When meeting salespeople for the first time, I often ask each one several “get to know you” questions. Inevitably, one I ask is where they see themselves in the future. Ideally, they mention still being in the industry. Many lean on the tried and true “I’d like to be a sales manager” as their answer. A noble goal, for sure, but I don’t think many know what they’d really be getting themselves into. Being a sales manager is not all sunshine, rainbows, and lunchtime strombolis.
Some mistake thinking once they’re a sales manager, they’ll be able to kick-back in a reclining swivel chair behind a desk, click some numbers into a desking software (that A.I. will likely soon do for them anyway), and be able to limit their exposure to customers. Anyone who is a quality sales manager already knows that is not a recipe for success. My good friend Chris Vitale of Phone Ninjas once made a great analogy of the two types or sales managers that exist (that I’ve since adopted). Airborne Managers and Chairborne Managers. I’ve long referenced that dichotomy as a way to identify what makes a great sales manager in a store.
When it is fine for a sales manager to be angry all the way to the bank
If you’ve recently promoted a quality salesperson to the position of sales manager, you must strongly reinforce how the more interaction they have with customers, the more profitable the store (and they) will be. They may fight tooth and nail against assisting with the meet and greet, taking early pre-test-drive T.O.s, conducting off-the-desk-after-the-first-pencil TO’s, completing appointment reminder calls to customers or missed appointment calls to prospects, and making outbound calls to unsold showroom guests, but that is the job. Those are tasks they didn’t want to do when they were in sales, and they still don’t want to do as a sales manager. It doesn’t matter. It is not an option. It is the job. They can cry about it all they want, but doing those customer-connecting tasks increase sales. Ownership needs to hold each sales manager to these crucial tasks. They’ll be mad at you for making them do their jobs the right way. That’s fine.. because it makes them money. Let them be angry all the way to the bank.
When it is fine for a sales manager to be angry all the way to the bank
Being a sales manager also isn’t always fun because, regardless how many books you have read about leadership, at one point you will have to hurt someone’s feelings by telling them they need to improve. Just like it isn’t fun delivering bad news to a potential customer, even more so can it be disappointing to let down someone you work with every day. Someone you may even be friends with. Yet that’s the gig. Simply put, it never feels good to tell someone they’re doing a poor job, and yet, it comes with the territory of being a sales manager. The role isn’t just about desking and closing. It is more about people, activity, and performance management. As I said, it never should feel good to tell someone they’re doing wrong, but to be a manager, it is something you’ll have to do occasionally. I’ve written about simple tactics to have conversations with underperforming individuals before, like the compliment sandwich. There are countless ways to approach the subject, but regardless how uncomfortable you are doing it, it must be done. Ignoring mediocrity doesn’t benefit anyone.
Regardless, as a sales manager, you need to separate friendship from the equation, and consider it “mentorship”. If you don’t have a salesperson performing at a high standard, and either cutting corners, or abandoning trained best practices, you must reinforce what is expected of them. That is where “management” comes in. Train them. Hold them accountable. Reinforce the expectations. Punish if expectations aren’t being met. They will either fall in line or move on.
Once you craft your employee coaching technique as a sales manager, far more will adapt, and execute their job in line with company policy. They may dislike everything you task them to do (rigorous follow-up, meticulous phone calls, video emails, in-depth product explanations, thorough walk-arounds, trade walks, confident presentation of numbers during negotiation, competent deliveries, and more). But there is a difference between doing their job and doing their job right. Going through the motions will cost them (and you, and the store) money. Everyone does the basics. Yet, it is doing all the extra special things within the process that exceeds expectations and brings profitability. As a sales manager, they’ll resent you for being tough on them. They’ll get mad you are making them do every little thing they’d rather dismiss. Who cares? Let them be angry all the way to the bank.
As I’ve said in past writings, there are a lot of people in the automotive industry with the title “sales manager” yet there is often very little “management” happening. There are actions you as a sales manager, and your team of salespeople, do not want to do. These are tasks either you don’t like doing, you’d prefer to delegate, you’d rather dismiss, or you just don’t fully embrace. They may be hard. They may be time-consuming. But often enough, they’re the right things to do. When you get on board, you may be mad about it, but get over it. It makes you money doing it the right way. You can be angry all the way to the bank.
