I see a lot of sales technology -- around 100 platforms a year between cold calls, demos and expos. I have also purchased and implemented or piloted a good amount of it as well. All this exposure to all this tech -- especially buying it -- has led me to one very import conclusion that I feel you need to confirm before considering any sort of sales tech investment. That conclusion is simple: Can your sellers sell?
This may seem counterintuitive, but hear me out. Most platforms will make a claim to solve a few problems your sellers have: reduce wasted time, contact more people, dial faster, etc. But all of this is for nothing if your sellers don't have the necessary skills to articulate challenges and value. Think about it this way: A Tesla is more fuel efficient than, say, a '69 Mustang. But if you don’t know how to drive, both are ineffective. All the sales technologies in the world cannot fix a terrible sales call (except a time machine, I suppose). You have to know that your sellers can handle objections, bypass gatekeepers and can listen and articulate value.
Now ask yourself: "Can my sellers sell?" I am sure the answer is yes. But this is a chance to verify your assumptions. How can you do it? Here are two ways to easily assess your sellers and see whether technology or more training is where you need to spend your money.
Option No. 1: Monitor
If you have call monitoring or recording software, start here. Now you can spot-check calls, and you may get lucky with a random call you listen to, but it is not the ideal approach. What I recommend is to locate as many if not all calls between your seller and a prospect/customer. This gives you more context. A single call in a series of 5-6 calls will not give you the proper context, history, flow, rapport, etc. By listening to as many interactions between your seller and the customer, you can get the full picture. This goes much deeper than “Can they sell?”. With any luck, your seller will exhibit listening skills, articulation, business acumen, empathy, you name it.
By listening to your seller’s entire series of calls, you will have a better, more robust understanding of whether they possess the well-rounded skills needed to sell that only skills -- not technology -- can duplicate or replace.
If you have the resources, then take this one step further. Implement a quality assurance program around sales calls. This isn’t a call center QA process that you may be thinking of. Rather, build a scorecard around ensuring that selling is actually happening. Target key behaviors you wish to see on a call, like if the seller identified the customer’s challenges or if they set a definitive followup. If this is an option, I’m confident that with adequate and timely coaching, you will see upskilling across your sales organization in a very short amount of time.
Option No. 2: Listen In
If you do not have access to the necessary technology, you can stage sales calls with fake prospects. Depending on the size of your organization, this can be difficult, especially in small ones where everyone knows everyone. But if it’s large enough, or if the seller is new, you should be able to pull this off. Worst case scenario: You can always inform sellers they will be doing mock calls.
Simply talk to a member of your organization who works in a department you would typically sell to. Ask them to accept a sales call from a seller. Prepare a script or key talking points for them. You can even go as far as having them submit an online inquiry or expression of interest -- whatever drives the authenticity of the experience.
Once the seller can secure a date for a call, be around to listen in. Now, it may become apparent early that this is an inside call, or there is no buying desire from the “prospect,” but your seller should be able to demonstrate enough skill to make you confident while they uncover the truth. This may seem like a silly exercise, but in the absence of resources, it is necessary. Gaining the confidence that your sellers can, in fact, do what you hired them to do makes investing decisions easier.
It’s tempting to believe a piece of technology can solve your sales problems or even better increase revenue. But ignoring the underlying skills needed to effectively sell is setting yourself up for failure. Before you make any significant investment, assess your team. If not through monitoring then through other means, but be sure to do it thoroughly. It may be a wakeup call, but a welcome one -- one that can save you time and money and ensure you focus on what your sellers may really need in the first place: skills.
