, is going to take home the same paycheck
whether or not they achieve their goals, why would they do more that the minimum
requirements?
GMs have a particular challenge in that
they work long hours and very closely with their sales staffs, especially the
DOS. It is difficult to maintain an objective and professional distance that
allows for the kind of management that gets results. We all have a human need to
be liked -- leadership is about respect.
There are a few simple steps you can take
to make your monitoring of the sales effort more effective. They may also make
the sales effort more effective.
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Refrain
from Cronyism
Simply put, this means do not get
too close to your DOS or any member of the sales department. (You wouldn't
promise your ability to lead the other department heads by too much
socializing -- or would you?) It is difficult with a DOS who has worked for you
for a long time. It is also difficult with the long hours required working in
close quarters in this industry. There has to be a line of familiarity that you
don't cross. It negates your ability to lead and manage effectively. You know
when you have crossed the line. Weekly golf games are probably too much as is
frequent social sharing of coffee or drinks. I know a GM whose VP of Sales, the
VP of Ops and TWO consultants indicated that the problem with the turnover and
lack of effectiveness of the sales department was the DOS. He still didn't
listen. When this particular DOS took another DOS position with another hotel
within the company, he lasted less than two months. The GM had worked with this
DOS for several years, they played golf once a week and he frequently had the
DOS and spouse for dinner at his house. It totally blinded him to the person's
deficiencies in job performance and the DOS took complete advantage of the
situation. |
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Have regular
sales meetings with a fixed agenda. It should occur at least
once a month, preferably once a week at a time when it does not interfere with
Prime Selling Hours. (You do know what those are, don't you?) This provides a
structured environment in which you can ask the "tough" questions without
sounding picky and irrational. I have had GMs say to me "but we talk to each
other several times a day -- I know what's going on." To a sales person, if you
just casually ask a question about an account or ask for numbers, they are
likely to feel that you are just in a bad mood and it will pass. In a more
structured environment, you can ask specific questions about accounts mentioned
on reports, question the content of numbers on the PACE report, etc. There is an
old story, perhaps apocryphal, that Kurt Carlson, the founder of Carlson
companies, used to ask his Division Heads to bring their financials on
overheads. He would project pages on a screen and point to one specific number
line item on the page. He would then ask what was in this cumulative number. He
figured if a Division Head could specifically outline what this represented,
they knew and could do the same on any line item in the reports. |
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Take
a course in sales.
If you
e from another discipline in the industry, learn about basic sales. Read a
book, take a course -- take a course in sales not related to the industry. Many
of the best hotel sales people I know e from outside the industry where they
were on a mission basis at one time or another. Remember when I said if a
sales person (or any other member of the staff for that matter) draws the same
paycheck whether or not achieve call and or revenue goals -- why would they do
more than necessary to achieve their goals. (A great argument for incentives for
all departments but that is another newsletter.) There are many fine resources
for hotel sales available especially now when that function has be e so
challenging. We hope this newsletter is one of those. Sales people who have
worked on mission "get it." |
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Set realistic goals and involve them in the process.
Goal setting should be an objective process. When you let them know what they
need to produce and why, then involve them in figuring out how they are going to
get there, they understand and ideally buy into the plan. If they don't buy in
they will begin to float their resume. I have had sales people whine to me about
unrealistic goals. I have been in that position myself. We all have choices --
if they feel it is unattainable, they can exercise their choice to walk. If they
are really good sales people who feel that unrealistic goals have been foisted
upon them, they will do exactly that. You need to let them know that if you feel
the goals set by the corporate office are unattainable, you will go to bat for
realistic goals given the market circumstance. You have been around the block
enough times to know the difference between a challenge and the unattainable.
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Be supportive but expect results!
Your head is on the line here too! If your
sales staff is making a ton of calls but producing few results, it could be a
skills problem. Offer them some training. When a reasonable amount of time and
training effort has passed, don't be afraid to make the tough decision. The fact
of the matter is they are uncomfortable at their non-performance and may be
happier and more satisfied in another position. As a relatively new DOS, I had a
GM who I admired and respected indicate to me that I had to deal with a
non-performing sales manager. I argued, I whined until he said, "Carol, one of
you is going -- it's your choice." Message received. |
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I
could continue but that is a whole seminar.
The message is don't expect to be loved by every member of your staff every day
– settle for respect on good days!
Carol
Verret is President of Carol Verret Consulting and Training, a company offering
consulting and training seminars to the hospitality industry in the areas of
sales and marketing and customer service. The company's newest product,
The Training Byte Series, offers short, real
time webcasts on a variety of sales training issues. Visit
www.carolverret.com or email her at
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