This document discusses managing a remote sales team. It notes several benefits of remote teams including lower costs, increased productivity and happier employees. Managing remote teams effectively requires the right tools, improved communication, managing stress levels, controlling performance, building trust and getting the team to sell more. Key challenges include communication and loneliness. Strategies are provided for addressing these challenges and managing change when transitioning to remote work.
4. Benefits of a remote team
Remote staff reduce business costs
Remote staff are more productive
Remote staff are happier
Remote sales make more money
Environmentally friendly
More Productive Reps
In a survey undertaken by
(85% of Businesses)
(57% happier)
($4,000 better off)
(Reduced greenhouse gasses)
5. Working from Home
A Stanford University survey over
two years found productivity levels
increasing by between 13% and 21%
when working from home
Employee attrition decreased by 50%
6. Working from Home
Employees are less stressed than having to
travelling to work - Road rage turns to office
rage
Greater independence of remote or flexible work
helped employees to develop different skills:
Self-management, self-motivation, self-
discipline, focus, concentration, communication,
and the use of technology.
7. Working from Home
Much bigger market than you had before and
much quicker tools to access that market.
Three challenges
Office organisation lags behind what
technology permits
Customer reluctance to the technology
Staff reluctance to change
8. Managing the Remote
Sales Team
The Right Tools for the Job
Improved Communication
Managing Stress Levels
Controlling the Team’s Performance
Building Trust
Getting the Team to Sell More
9. The right tools for the job
Set aside a separate, dedicated
workspace
Establish a routine
Enclothed Cognition
Create a personal work/life balance
10. Working from Home
Set aside a separate, dedicated workspace
Spare Bedroom, Dining Room, Convert the
garage, Wendy house.
12. Equipment needed to work effectively
Fast Internet
Tea / coffee allowance
Cellphone
Does the company pay for……
The right tools for the job
13. Buzz Groups
Do your remote sales
team have everything
they need to be effective
sales people?
14. CRM System
One way to manage your team’s
performance is to have an up to date
CRM System that is 100% completed by
the sales team
15. CRM System
What you need in a CRM System
Lead Management
Flexible Profiles
Email and Marketing
Links to the Accounting Package
Third Party Integration
Sales Forecasting
Reporting and Analytics
Graphical Pipeline
17. Buzz Groups
What CRM system are
you using at the moment?
Do the sales team use it
effectively
18. What is their biggest struggle with
working remotely?
https://lp.buffer.com/state-of-remote-work-2020
19. No more water-cooler conversations
You can’t just walk past for a chat
The family don’t understand
Remote workers feel that they are the
only one suffering from loneliness
It is challenging to mix remote and office
based workers in the same team
Communication and Loneliness
Potential Problems
20. Pair Calls (Virtual Donut Time)
Speak on Zoom/Teams every day
Just checking in
Change the pair each week
Daily Virtual Hangout
Late in the day
Set a time and see who turns up
WhatsApp Group - Share successes
Virtual Coffee / Lunch
Daily Information Bulletin
Communication and Loneliness
21. Switch off Camera Poll
Two truths and a Lie
Virtual Camp Fire
Crazy Facts
Make up a story (Truth or Fiction)
Picture Share
Share your Bucket List (What, where and why)
Communication and Loneliness
22. Buzz Groups
What will you be doing
to improve communication
with your remote sales
team?
26. Stress Symptoms
You find it difficult to concentrate
Simple decisions become big problems
Your thinking becomes muddled
You become edgy and unreasonable
You tire easily
Your eating or sleeping patterns change
You get chest pains
You get high blood pressure
29. Look after yourself first
Develop a routine for work
Eat small, regular, well-balanced meals.
Get plenty of sleep, at least 8 hours per day
Avoid excessive use of nervous system stimulants
like caffeine, Alcohol, Nicotine, Drugs
Schedule household tasks
Exercise every day
Learn to unwind – Book, Music, Ironing (?)
Find a new hobby
Connect with others
Be Positive
Obey the Law
Managing your team’s stress
32. Predictable Dynamics of Change
People feel awkward and self conscious
People will focus on what they have to give up
People will feel alone
People can handle only so much change
People are at different levels of readiness
People will feel they don't have the resources
If you take off the pressure people will revert
to their original behaviour.
35. Individual Assignment
Look at your list of sales
people and decide which
category they are in the
Will/Skill Balance
36. Have a meeting / Tell everybody what to expect / Meet individuals
A B C D
Delegate
& Involve
Train Convince
If not
Negotiate
or Demand
If not
Leave
Continue regular meetings / Manage the Journey
Change Works! Next Change
Chair
Meetings
Regular Meetings
Share Ideas
Discuss Problems
Will / Skill Balance
37. How do leaders convince?
Set a Personal Example
Encourage Participation
Appeal to better instincts
Apply Logical Argument
Negotiate
Demand
Participative
Autocratic
39. Create a Common Goal
Focus on each individual
Create a plan
Reward and recognise
Four Steps to Creating a Team
40. The Bright Side
Much bigger market
More time to focus on the detail
Time saving on your commute
You can achieve more in less time
You can spend quality time with your children
Improved quality of life
Companies also save up to 21% of the labour
costs with half the attrition
Training is more effective for remote sales
people
41. The Power Series Online
Week 1 - Getting New Customers
Week 2 - Selling over the Telephone
Week 3 - Sales Presentations
Week 4 - Handling Objections/Closing the Sale
Week 5 - Sales Negotiation
Week 6 - Key Account Management
Week 7 - 7 Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople
Week 8 - Selling at your Higher Price
Week 9 - Selling Face to Face
Week 10 - Creating Raving Fans