{"id":2090,"date":"2013-10-05T07:38:16","date_gmt":"2013-10-05T07:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/somametrics.com\/clone\/?p=2090"},"modified":"2020-03-02T23:32:49","modified_gmt":"2020-03-02T23:32:49","slug":"the-care-factor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/somametrics.com\/clone\/the-care-factor\/","title":{"rendered":"Why your SQL’s Get Ignored at the End Every Quarter"},"content":{"rendered":"

During my career and at most of the companies that I have supported, I noticed a strange cycle that occurred at the end of every month and especially at the end of every quarter.\u00a0 At these times, Sales completely ignored the Teleprospectors’ SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads).\u00a0 The worst time was at the end of every quarter when SQLs would not be called until 15 days or longer after they were passed to Sales. My managers and I started to track this cycle which we called the \u201cCare Factor.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

We dubbed it <\/strong>so, because field reps were very interested in (cared about) SQLs during the first weeks of every month and the first month of every quarter. In contrast, they ignored SQLs during the last week of every month and the last month of every quarter.<\/strong> During the last month of the quarter, after the 15th<\/sup> day, the field wouldn\u2019t touch any new SQL until at least for a few days after the quarter ended.\u00a0 This was often as long as two full weeks after the SQL was passed.\u00a0 By then, the SQLs were stale.\u00a0 Stale SQLs require requalification.<\/p>\n

We had a SQL follow-up rule in place for the field.\u00a0 SQLs needed to be contacted within 48 hours; however, there wasn\u2019t one Regional VP of Sales who cared about this rule at the end of the quarter. Our company, like most, suffered from the \u201dhockey stick\u201d factor; a few deals close at the beginning of a quarter while most deals are closed at quarters end (spiking up, like a hockey stick).\u00a0 The \u201chockey stick\u201d factor caused the field to be super busy with trying to pull in revenue.\u00a0 They had no time to review potential opportunities (SQLs).\u00a0 The combination of these two factors, \u201chockey stick\u201d and \u201cCare Factor,\u201d created a vicious cycle that impacted pipeline and revenue growth.<\/p>\n

I developed a solution to the \u201cCare Factor\u201d problem.\u00a0 Each regional sales office should assign one person to review SQLs as they come in.\u00a0 SQLs should go to the sales rep that has the bandwidth to work the deal at the time the lead is passed over.\u00a0 It is far better for your company to be responsive to the needs of your prospects than to let quality SQLs slip away or to stall due to lack of timely follow-up.\u00a0 If you must, create a commission sharing model to keep the peace among your field reps.<\/p>\n

In the end, your company will build quality sales pipeline a lot faster. The Teleprospecting resource will be used efficiently, as time will be spent garnering new SQLs vs. re-qualifying old SQLs.\u00a0 The benefit to your company will be a consistent flow of opportunities to your sales pipeline which will mean more revenue each and every quarter.<\/p>\n

How Does the Care Factor Impact Revenue?<\/h2>\n