Setting Up Task Force Teams for Sales<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nDuring my career, the method that I used to win over hearts and minds of was task force teams. These team members should engage in setting processes, policies, metrics and KPIs for the SDR team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I am asked to re-tool a SDR or Inside Sales organization, I use task force teams to gain trust and energize team members. To do this, I conducted interviews with each team member within the first week \u200cin my role. Then, I created task force teams regarding the specific yet common issues and concerns that I uncovered during these interviews. These issues and concerns have included topics such as Key Performance Indicators (metrics used to manage the team), Commission Rates, Quotas, CRM, Contracts, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I asked that team members join one or more of the task forces to resolve the outstanding issues. I informed them that some executive-level \u200cissues\u2014commissions and quotas\u2014may not resolve exactly as envisioned. My teams knew that once our recommendations were approved, we would be held accountable for achieving our projected numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Process<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nI limited participation to 5-7 members for each of the task force teams. Here is how I managed the task force teams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- I started with a brainstorm session or two which helped us get all ideas on the board for later review<\/li>
- Following the brainstorming session(s), I conducted the ideas review. During this phase, task force teams review and eliminate any idea(s) that are not viable<\/li>
- The team captures and reviews task force recommendations in a PowerPoint deck prior to presenting to the manager (me in this case)<\/li>
- Each Task Force Leader presents the approved recommendations to the entire team. The team understands that they should follow the approved task force recommendations. In most cases, there was a 95%+ agreement rate about the recommendations as outlined by the various task force teams<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Task Force Teams\u2014Case Study<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nOne of the organizations that I turned around was the Inside Sales team for a company that had lost half its clients and hadn’t seen any new business since the recession. The Inside Sales team had not hit their revenue targets in many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the assessment of the organization, I found that no one held the sales team accountable for their metrics. For example, Sales Reps didn\u2019t have quotas. The sales funnel was full of opportunities, but 80% of these were no longer viable deals. There was no sales methodology in place to effectively manage deals through the sales pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, there were no KPIs or metrics in place. Team members made fewer than 10 dials per day. I knew we had to get that number up because this was a phone job and the only opportunity to get more prospects was by calling them. I realized that my Sales Management experience was key in getting this team to achieve their goals and increase revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Turnaround<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWorking with the task force teams, we decided on a sales methodology and types of metrics that the team agreed would help them achieve their newly assigned quotas. Everyone agreed to the minimum metrics and worked towards them as a team. At the end of the first year, revenue had increased by 57%, and revenue from new prospects had increased by 80%<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, I don\u2019t agree with task force recommendations. If their recommendations are way off the mark (from my experience), I work with the team to get their ideas to align with what I know will work. Ultimately, however, the caveat is that if we don\u2019t see improvement within 90-days, we will need to regroup and come up with a better process or set of metrics. This becomes a continuous improvement process in which experimentation is essential. Similarly, Sales Management is not a stagnant process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the manager of a team, you need to be flexible and listen to the suggestions of your employees. Sales Management is about working with your employees and, ideally, empowering task force members to work together to analyze the success of their recommendations. Review task force recommendations and results at the end of each quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increase Productivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThere are many studies about Sales Management and employee involvement in the decision making process. Most research agrees that active participation has positive effects on performance, and thus productivity. For example, C. A. L. Pearson conducted an experiment involving two groups of workers: a group of employees who set goals, and a control group that executed traditional work procedures. The results showed not only that those \u201cwho were engaged in participative goal setting reported [\u2026] greater job satisfaction\u201d, but that \u201cgoal setting and performance were positively related.\u201d [1]<\/a> Similarly, another paper found that \u201cempowered employees largely improve performance by finding innovative ways of correcting errors in service delivery and redesigning work processes.\u201d [2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThese findings are in line with my own experience, and show that if you get the buy-ins from your employees, you will see an increase in performance, productivity, and eventually revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So… what?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nRather than telling the team what to do, I give my teams the ability to determine their destiny. When teams have the opportunity to provide their input on specific aspects of the job, the manager has their \u201cbuy-in,\u201d and team members can work toward the assigned goals. Why wouldn\u2019t they? It\u2019s their plans and ideas and, therefore, their responsibility to make them work. This process has worked for me and has helped my teams greatly improve their performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Employee retention should be at the top of every company\u2019s list. Allow them to give input into how they should do their jobs in order to improve morale and reduce exits<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
