Coach Erik

From a Friend

The Backbone of Every Company

Sales is the backbone of every company!

Is that statement true or false?

Some people might say it's true. Some might say it's false. But their answer will surely depend on their perspective. Some people in your own company may think that the sales staff is not that important.

I have even heard managers say that the sales staff creates all of the problems in the company - problems that the operations and accounting people need to fix, problems that put the installation department or the delivery department under stress.

Many say, "If it wasn't for the sales staff, this company would run a lot smoother."

Well, if you think the answer is false, then you are absolutely right. The managers are right, too. Sales people do create all of the problems. Have you ever heard someone at the coffee machine say something like, "If Bill, in sales, hadn't signed that contract, then we wouldn't have to deal with those parts on back order?"

How about, "Remember that job last month that Sam signed up? What was he thinking by telling the customer we could be finished in four weeks? If only the sales people just stopped closing those sales that caused us all of these problems!"

Well, these people are right, but not for the reasons that you may think. They are right because things would run smoother without any sales. In fact, they would run so smoothly that, without a sales force, companies wouldn't need anyone in accounting or delivery, or any other department, for that matter. So, if these types of grumblings are common in the conference room or around the water cooler, then perhaps it would be wise to review whether or not the operations department or the delivery systems can be streamlined to accommodate what is being sold in the field?

Perhaps the problem is with the sales staff, or perhaps it's the sales script, or lack thereof? This is where coaching comes into play. It brings a fresh set of eyes to the problem and uses a variety of strategies to solve it. We need to be honest about one thing - until there is a sale, nothing else happens. If nothing happens until there is a sale, then the sales staff really is the backbone of every company.

Next month, we will talk about who gets the better deal when a sale is made - the company or the customer? The answer may surprise you!

~Coach Erik