Case Study One – Introducing sales into a service environment

Background

The Telecommunications industry is a highly competitive one, and the emphasis is moving from acquiring customers to building the value of the current customer base.

We were asked to help a major telecommunications company to develop the selling capability of the inbound customer services team, numbering 4000+ Customer Service Representatives (CSR’s). Up until that point there was very little emphasis on sales.

Purpose and Objectives

Our objectives were to develop a sales programme for the CSR’s and a Sales Management programme which would enable all Management levels to effectively manage team sales performance.

The ultimate aim was to enhance sales whilst ensuring service remained at the core of all activity.

Stage One

A needs analysis was completed with representatives from the CSR and management population, using a combination of interviews, modelling and observations. This revealed a deep suspicion of sales and significant gaps in both sales and sales management skills, specifically around questioning, overcoming objections, coaching sales skills and motivation. The needs analysis helped to gain buy in to the subsequent sales programmes, as individuals felt listened to and involved in the design of the programmes.

Stage Two

Working with the Head of Sales Development, we developed two programmes for both the CSR’s and Management Levels. Rather than focus on a sales process, we developed a customer buying process which kept the customer at the heart of the service. This helped to reduce CSR’s fears about sales and the ‘hard sell’ and focused their attention on sales as an extension of the service provided to customers.

The sales management programme focused on skills to enable all Management Levels to develop the sales performance of their team. The programme was named ‘Value through Leadership’, to emphasise the combination of leadership and management skills necessary to enhance individual and team sales performance. Attending the CSR event was a pre-requisite for all team leaders so they could fully support their CSR’s once they returned from training.

The programmes themselves were highly participative, using fun activities and drawing on the delegates’ experience of sales to draw out learning. For example, a wild west ‘Gunslinger’ game was used as an activity when learning more about overcoming objections.

Stage Three

Both programmes were piloted and feedback discussed with the Head of Sales Development. Train the trainer workshops were then held to transfer the skills and knowledge to deliver the programmes to in house trainers, ready for full delivery rollout. This is an excellent example of how we create client independence, by enabling in-house delivery with minimum support required.

Outcomes

Both CSR’s and Managers described themselves as being more effective at selling and managing sales performance following their attendance on the programmes. The results speak for themselves. Measurement took place before and six/twelve months after the programme rollout:

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