The Headache of Recruiting Sales Staff
Alternatives to Recruiting Sales Staff
Recruiting sales staff can feel like an endless cycle of posting job adverts, screening CVs, and enduring rounds of interviews, only to sometimes end up with candidates who don’t quite fit. Recruiting, onboarding & training Sales People has a direct cost, but also an opportunity cost of not hitting the ground running.
This arduous process often leads companies to consider alternatives, such as a telesales agency, to ease the burden. As the pressure mounts to find not just any salesperson, but the right one, many find themselves grappling with the age-old question of what makes a candidate suitable for their team. Surprisingly, about 40% of salespeople have highlighted prospecting as the most daunting task in their roles. Could there be more challenges lurking in the shadows of the recruitment process?
Should you hire in-house or use a telesales agency? Download our free guide here https://parkrow.marketing/ultimate-guide-to-outsourcing-sales-vs-in-house-sales
Candidate Profile - Do You Know What Makes a Good Salesperson?
Understanding what makes a good salesperson goes beyond just charisma and communication skills. Everyone's good at selling something, but is a specific person able to bringing conversations about your product from quote to sale?
What's more, in the interview do you know precisely what tests you can use to figure out if someone's going to hit target? Sales people are charming so-and-so's, and being able to come across well in an interview is usually different to the sales role itself.
Consider adding some of these to your sales recruitment and interviews to really whittle them down:
Objective Measures: This takes a bit of calibration, but include a stage in your interviews where you ask very specific questions about your role and then score them on the quality of their answer. Sometimes it's hard to tell salespeople apart when they're all high performers, so this can be a useful tool to objectively measure qualities of the job that you see as essential.
Showing Commitment: Most interviewees will tell you they're committed for the long haul to your company, but adding 3 or more stages to your interview will actually show you who is and who isn't. Consider phone interviews, group interviews, face to face interviews, etc with different people as part of the process.
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Definitely consider asking them to do a test pitch, a test call or ask them to give a presentation. There's a wee bit of pressure in doing this and this will really help whittle out those who like to talk big.
Accountability & Results Focused: Ask them to provide an overview of sales figures from previous roles. If this isn't practical, ask them about their previous performance at a job and then ask for specifics. It's surprising how quickly someone's story can fall apart when you ask for specifics.
Assessing these traits during the hiring process can help ensure that new recruits are well-suited to drive success and meet the company's sales targets. Should you hire in-house or use a telesales agency? Download our free guide here https://parkrow.marketing/ultimate-guide-to-outsourcing-sales-vs-in-house-sales
Opportunity Cost of Time Taken to Hire
When you're hiring for a sales position, you're competing with numerous other companies seeking the same talent. The hiring process can take up a lot of time, and each day without filling a sales position can mean lost opportunities and revenue. The longer it takes to hire, the more likely it is that your current sales team will feel overworked and stressed, leading to burnout and lower productivity. In the fast-paced world of business, time is crucial.
That’s why it’s essential to make the recruitment process quicker while still finding the right candidates. Delays in hiring not only cost money but can also affect team morale and customer satisfaction. Finding a balance between thorough candidate evaluation and swift hiring is vital to reduce these costs.
Telesales agencies offer an efficient solution by providing immediate access to individuals with relevant experience, allowing you to forget the recruitment process and just buy their time.
Onboarding and Training New Hires
When a new salesperson joins the team, the next step is to ensure they are properly onboarded and trained. A significant 68% of sales managers actively train and coach their teams, according to HubSpot. This highlights the value of a structured training programme. Effective onboarding should introduce new hires to the company’s values, products, and sales processes. Practical training sessions can include role-playing customer interactions and shadowing experienced team members. Providing ongoing coaching and support is crucial, as it helps new employees build confidence and refine their skills over time. Regular check-ins can identify areas where they might need additional guidance, ensuring they are always improving. Tailored training that addresses the specific needs of each salesperson can also lead to better performance and quicker integration into the team. By investing in thorough onboarding and continuous training, companies can help new sales staff become productive members of the team more swiftly.
What if You Picked the Wrong Salesperson?
Even with the best intentions and efforts, sometimes the wrong candidate ends up on the team. This can cause more than just poor sales numbers; it can disrupt team harmony and damage client relationships. If a new salesperson isn’t performing as expected, it’s crucial to act swiftly. Start by identifying any areas where they might be struggling and provide additional training or mentoring. Regular performance reviews and honest feedback sessions can help pinpoint problems early on. It might be necessary to reassign them to a different role where their skills are a better fit. Keeping open communication lines with your team ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals. While it’s never ideal to have to correct a hiring mistake, addressing it promptly can prevent bigger issues down the line.
The Role of a Telesales Agency
Recruiting sales staff can be a complex and time-consuming task. To lighten the load, many companies consider turning to a telesales agency for support. These agencies specialise in finding and vetting candidates, which can save your business both time and money. They have industry-specific knowledge and understand market trends, allowing them to match candidates with the right skills and experience to your needs.
Using a telesales agency means you get access to a wider pool of potential employees, often pre-screened and ready for interviews. This can speed up the hiring process and help fill vacancies quicker. Agencies often have rigorous vetting procedures, so you’re more likely to get high-quality candidates. Plus, their expertise means they can identify traits and skills that align with your company’s goals and culture.
Another significant advantage is that telesales agency has a way to ensure you hit the ground running by matching you with the perfect salesperson. Our unique system records dozens of data points to determine who excels in selling specific products. This means we can pair you with someone who has a proven track record for delivering outstanding results.
While using a telesales agency does come with a cost, the benefits often outweigh this expense. Reduced turnover rates, improved employee performance, and the ability to quickly adapt to market demands can lead to increased revenue and growth for your company. It’s a strategic investment that can result in a more effective and cohesive sales team, ultimately driving better business outcomes.
Overall, partnering with a telesales agency can make the daunting task of recruiting sales staff much more manageable, allowing your company to thrive without the usual headaches associated with hiring. Should you hire in-house or use a telesales agency? Download our free guide here https://parkrow.marketing/ultimate-guide-to-outsourcing-sales-vs-in-house-sales
