Achieving 40% sales increase quickly.

(Pharma)

Background to case study:

  • Need for 25% increase in sales

  • Within 6 months

  • With a sales force that regarded the “imposed target” as “impossible”

Results:

  • Short term: 40% increase in sales in 6 months

  • Long term: a lasting organisational capability and motivation to achieve systematically excellent performance..in whatever field required

  • Morale improved as everyone was more successful and no one was reducing the performance of the teams

  • Leadership credibility was enhanced due to willingness and ability to lead by example, coach effectively before and after calls and manage low performance

  • No additional sales training was needed

Diagnostic conclusions:

  • Sales staff knew what to do (they had been well trained), the issue was doing it!

  • Large difference between results of best and worst staff.

  • “Training” alone was not enough to shift performance “that much that quickly”-we needed to instil powerful performance management capability to ensure high performers were appreciated and leveraged and low performers rapidly improved.

Process:

  • 2 days input followed by 4 weeks systematic application in the field (content included how to get buy-in to pre-agreed targets and powerful methods of increasing the quality and quantity of genuine appreciation, coaching and constructive feedback so that performance was being addressed as a daily priority)

  • 1 day input re how to deal with any staff who had not responded sufficiently. Some were not able to meet the new, higher, standards.