I limited participation to 5-7 members for each of the task force teams. Here is how I managed the task force teams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- I started with a brainstorm session or two which helped us get all ideas on the board for later review<\/li>
- Following the brainstorming session(s), I conducted the ideas review. During this phase, task force teams review and eliminate any idea(s) that are not viable<\/li>
- The team captures and reviews task force recommendations in a PowerPoint deck prior to presenting to the manager (me in this case)<\/li>
- Each Task Force Leader presents the approved recommendations to the entire team. The team understands that they should follow the approved task force recommendations. In most cases, there was a 95%+ agreement rate about the recommendations as outlined by the various task force teams<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Task Force Teams\u2014Case Study<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
One of the organizations that I turned around was the Inside Sales team for a company that had lost half its clients and hadn’t seen any new business since the recession. The Inside Sales team had not hit their revenue targets in many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the assessment of the organization, I found that no one held the sales team accountable for their metrics. For example, Sales Reps didn\u2019t have quotas. The sales funnel was full of opportunities, but 80% of these were no longer viable deals. There was no sales methodology in place to effectively manage deals through the sales pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, there were no KPIs or metrics in place. Team members made fewer than 10 dials per day. I knew we had to get that number up because this was a phone job and the only opportunity to get more prospects was by calling them. I realized that my Sales Management experience was key in getting this team to achieve their goals and increase revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Turnaround<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Working with the task force teams, we decided on a sales methodology and types of metrics that the team agreed would help them achieve their newly assigned quotas. Everyone agreed to the minimum metrics and worked towards them as a team. At the end of the first year, revenue had increased by 57%, and revenue from new prospects had increased by 80%<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, I don\u2019t agree with task force recommendations. If their recommendations are way off the mark (from my experience), I work with the team to get their ideas to align with what I know will work. Ultimately, however, the caveat is that if we don\u2019t see improvement within 90-days, we will need to regroup and come up with a better process or set of metrics. This becomes a continuous improvement process in which experimentation is essential. Similarly, Sales Management is not a stagnant process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the manager of a team, you need to be flexible and listen to the suggestions of your employees. Sales Management is about working with your employees and, ideally, empowering task force members to work together to analyze the success of their recommendations. Review task force recommendations and results at the end of each quarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Increase Productivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are many studies about Sales Management and employee involvement in the decision making process. Most research agrees that active participation has positive effects on performance, and thus productivity. For example, C. A. L. Pearson conducted an experiment involving two groups of workers: a group of employees who set goals, and a control group that executed traditional work procedures. The results showed not only that those \u201cwho were engaged in participative goal setting reported [\u2026] greater job satisfaction\u201d, but that \u201cgoal setting and performance were positively related.\u201d [1]<\/a> Similarly, another paper found that \u201cempowered employees largely improve performance by finding innovative ways of correcting errors in service delivery and redesigning work processes.\u201d [2]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
These findings are in line with my own experience, and show that if you get the buy-ins from your employees, you will see an increase in performance, productivity, and eventually revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So… what?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Rather than telling the team what to do, I give my teams the ability to determine their destiny. When teams have the opportunity to provide their input on specific aspects of the job, the manager has their \u201cbuy-in,\u201d and team members can work toward the assigned goals. Why wouldn\u2019t they? It\u2019s their plans and ideas and, therefore, their responsibility to make them work. This process has worked for me and has helped my teams greatly improve their performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Employee retention should be at the top of every company\u2019s list. Allow them to give input into how they should do their jobs in order to improve morale and reduce exits<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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