Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/280096
38 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | March 2014 Sales Manager departments become the constraint limiting the dealership's potential. Conversely, you could have phenom- enal parts and service departments and an awesome sales team, but if you do not have an adequate inven- tory of machines to support market demand then inventory becomes the bottleneck. Every dealer principal should be concerned with the accurate identification of the constraints limit- ing the potential of the dealership. Constraint theory also specifically applies to sales management. On a macro level, sales managers need to focus on the things they can do to ensure the sales department is not the constraint that is limiting the dealership. On a micro level, sales managers must dial into the specific daily activities of each salesperson to identify, coach, and correct any bottlenecks in each sales- person's sales process. 3. Excel in sales process management – A sales manager must be process-oriented in order to help salespeople consistently perform with excellence. As we saw previously, you do not have to fix everything about a salesperson's performance to improve everything. If you examine the proficiency of each salesperson's sales process, you can strategically manage each salesperson for better results. If a salesperson sold $6 million in sales revenue last year, it is because $6 million is as much as the weakest link in his sales process will allow him to sell. He might have enough product knowledge to close $10 million, but if he can only qualify leads for $6 million then lead qualification is his primary constraint. It would not make sense for him to focus on more product knowl- edge if he is spending all his time with the wrong prospects. Helping him to focus on improving his ability to qualify leads will increase the capacity of his entire sales process. Salespeople need help to avoid being stuck on the steps. Action Plan All sales managers should map out a sales process – use the eight sales steps from our example on page 37 and modify the list to fit your dealership's protocols and priorities. Then evaluate each salesperson's effectiveness in each discipline on a 1 to 10 scale. Ask each salesperson to evaluate themselves, as well, and then compare evaluation scores and come to agreement about each of their most critical constraint(s). I won't say that the next three steps are easy, but incorporating this 1-2-3 plan into your professional "MO" will elevate your effectiveness as a sales manager as your team responds very visibly to your input and support. 1.) Create a coaching plan. Be a coach who cultivates a culture of account- ability and commitment to excellence. The best salespeople are avid students of their customers' business, their own product line, and their industry. Customers expect salespeople The only thing it won't clean out is your wallet. Whether you're working in the oil & gas industry or on a construction site, the SweepMaster 400 is one mean cleaning machine that never backs down from a good mess. Visit www.laymor.com or call 800.323.0135. The question isn't HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? The question is HOW MUCH WILL IT PAY OFF? ("Attack What Holds Them Back" continued from page 26)