To improve sales calls, managers need to get out of the office - Charlotte Business Journal:

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Unfortunately, it doesn’t give many cluesx as to how successful the sales callreallt was, or how it could have been improved. One way in whicjh sales managers can greatly improvd the performance of members of their salexs teams is by accompanying individuals on sales Duringthe calls, a more accurate picture of the salesperson’s performance can be obtainedx than simply relying on what the individual says at weeklt sales meetings.
It’s not that salespeople intentionallu try todeceive anyone, but their explanations are coloredx by their interpretation of Those elements will be removec by first-hand observations, putting the manager in a better position to identifty deficiencies and areas for improvement and then providde the most appropriate help. Another reasom to accompany salespeople on callxs is to confirmthe company’s interest in prospective accountsw or to show appreciatiom for existing accounts. By “bringing the managerf in,” the salesperson strengthens the bond with the clientor prospect.
Additionally, bringing in the manager means therwe is a greater chance of meeting other members ofthe client/prospecr company’s management team who normally would be insulated from the These calls give the opportunity to not only but also deepen the relationship. Here is a five-steop process for getting the most from joinfsales calls. • Preparation: Overall goals and account-specifif goals and objectives should be determinedin advance. Detailas should include specific tasks to be actions to be taken and resultws tobe achieved.
This information shoul d be shared with the salesperson far enough in advance that the individual knows what will be expectefd of him or her during the plannecd calls and has time to make thenecessary • Observation: During sales call meetings, the manager shoul assume the role of observer, noting the salesperson’s general demeanor and specific actions and especially those that relate to the predetermineed goals and objectives for the call. The manager must also liste n intently tothe prospect’e questions and answers and observw his or her actions and reactions.
The managefr must take accurate notes for later evaluation and discussioj and must not rescue the call even if the salespersonn is doing apoor job, as this does nothinb to help the salesperson learmn and generally only strokes the ego of the sales The reality is that a poorly performing salesperson is failing most of the time so one more time likely won’tr hurt but could possibly help the salesperson learj how to handle the situation next time and possibly become a better performer. • Observations are shared with the inputs are obtained regarding his or her actionx andthought processes, and results are compared with the planne d objectives.
Based on the comparison, areas for improvemeny can be identified. The analysis may call for changed in strategy or tactics or refinement ofspecificc skills.