Are you guilty of hanging on to your poor performers far too long? As RV Sales Managers, I think we're often too soft-hearted (although some may say soft-headed) when it comes to a salesperson's poor performance. Maybe it's because we've been on the front lines ourselves and know how hard it is that we forgive poor performance too quickly.
We're masters of rationalization. We tell ourselves that Fred, our long-time salesperson, is just having a bad week (month, quarter, year) and that he'll snap out of it soon. Or that Mary, the new hire that isn't up to speed yet, is going to be okay, even though our stomachs say otherwise. And sometimes we look at the commission-only salesperson that's performing poorly and say, "Well at least he isn't costing me anything." Don't kid yourself. The person is using up one of your most valuable resources — your time.
Too many Sales Managers don't hire smart, support poorly, tolerate mediocrity and then complain because sales are down!
First Things First
Frankly, I think of firing someone as a last resort, not the first. So what should you do when you think you've got a poor performer? First of all, make sure that you're not the reason the person is a poor performer. Assuming you've taken care in your hiring process and hired smart, are you doing the right things at the right time?
Provide Support
Too many dealerships give tons of product knowledge training and little or no training on how to actually sell the RVs. In addition to sales training, make sure your people, not just your dud, have the tools to get and stay organized. Does your poor performer have the tools and the training to be a top performer? If so, has he or she taken advantage of these tools and training? Help the person do so by providing some personal attention and encouragement.
Set Performance Targets
Sit down with your problem child and set mutually acceptable goals, activity levels, and a timeline for reaching them. It's important that he be given enough time to bring his performance up to an agreed-upon level. Your job is to assist him to hit the goals, on time.
Retrain Before Replacing
You need to give the salesperson every chance to perform and positively impact your dealership's goals. You've got to help him to help you. Sometimes the help and experience needed doesn't lie within your department. Or perhaps you're simply too busy. Outside assistance to provide additional individual training may be in order.
The Last Resort
If you've hired smart, provided the support and tools to succeed, set goals and monitored activity, coached and chided and still the performance is lacking, then what do you do? Well, you've reached the last resort and it's time to give the person a new career opportunity, preferably in some other dealership. By the way, the parting of company should never come as a surprise to the departee. He should be aware that his continued employment depended upon his performance.
Keep It Short
When it's time to do the dastardly deed, do it quickly and do it properly and don't do it alone. Have someone with you as an impartial observer. I recommend you do the deed on a Friday, not a Monday. You want the person out that day so he doesn't have the week to cause any problems, and have the weekend to prepare an updated resume and start organizing the job hunting process.
Avoid Post-firing Disasters
Stay with the person until he walks out the door for the last time. Once the shock of termination wears off, some salespeople can become angry and vindictive. It doesn't take long for a vindictive person to share his anger and resentment with the rest of your salespeople.
In the End
If a person's performance simply isn't there and isn't going to be there, it's time to cut bait and minimize your losses. It's time to fire them. Do it properly and do it fairly, but do it. In this economy, you can't afford any poor performers on the sales team.
To avoid having to fire, training becomes a critical issue in developing superstars. Visit www.rvsalesmanager.net and view all the great tools available for RV Sales Managers.