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
• • • • • •
Sales Force Audit Performance Testing Observation Salesforce Survey Customer Survey Job analysis
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