How is the performance of a sales manager assessed? How can a recruiter evaluate a sales manager during an interview? What is considered the result of a sales manager’s work?

Today's labor market realities, on the one hand, inspire us that there are more than enough sales specialists looking for work; on the other hand, a considerable proportion of these specialists, unfortunately, are not effective “sales people.” How to assess the competencies of a sales manager at the interview stage so as not to make a mistake when hiring a key specialist? What are the criteria for evaluating a sales manager? Which What are the main interview questions for a sales manager? Assessing sales managers is an important component of the selection process; let’s consider everything in order.

How to evaluate a sales manager during an interview (questions for a sales manager during an interview)

Let's consider the main criteria that should be carefully planned in assessing sales managers when deciding to hire a sales specialist ( interview for sales managers).

1. Logic of career building

It is also necessary to assess the dynamics of the candidate’s career growth in accordance with age. If a candidate is over 40, and his professional experience includes only positions of specialist managers, without managerial functions, it is worth thinking: why has the candidate not reached a higher career level? Either he did not strive for career growth due to fear of responsibility, or management did not recognize his professional achievements, or he lacked managerial qualities. We cannot exclude the possibility that the candidate is only interested in sales and did not consciously move to a higher level. The last reason should not be confused with the candidate’s rigidity, fear of leaving the “comfort zone” - these are already negative signals when assessing the candidate.

2. Frequency of transitions from Company to Company

It happens that candidates are disingenuous by not voicing the real reasons for leaving; it is quite difficult to verify this. Therefore, it is important to create a trusting atmosphere during the interview. It is not a fact that even after this the candidate will talk about everything in spirit, but the chances that he will be more open will increase significantly.

3. Self-presentation skills

On the other hand, we must not forget that an interview is, as a rule, stressful for the candidate, and therefore he cannot always show off a bright self-presentation.

Therefore, in the process of the candidate’s answers, more attention should be paid to the structure and consistency of the narrative.

Numerous digressions, avoidance of answers, the manner of answering a question with a question, an overly long story filled with numerous details should be considered as negative factors.

4. Company level

This assessment criterion should be considered in three directions:

Number of the Company.

If a candidate has worked in small organizations, it will be difficult for him to integrate into a large structure, since the level of communications, approvals and time frames in solving certain problems differs significantly.

Client level.

Decision makers (decision makers) at different levels are different. If a manager concludes a deal for a million rubles, one circle of people communicates with him, if for 30 million, the circle of people, firstly, expands, and secondly, the level of negotiations becomes more complicated. As a rule, large organizations are focused on tangible financial results and attracting large key customers, so the “sales people” there are stronger and more experienced.

Of course, there are exceptions; in this case, you need to analyze the candidate’s sales volumes within a particular Company.

Company mentality.

Yes, there is such a concept; it includes corporate culture, Company policy, leadership style, workplace organization.

For example, if the previous employer had an “office” system, it will be difficult for the candidate to adapt to the “open-space” format. Or, for example, if a candidate previously had a democratic leader, it will be almost impossible for him to adopt an authoritarian leadership style.

I recently interviewed a candidate who left a large construction company due to the constant use of profanity in communication between colleagues.

Here it is important to provide the candidate with the opportunity to assess his strength: whether he can adapt and accept the “rules of the game” of the new employer. The main thing is to voice all the nuances to the candidate “at the entrance” so that there are no unpleasant surprises for him after he becomes an employee of the Company.

How to understand how adequate a candidate’s self-esteem is? It is important to clarify two points:

1. How much the candidate earned at his previous job.

Perhaps his income was close to the amount indicated on his resume, then there are no questions, everything is quite understandable. Again: if the candidate does not embellish reality.

This can be checked by looking at the vacancies of the Company in which the candidate worked and the level of payment for these vacancies. Or ask the candidate for certificate 2 - personal income tax, if his income at his previous place of work was official.

