How Are We Doing? Part of managing anyone is measuring their job performance. In the case of salespeople, the obvious measure of success is the volume of business they sell. But experienced managers also look at the attitudes and behaviors that determine that success. For instance, Denker tracks each salesperson's effectiveness over a given time period, and he wants to know how long it takes them to bring each project from lead to contract. “If things are taking too long, you need to mentor that person and figure out what the stumbling blocks are,” he advises.
Sales managers should also ask customers how satisfied they are with their salesperson. “I'm not detached. I drop by jobs and talk with them. At this level [with this kind of customer], it's necessary,” Gilday says.
This type of feedback is important enough that Gilday and Wells are in the process of creating surveys to track customer satisfaction. The surveys aren't a response to problems, but just another way to prepare for more growth. They're being proactive rather than reactive. “Our referral rate is very high, and we don't get a lot of negative calls and letters, but we always like to have more information [about how our customers feel],” Wells says. “If you understand how to make the customer happy, good things will come from that.”
And he adds that being proactive has been one of the keys to the company's success. “It has allowed us to grow without chaos,” Wells concludes. “We have grown steadily over the years because we've made plans and put those plans into action.”
Charlie Wardell is a freelance writer in Vineyard Haven, Mass.