1 What can sales managers do to increase the professionalism of their salespeople?

Answer 1

Professionalism is the belief that what you are doing is serious and that it requires levels of expertise that a non-professional would not have. This belief can be promoted or demoted by the sales manager's decisions about how casual to allow the salespeople to operate. There are three main areas that can be maintained by the Sales Manage, depending on specific circumstance.

1. Maintain a professional environment suitable to the product being sold. Professional environments are noticeably neater and more organized than non professional areas. Trash and food wrappers if allowed are put in proper containers, and the containers are emptied every day, for example.

2. Smoking is not allowed in the business areas.

3. Sales people wear appropriate attire suitable for the product being sold. Near naked beauties seen at car shows would not be appropriate in other business environments.

4. Professionals will know how to communicate appropriately. They will be knowledgeable about both the needs of the customer and the relevant products that are wanted by the customer. They will not waste the customer's time. They will find the best product for the customer in the least amount of time, allowing for the opportunity to show the customer other products that could be of interest to the customer, as long as the customer shows an inclination to purchase more items. As soon as the customer indicates that satisfaction has been reached, the sales person will close the deal without further delay.

5. Professional conversations, whether with customers or co-workers will be kept at a polite level. Vulgarity to either customers or co-workers is not professional. If the sales manager allows it, it will become a drag on morale and the work place environment will suffer. Common epithets are not to be used in professional conversations. After a sales person has dealt with an uncooperative or abusive customer, he might be upset and comment to coworkers using epithets, about customers who were rude or abusive to him. This is not professional behavior. The professional must not lower himself to casual conversation because he is upset or angry.

6. Depending on the environment, the sales force must wear clothing that is both comfortable and professional. Ties may required in some environments, and not in others. It depends on the product being sold. It is strange to see sales people wearing ties in an environment where they deal with customers online who never see the ties. Who are the ties for? Female sales people should not wear clothing that distracts from the products being sold. Neither should anyone wear clothing that distracts coworkers from their jobs. This is a balancing act that the sales manager must be adroit in handling. It is best if suggestions about wearing apparel are posted in a way that allows the sales manager to control what the sales people are wearing without having to directly comment to a woman about her clothing in a way she may find insulting and claim sexual harassment or make derogatory comments about the sales manager to her coworkers. This only causes problems. A professional sales force needs to feel motivated and successful. Criticism is often counter productive.

7. The sales manager must treat the sales force with respect and encouragement while not talking down to them. On the other hand, the sales manager needs to constantly be on guard against the slackening of the sales force's attitude and belief in their own professionalism.

8. Rewards are good. Don't give out cheap or silly rewards. Rewards should be real, and reflect real accomplishment, whether in sales or in learning how to do something to raise their ability levels as sales people. Giving out silly rewards lowers the sales force's self esteem, rather than raising it. Marking a true achievement with a reward with real value commensurate with the achievement, show the sales force that the sales manager knows what is going on and know when a good job has been done. They appreciate appreciation, not comedy.