2. Whatever “fix” would be comfortable for him.

If a candidate names a salary amount that is close to his expected income level, this is a bad indicator. Any sales manager wants to earn money, so he will tie his income to a percentage of sales. Of course, a low level of a fixed amount is not good, but during the interview process it is important to understand whether the candidate is focused on salary or is ready to tie his financial reward to the results achieved.

It is worth noting the following negative factor when assessing a candidate: if a candidate voices the amount of his monthly expenses, this may indicate his immaturity and passive life position.

6. Self-confidence

A true salesperson will never prepare for failure in advance. This can be understood by the questions he asks. If they are of an organizational nature or relate to the specifics of the product, you can breathe easy: the candidate does not feel afraid of the sales process itself.

A candidate who is unsure of his abilities asks “guaranteeing” questions. He asks you whether a customer base is provided, whether you need to make “cold calls”, what will happen if he doesn’t sell, who will teach him the specifics of selling this product - this means that he is either not fully competent or has negative sales experience, and more precisely, “non-sales”.

In a word, if the candidate’s questions come down to external factors and possible failures, it is unlikely that a true salesperson is sitting in front of you.

7. Professional passion

Ask the candidate to describe the most difficult deal they have ever dealt with. He will talk about it in an interesting, “tasty” way; his eyes will sparkle, remembering his recent victory.

Another enthusiastic salesperson, if the conversation is structured correctly on the part of the recruiter, will begin to voice possible options for finding clients, potential markets, and will ask about competitors.

It’s as if he is already working here, he seems to be “trying on” the role of an employee, he already sees the goals set for himself and the ways to achieve them.

8. Mixed reference

We need a golden mean. If, nevertheless, a “skew” can be traced, it is allowed in the direction of internal reference. People with internal reference, as a rule, have leadership qualities, the ability to defend their own position, they are charismatic, stubborn and efficient. All of the above qualities are decisive for a successful sales manager.

9. Sales specifics

It is necessary to find out how the candidate’s professional experience will fit into the specifics of the new Company.

If a candidate worked in consulting, it is not a fact that he will be able to effectively sell engineering equipment. And vice versa. Product and service are psychologically different things. Both for the client and for the sales manager. Quite often, candidates’ resumes contain organizations with different areas of activity. In this case, the risks of ineffective work in a new place are significantly reduced.

Or, if the candidate built distribution, it will be difficult for him to carry out direct sales, since the specifics are significantly different.

You can also note candidates with experience in FMCG (sales representatives working in the “fields”): the level of negotiations in this market is usually quite low.

B2B and B2C sales should not be strictly divided by levels of complexity: interaction with clients occurs at a decent level, in both areas there is an active search for clients, in addition, B2C sales have a relatively recent history, so candidates’ resumes usually include a share of work in B2C sales , is small.

10. Cycle, dynamics and sales volumes

There are different sales cycles, different sales dynamics and, naturally, different sales volumes. All these indicators should be clarified and analyzed during the interview.

For example, in companies providing certification services, the sales cycle can range from 1 to 3 years, from negotiations to payment for services by the client.

A manager who knows how to manage a long sales cycle can easily cope with a short cycle, but the opposite can be more difficult.

In transport companies, sales dynamics are low for the first six months: the client “tests” the contractor to ensure compliance with deadlines and cargo safety, and only after that begins full-fledged cooperation and provides tangible volumes.

Sales dynamics should be taken into account to a greater extent during the sales manager’s adaptation period: you should not set ambitious sales plans from the first month. Sales dynamics have little impact on professional experience.

Sales volumes, I think, do not require explanation, but it is important to understand that if your Company carries out millions of transactions, the decision to hire an employee with experience in selling low-cost products and services is reckless. This is an important point for assessing sales managers.

Firstly, it is psychologically difficult to operate large sums out of habit.

Secondly, let me remind you once again about the level of negotiations: depending on how much the client is willing to part with, the circle of decision-makers changes dramatically and the level of negotiations, accordingly, too.

11. Motivators

A good salesperson's main motivator is money.

We can talk as much as we like about interesting tasks, career prospects, etc.: a sales manager wants to earn money.

