What Type Of Sales Manager Are You?

Part 5 – The Maintenance Sales Manager

This is the fifth in a series of six articles on the different types of Sales Managers. Just as there are different types of salespeople (hunters, farmers, call center reps, independent reps, etc.), there are also different types of Sales Managers. Understanding the different types of Sales Managers and identifying your specific type will help you to define and achieve the expectations of that role.

Keep in mind that you may possess characteristics of several Sales Management types. However, when you read each of these articles, think about which type most closely aligns with your current role. From that you can determine which one you want to become.

The fifth type of Sales Manager is the Maintenance Sales Manager. This Sales Management type is one where the Sales Manager is in a support role of a mature sales force. On the surface, this can appear to be the easiest of the six types. In some ways, it is. The mature salespeople have established accounts with a solid customer base and sales quotas are consistently met. Usually new accounts arrive through an established presence by the company’s experienced reps that have far reaching personal networks.

Conditions
The reason to hire a Maintenance Sales Manager is two-fold. First, the primary purpose of the Maintenance Sales Manager is to support the existing salespeople in their respective markets or regions. This means handling operational issues, working on special projects and lending support on major sales presentations or corporate/customer events. The element of coaching the senior reps is significantly less than with the other sales management types. This is a mature team with typically many years of experience. The Sales Manager is seen more of an administrator of sales resources and a liaison between the salespeople and the corporate office about policy changes, market conditions and new sales opportunities than a traditional sales coach.

The second facet to the Maintenance Sales Manager role is to facilitate a smooth succession plan of new recruits as senior reps retire or move on to management positions within the company. This part of the job can easily be overlooked. It is critical that the Maintenance Sales Manager see the future clearly from a succession planning standpoint in order to maintain the consistency of service to the customer base. This is accomplished by an on-going recruiting and development program. Typically, salespeople under a Maintenance Sales Manger are long-term employees where turnover is minimal. The critical part is ensuring that as time goes by, younger reps are prepared to take over and continue to create value for the customer that the previous reps did. Also, in this situation, the amount of time it takes for a new rep to get up to speed to fully manage a territory is longer than most. That’s why the on-going recruitment and development process is so important.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for a Maintenance Sales Manager to invest several years into a new rep to systemically graft him or her into a territory as a senior rep prepares to retire. This consists of preparing an exit strategy with the senior rep years in advance. The new rep will begin the training and development process and eventually participate in the senior reps sales calls and customer meetings in order to begin to develop a rapport with key decision-makers and understand the dynamics in these long-term and typically complex relationships. This takes time and the Maintenance Sales Manager plays a key role in making the transition over several years from the senior rep to the new rep as seamless as possible for both the company and the customer.

Success
So what is a successful Maintenance Sales Manager? Success occurs when the Maintenance Sales Manager helps the company continue to achieve its sales quotas and growth expectations over a long period of time. At the same time, and with great care, they transition new reps into the mix without a disruption to the process or customer relations. There is no question that this role has its benefits over the other Sales Management types because you’re dealing with mature markets and reps, excellent name recognition and branding, with solid revenue streams and consistency in meeting sale quotas. However, a long-term investment on the part of the Sales Manger is required in order to be successful. With our quick changing world filled with job hopping and upward moving professionals, this role is geared towards the experienced Sales Manger who looks to settle in to an organization for a longer tenure and perhaps eventually retire there.

About the Author

Barrett Riddleberger is an internationally recognized leader in the practice of sales assessment, sales training, sales recruitment and retention. His new book, “Blueprint of a Sales Champion,” details how organizations can find, train and retain top performing salespeople even in a highly competitive market. An accomplished lecturer, Riddleberger is also highly in demand as a business development and motivational speaker for organizations seeking to inspire their sales force. For more info go to www.ResolutionSystemsInc.com or www.BlueprintOfASalesChampion.com or call 336.665.0506