My Salesperson Won’t Sell – Now What?

Donald Trump’s signature statement, “You’re fired,” in the reality show, “The Apprentice,” makes termination look simple and painless. Maybe not for the one hearing it, but for Donald it appears easy.

The decision to terminate a salesperson is far from easy.

A sales leader must deal with many uncomfortable factors like admitting a bad choice in hiring, losing out on the investment of time and money, and facing the hiring process again. There’s no getting around the emotional and financial challenges associated with terminating salespeople.

However, many methods sales leaders use to decide whether someone stays or gets terminated are ineffective because of misconceptions about the real problems. I have worked with companies on the verge of terminating top performers just because the sales manager didn’t realize what the real issue was. Understanding the underlying issues facing poor performance gives you greater ability to make good decisions.

I get a question from frustrated sales managers when termination is pending: “I’ve tried everything else, but my salesperson won’t sell – now what?” Some of the more common attempts at fixing the problem without analysis of the problem are more money, incentives, threats, sales training, etc… all to no avail.

Just like doctors evaluate and analyze a patient’s symptoms before giving a diagnosis, sales leaders must evaluate the underlying issues causing the performance problem before making a termination decision.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you believe termination is the only way out:

1. Am I, the sales leader, part of the problem? This is a difficult question to ask yourself. It’s even harder to answer honestly.
   
   Many times top performers are being poorly managed and don’t achieve their potential. Some common sales leader issues which result in lackluster performance are micromanagement, ineffective or lack of proper product/sales/industry training for their salespeople, a poorly designed pay plan (too rich or too poor), inconsistent or lack of quality coaching, or not enough “ramp up” time when the salesperson was first hired.
   
   Self-reflection as a sales leader is tough to do, but leadership requires it and your sales team needs it. It’s not easy, but take a hard look at yourself and your management practices to determine if you have been a contributing factor to the poor sales performance and the pending termination issues that you now face.
   
   
2. Is the company failing the salesperson? I’ve seen on numerous occasions service problems and delivery issues affecting a salesperson’s drive. They won’t set themselves up to be embarrassed in front of a client. If your organization doesn’t fulfill what the salesperson legitimately promised, don’t expect them to perform again until you’ve rebuilt trust.
   
   Also, I’ve seen CEO’s and senior executives who don’t value the role of their sales leaders and salespeople. They may come from a non-sales background and don’t understand or appreciate the role of the salespeople in the organization. In some cases they place greater value on their products or services, their processes, operations, etc. than the sales teams efforts.
   
   If you are in a top executive position and have not expressed a clear vision and provided the necessary support for your sales team, then don’t expect the results you want. Sales teams need your endorsement. Give them your blessing and help them to be successful by giving them the time and attention they deserve.
   
   
3. Is your salesperson “wired” for the job? Just because they’ve been in sales in the past and now work for you does not mean that they should be. I cannot begin to tell you the number of salespeople I’ve analyzed and discovered that they should have been in operations, customer service or even “retired”. They were just not capable of handling the multi-tasking, pressure, ambiguity and inconsistent pay structure that come with professional selling. They lacked the drive and passion for the process. That does not mean that they are an inferior employee, they just aren’t wired for performing as a salesperson.

There is no question that sometimes a salesperson is simply not salvageable and you have to let them go. In my new book, “Blueprint of a Sales Champion” I discuss the challenges and benefits of termination:

“In the long run, terminating salespeople who are bad fits saves you money. Instead of investing tens of thousands of dollars in training, time, cell phones, insurance, and salary, you stop the drain that those kinds of salespeople cause to the bottom line. Stringing low performers on with the hope that they will improve not only costs you their direct salary, but also lost opportunities, mishandled prospects, and a negative image which can be truly staggering when you calculate the loss.”

There is clearly a benefit to removing a non-performer. Bottom line: before you terminate, make absolutely sure that the problem doesn’t lie somewhere else, like with the company or with you.

Letting salespeople go may never be as easy as “The Donald” makes it out to be, but with the right analysis, questions, self-reflection and tools, you can perform this duty as a sales leader with more insight and confidence. So before you say “You’re fired!” (which I don’t recommend you say) take the time and effort to be sure termination is the best decision. If not, you may be letting a sales champion walk out your door.

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