"Help! My WFH Salespeople are Becoming Unfocused" - 05/20/20 Edition
Stephen Says Column




Dear Stephen,

I live and work in New York City, and I'm a regional sales manager heading a team of six outside salespeople who call on architects, designers, dealers, and end-users in the NY Metro/tri-state area.

My team lives in apartments in the five boroughs or houses in the suburbs, so the pandemic tragedy has hit us first and "up close and personal." We are not scheduled to open our NYC office/showroom again at least until June 15th - maybe later so everyone, including sales and support staff, is working from home.

None of them have ever really worked from home before, and they don't seem to like to and do not seem emotionally or intellectually equipped to learn to work this way. Our factories are considered essential suppliers and have never completely stopped production.

Here is the problem. My sales team has been living off of residual business they developed over the past three years, so their incentive-based compensation has been consistent so far, but they're not growing NEW business.

We have lots of corporations moving in the NY tri-state area, and we have had lots of projects in the pipeline. Human beings are social creatures, and very few companies we deal with want their employees working from home forever. With all this going on, my salespeople have not jumped into the action. How do I explain to them that just because they are not in the office does not mean they are on vacation. I hear or see so little activity from them, yet I know the business is out there because our dealers are doing a good job finding new specifications. My salespeople? Not so good.

It's occurred to me that some of them have turned the pandemic into a big snow day. Basically they do very little work - they will answer an inquiry but very little beyond that in terms of new creative ways to sell. Look, I know it's a different business model for them, but in times like this, we all have to step up and do things differently and figure out how to get the job done. I have not had to reduce any salaries so far, but I can see that possibility coming. Maybe that will shock the salespeople into changing behavior in this new selling environment.

My team is usually very engaged with customers, calling on them in person, but they are having such a hard time in this new virtual environment. My company has undoubtedly given them every tool, and I have tried everything I can to help, but at this point, I'm tempted to say, "you really can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Signed,

My Employees Think It's a Snow Day!
 

Dear Snow Day:

There are different reasons why your salespeople may be putting in fewer hours or why they are less productive during the pandemic while working at home. Don't think of it as an "old dog" problem because age is not the issue, and I would disagree with you. The idea they cannot function from their home has nothing to do with their age. Start by asking the team directly, one by one, why they are making fewer "virtual" sales calls. They need to know that this is what you expect of them.

Since they cannot meet clients in person then meet by Zoom or Skype or Web-Ex. Are they overwhelmed by the technology? Ask your sales team their daily routine and schedule regular online meetings with them. Schedule the sessions early in the day like you would a sales meeting and prepare an agenda. Be sure their CRM reports are up to date. Ask detailed questions about projects you know are out there.

Most people I talk to hate working from home. People want to get back to work. The office, the showroom, the factory and many people say they get distracted and depressed working from home. So they become less productive. It sounds like you have those people working for you. If your teams is working 25% less then you should pay them 25% less. Start there.

One of the largest manufactures in our industry, whose fiscal year ends soon, just announced hundreds of permanent layoffs. A senior VP at the company told me they were "right-sizing," and the only salespeople they let go were ones not producing business at the same level as their colleagues.

This pandemic has given companies an excuse to let go of the lowest productive employees, young and old. I rarely see it as an age or salary issue, as the person let go may tell you, but just a productivity issue.

When was the last time you saw a great employee offered "a package" to leave? Give your employees fair warning about meeting sales quotas and explain to them how you expect them to improve themselves and provide guidance. They need to adjust to the new normal. Face it; they may have children at home that distract them, not to mention partners, and husbands and wives.

It is harder then you seem to think to motivate yourself to work from home, especially in a small apartment in NYC. If they do not improve, then you have some adjustments to make.

It is not just the big companies that should be using the pandemic to fine-tune unproductive workers. Big or small: Keep the productive workers and remove the ones who are not productive and not putting in the extra effort to support your business during these tough times.

Now is the time your employees should be putting in the extra effort to make new sales happens, not thinking it is time to play in the snow as you might on a snow day!

Signed,

Stephen
 

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Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group,
global executive recruiters located in New York.
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