Sales is the link between establishing strategy and achieving success for many organizations. The competency and performance of the sales force has a significant impact on the financial integrity of an organization and can affect overall company standing. While sales compensation software goes a long way, combining this technology with effective talent management helps bridge the gap between mediocre and outstanding performance. By understanding how sales fits into the overall business strategy, companies can enhance sales effectiveness and elevate top performers. Here are three ways firms can streamline sales and reinforce the organization’s mission and values: 1. Use performance management software As firms strategize about sales performance management, measurement tools can give companies a detailed account of how effective the sales force is at meeting organizational goals. Performance management software can be used to encourage competition to bring the business to new heights, and can also help organizations communicate their objectives while helping workers set their own performance goals. This technology can be especially effective for performance evaluations as firms aim to connect outstanding job performance and company goals. By reinforcing company goals during performance evaluations, managers can drive home what it means to be a top performer. 2. Improve engagement with sales managers Engagement translates into improved productivity for workers as high levels of engagement are associated with greater capacity for supporting business goals. Effective sales managers help workers fuel their internal motivation to do well and in turn help the company succeed. (glasshousefarms.org) Tracking levels of engagement using performance management software ensures high performance levels are sustainable or constantly improving. When workers see managers as aiding them in meeting company goals, it lifts their morale and dedication to achieving the best results for the company. 3. Emphasize career development and mentoring programs Developing and nurturing critical skills is a great investment for the company to encourage innovative thinking that will help solve customer problems more efficiently. As firms incorporate career development and mentoring programs, they can use this opportunity to guide workers through common business obstacles. Having a manager-employee relationship built on mutual respect also retains employees who would otherwise leave to go to a competitor and this relationship could be strengthened if firms show a genuine interest in their workers’ professional development. Managing sales performance is more than assigning a number for quotas and calculating compensation formulas. By recognizing how sales fits into the larger picture of the overall business vision, companies give sales a foundation for shaping and achieving an overall business strategy.
