You've got a
rep.....and you
don't know what to
do with them.
They're not hitting
their goal...but
they seem to be
putting in the
effort.....what's
next?
It's much easier
when you have
someone who simply
won't do the
job.....you just end
your
association...it's
that easy. When you
have a rep who is
really trying to do
a good job, trying
to achieve their
admission goals, the
question becomes
harder to answer.
I've generally found
that after some
careful
deliberation, you
might want to put
that rep on plan.
"On Plan" is a fancy
name for spelling
out a certain
achievement of
admissions over a
certain time period
in order for that
rep to stay
gainfully employed
with the agency.
Truly, it matters
not how hard someone
works, for if they
cannot meet their
goal month after
month, you can't
afford to keep them
on the payroll.
Putting a rep on
plan has a
crystallizing effect
on them. It
immediately focuses
them on the most
important activities
they need to do in
order to reach their
goals. I notice the
same effect with the
one on one sales
coaching I do. After
the first or second
coaching session, I
have found a handful
of reps that
discovered what it
would REALLY take to
be successful in
sales, and simply
decided that it was
time to move on. You
may find the same
situation if you put
one of your sales
reps "on plan".
Ok Michael, how do I
do it?
Great question....
Before deciding to
put anyone on plan,
first examine the
reasons for their
underperformance.
You might ask
yourself these
questions:
- Have all
operational and
clinical
impediments to
success been
removed/resolved?
- Has
sufficient
training been
provided to this
sales rep?
- Has the rep
been given clear
direction about
their territory
and goals?
- Are YOU
meeting weekly
with this rep to
analyze their
activity and
results?
- Are there
any other
factors present
that limit their
potential
success?
If you have resolved
all of the above
questions in your
favor, then it IS
time to put a rep on
plan and help them
adjust their sales
behavior.
Here are the
components to a good
"plan":
- A specific
time frame for
the rep to
increase
performance
- A specific
goal that MUST
be achieved in
that time frame
- A list of
activities that
will likely lead
to that goal
- A list of
things that YOU
will do to
support the rep
while "on plan"
- The
consequences of
either meeting
or failing to
meet plan
Both you and your
sales rep can draw
up the time frame
and goals. A rep
that truly wants to
succeed will be
realistic in what
they believe they
can produce over a
given period of
time. If both of you
can agree on those
goals, the chances
of them being hit
are much higher.
Remember, the goal
of being "on plan"
is not to scare
someone into
quitting or looking
for another
job....it's to help
them adopt the
behaviors of a
leading sales
professional and
begin contributing
their fair share of
admissions to the
team. If you
approach this in a
non judgemental way
and motivate this
person to succeed at
the plan, the payoff
is a highly trained
and motivated sales
rep at the end of
the "plan". If what
you really want is
simply to get rid of
someone, don't waste
their time and
yours......cut your
ties and move them
on.
In my 15 year sales
career, I've never
personally been "on
plan", but there
were times when I
was close. Just the
fact that my sales
manager had a
process for putting
people "on plan" was
enough motivation
for me to stay off
of it! Seriously,
when you manage this
way, you let your
people know that
THEY are responsible
for their success,
that YOU are
committed to helping
them achieve it, and
that BOTH OF YOU
must work together
to meet that end.
Sales managers often
ask me how long the
"the plan" should
last. In other
industries, 30 days
is a typical time
frame and that may
work fine for your
agency. The real key
to dictating the
time frame is how
far under goal the
rep in question
currently is? If
that person is so
far under goal they
are costing you
money each month in
salary and benefits,
then 30-60 days is
probably a good time
frame. If the rep is
continually under
goal at perhaps 80%
you are probably not
LOSING money on them
( you have cost
justified all of
your compensation
plans, haven't you?)
but you're probably
not making money
either. In that case
you might have
someone who is worth
investing 90 days or
more in to develop
those skills to get
them over the hump
to 100 percent of
their admission
goals.
One thing is for
sure, putting a rep
"on plan" is a no-
going-back proposal.
Once you do it, you
have drawn a line in
the sand to let that
rep (and others on
your team) know that
performance is
expected to increase
quickly, and to stay
at the new level.
If you're going to
keep them no matter
what.....don't put
them on plan
If you're going to
fire them no matter
what.....don't put
them on plan
If you're not sure
what to do but
believe they can
perform at a higher
level....put them
"on plan" and
support them thru
this challenging
time. You might just
build the next sales
leader on your
agency's homecare
sales team.
