{"id":2709,"date":"2018-09-19T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-19T19:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/primaressource.enconstruction.website\/sales-structure\/"},"modified":"2023-04-18T13:11:22","modified_gmt":"2023-04-18T17:11:22","slug":"sales-structure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.primaressource.com\/en\/sales-structure\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Structure Your Sales Team for Success"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"How<\/div>\n

There comes a time for every sales leader when you start questioning what exactly is preventing you from attaining your objectives. You know something\u2019s wrong, yet you can\u2019t identify the reason.<\/p>\n

This can indicate the need to reorganize the structure of your sales force.<\/p>\n

Having a powerful sales force is crucial – it solidifies and supports the whole business. But it\u2019s important to know that a sales force is a complex structure that can\u2019t be optimized by reviewing the recruitment method or training plan only.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

When to restructure the sales team<\/span><\/h2>\n

First, let\u2019s look at a few warning signs which indicate that your sales force should be restructured, and then on how to proceed.<\/p>\n

Complacency among salespeople<\/h3>\n

A lack of process, or an insufficiently developed one, creates a flaw in the sales structure. This often results in complacency among the representatives.<\/p>\n

The business manager and sales managers blame themselves for the lack of success with their salespeople. They fault poor communication, lack of support or coaching, while the poor performance is rather due to a defective process. Getting off easy, the representatives take the opportunity to blame the company for their failure.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when complacency and lack of commitment take over<\/a> and undermine the morale and performance of the entire sales force.<\/p>\n

Time to integrate a new representative<\/h3>\n

The integration of a new representative can provide a good idea your process\u2019s clarity. One only has to observe the new recruit\u2019s integration to the team. Is it effective? Does the representative know their objectives? How long does the integration process take?<\/p>\n

If we discover that the integration period is very long, it probably means that there\u2019s a deficit in the process and structure.<\/p>\n

Ineffective reporting<\/h3>\n

The state of the reporting may indicate that your sales structure must be reviewed. Take these two examples: the sales leader notices that the submitted reports don\u2019t provide the desired information, or he or she fails to identify the source of good or bad work from their representatives.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are other signs than those mentioned above. In case of doubt, you can always contact us for an evaluation of your sales force<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Structuring the sales team<\/span><\/h2>\n

The sales force is near and far the set of elements in a company that contribute the most to sales performance: from recruitment to the remuneration of representatives, all the way through training, the process to follow for each opportunity, as well as the indicators of performance defined according to the sales objectives.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re thinking of restructuring the sales force, you must be aware that you\u2019re tackling a big chunk and if you’re small or mid-sized business, you can’t simply copy\/paste the sales structure of Apple, Nestle and other large companies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why the process is divided into several steps, depending on the priorities.<\/p>\n

Steps to structure a sales team<\/span><\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Evaluate the sales team;<\/li>\n
  2. Review the sales process;<\/li>\n
  3. Define objectives and sales forecasts;<\/li>\n
  4. Tackle the sales team structure;<\/li>\n
  5. Redefine expectations;<\/li>\n
  6. Review all internal sales systems and processes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The restructuring can begin after the evaluation of the sales force (you can conduct a free preliminary evaluation effectiveness of your sales force here<\/a>). In general, we then begin by reviewing <\/strong>the sales process<\/a>, which governs how to treat each opportunity, from prospecting to closing. This is fundamental in that it allows representatives and managers to speak the same language.<\/p>\n

    We then proceed to define the objectives and the sales forecasts, as well as the performance indicators<\/a>. With the latter, we\u2019ll be able to measure the results of the representatives\u2019 sales activities according to the established objectives and forecasts.<\/p>\n

    Once this is done, the architecture of the sales force may be tackled, which is the structural organization of everyone\u2019s role. Everything must be thought of. For example, roles must be defined between salespeople: hunters, farmers or account managers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Expectations must also be redefined, an element often neglected. What are the organization\u2019s expectations towards its salespeople? What\u2019s a good performance level? What\u2019s acceptable or unacceptable? The list of questions may be long, but having clear expectations is essential to building a structured sales force.<\/p>\n

    In the end, all systems and processes of the sales organization must be reviewed. Here are some examples:<\/p>\n