Where are the sales people?
Lots of bright new salespeople brining you lots of new ideas. Is it good news when the old ones actually understood what you wanted?
This is yet another article where I just don’t get it, I don’t understand it, and am requesting someone, somewhere, can explain it to me.
We are in recession – that I understand, and sales are hard to come by, I get that too, but what I don’t get are the systematic industry redundancies to their respective sales forces. Surely these are just the people you that need to show their professionalism during crisis.
I recently attended a multinational hotel chain event which was full of sales folk both new and old. The new were very nice, but on a very steep learning curve at various levels, and the old were unsettled, and some had been forced to reapply for their own positions several times to continue employment. The atmosphere was awful, as everyone there selling had the feeling that someone was watching over their shoulder.
I can understand that every company has to do an HR Audit almost all of the time, but to create a culture of uncertainty and doubt can only harm their cause. Part of the success of our industry are the personal relations we have built up over the years with others in the trade, folk you can phone for advice, help, assurance, or even just a chat. These are people we trust, we know, and are happy to deal with.
Very few people like change, and suppliers take a big risk when changing sales people. Brand leaders often think that by just mentioning their name they will get the trust and sale – which shows how little they understand the group travel industry.
What we want is an honest appraisal of a product we cannot see, smell or touch, before we offer it to our clients. This can only be done through people we know and trust, and to have some wide eyed innocent walk in to see us is the last thing we need to waste out time.
I only have to mention a few names, Richard, Brett, Sharon, Catherine, Anne, and Denise, and people who deal with them know that they are totally honest, professional, and a credit to both their company and our industry. But what about the gaps that have appeared? Do these brands honestly believe they are getting the same service by increasing the load on other staff, or by introducing a cheaper version of the real thing?
I have to be careful here, as some have been driven out by the endless team talks, courses, and sales reports they had to complete, others by ‘natural wastage’ ( I come into that category!) , and others through maternity leave, or wishing a change of industry and pressure, but the point is that they have not been replaced by someone of the same ilk which must surely be detrimental to the supplier concerned.
Only a couple of years ago everything seemed so settled, we all knew who was where, who represented whom, and roughly the sort of deal and availability we could expect from them. Is that the case now? Of course in some cases it still may be, but so many have moved on this has to benefit those companies who have remained loyal to their sales force, and who are now reaping the lost sales from others.
I simply do not understand why some companies, who I acknowledge have to make difficult judgements and decisions to save costs during recession, opt to cut their own jugular as part of their efforts. To me, a simple man, it makes no sense whatsoever, as it will cost them dear both in the long and short term.
Many of these Sales Directors and Managers are, or were, on quite healthy salaries, and quite right too, as they are, or were, looking after accounts that brought in millions of pounds worth of business every year. They are, or were, at the top of their profession, had worked their way up to their present position, and in some cases their name alone was the guarantee of client satisfaction.
In my opinion to replace them with a cheaper option is sheer madness.
It is knee jerk reaction ill conceived and planned which will cost the relevant service industry money. Again I return to the ‘brand’, for however strong the decision makers think their brand is, it is only as strong as the people who support it. To lose the trust of these people is going to cost you business, especially from a world where people trust people, and value their honest approach and opinions. You could also be shooting yourself in the foot, as these redundant sales people are now for hire, possibly with your competition, and take with them all of the knowledge of your company they have built up over the years.
This concerns every supplier to our industry, whether it be insurance, shipping, hotel or attraction, and I would urge caution to anyone thinking of making changes to save money, for in the long term it will cost you far more.
