One of the frequent arguments against investing in professional development is “What happens if I train my people and they leave?” a better question is “What happens if you don’t train them and they stay?”
All too often companies view training as an expense to be avoided, as opposed to an investment that can, in the bigger picture, protect the success of the business in the long term. What is the true cost of cutting back this important area of business?
With this in mind, what are some of the things your business could risk by not prioritising the training of you sales team?
New and eager employees will be affected by old team members with bad attitudes
New salespeople will be ready for the challenges ahead with a willingness to learn everything they can, to get the best start possible, but if you don’t have a training plan in place, the natural place they will look is to their colleagues. If those colleagues are disengaged, frustrated and struggling to achieve because of their own lack of training, well – you can see the pattern forming.
More frequent staff turnover
Remember those ‘bad apples’ we mentioned in the example above? It’s not hard to understand that without an engaging training plan in place, doubt and resentfulness can easily creep in, leading to them looking around for something new. A salesperson who has been properly trained and feels valued by their employer, who has a long-term plan for a successful career within your company will not only sustain and direct your business to further success, but also attract outside top talent to your team.
Damage to brand reputation
Delays to your pipeline
The sales process is at the heart of how you do business with new customers and you can never sit back and leave it. It is a constant process, needing regular attention all along the way to build and develop the relationships that lead to new business. If your team members don’t fully understand the pipeline process this can lead to frustration on both sides. Closing sales could end up taking so long to finalise that there would be an unnecessary delay in your company income, prospects may not feel committed to making a large investment or could end up walking away all together.
“An investment in education always pays the highest returns.”—Ben Franklin
Training your sales team deliver the results you need will come at a cost. But, a well-structured development plan will provide a healthy return on investment that is justified and happy and engaged employees who are committed to you.
SureTrain can help you create effective training plans for all your staff, sales focussed or operational. Call us on 0800 840 1501.
https://www.suretrain.co.uk