He is ready to give his all, stay after work, go on business trips, bring results, but for this he will expect a decent financial reward.

Therefore, it is very important that the Company has an adequate, transparent and understandable motivation system for sales managers.

There are examples when key sales specialists left the Company because they reached the financial “ceiling”: they bring in large clients, but their level of payment remains the same, because the motivation system has a number of conscious or unconscious shortcomings.

On the other hand, there are examples of managers reaching a financial “comfort zone” - a certain psychological “maximum” that is enough for them to live quite comfortably. Such managers, consciously or unconsciously, reduce their activity, switch to process actions and become less effective.

The “ceiling” hinders strong “sales people”; the “comfort zone” reaches the “average”.

Analyze the situation in the sales department and decide what kind of motivation will work for you.

12. Results-oriented

There's nothing scarier than a process-oriented salesperson. They are guided by the principle “if you do something, something will happen.”

They make cold calls honestly, often even more than high-performing managers; send out commercial offers, analyze the customer base, monitor competitors, and write reports.

Such managers, as a rule, have a sufficient number of intermediate results: the client ordered a trial batch, the client requested a commercial proposal, etc. But, most likely, the intermediate results will remain intermediate. The effectiveness of such a specialist will be spontaneous, he will lose clients and disrupt deals, and all because he is not results-oriented.

How to identify an effective manager?

Results-oriented sales managers communicate results in measurable terms. They name numbers, deadlines, remember their clients perfectly, sometimes know more about them than necessary: what kind of cognac Ivan Ivanovich likes, what breed is Svetlana Petrovna’s favorite dog, when is Serafima Sergeevna’s daughter’s birthday.

Non-process-oriented specialists, accordingly, will describe the process: “walked, called, sent,” etc.

13. Decency

Transitions from competitors to competitors should not be assessed positively either. Such an employee is a risk factor for your Company in terms of maintaining confidential information and customer base.

A number of Companies have already abandoned the practice of “poaching” sales specialists, primarily for security reasons, but also for the purpose of complying with business ethics.

14. Effective use of sales tools

We will consider this point in terms of two types of sales specialists:

Managers with an "aspiration" attitude.

Managers with an avoidance attitude.

How to find out the position of a sales manager?

Ask them one simple question: “Do you think cold calling works?”

Managers with a drive attitude will always answer that cold calling works.

They will ask clarifying questions about delivery times, terms for agreeing contracts - in a word, they will focus on quality, efficiency and the level of interaction between the selling and supply departments, so that nothing prevents them from selling and there are no problems with customer satisfaction. They will also be interested in whether they will need to engage in follow-up with the attracted client.

They save their time and work for results, without referring to external circumstances.

Managers with an “avoidance” attitude will say that “cold calling” is a thing of the past; they will ask in detail about discounts, installment plans, and possible problems in interaction with the client.

It is important to be able to identify a candidate’s “avoidance” attitude. For such managers, difficulties have a demotivating effect. Prices for products have increased, negotiations have gone wrong, the client has been rude - and he already gives up, the manager sighs and complains about injustice, while often taking an accusing position.

The avoidance position is manifested in the candidate’s concentration on negative experiences, in voicing external circumstances that prevented him from performing certain tasks.

Ask Interview questions for a sales manager! We wish you effective evaluation of sales managers and clear criteria for evaluating sales managers!

In conditions of fierce market competition, the most pressing issue for company managers is to increase sales. This problem can be solved by developing innovative ways to stimulate and motivate personnel, as well as methods for assessing the effectiveness of their activities. The last factor is given special attention today.

Organization of activities

A sales manager is a significant figure in any company. It is this specialist who ensures the financial well-being of the organization. Its main task is to optimize sales volume.

The employee’s efforts are aimed at attracting potential clients and maintaining the interest of real buyers. The main functions are negotiations with consumers, concluding contracts with them.

Efficiency mark

The choice of approaches to analyzing the performance of the sales department depends on the financial capabilities of the organization, the nature of the relationships within it, and the quality of department management.

Stages

1. Analysis of the current situation.

Comparison of sales level indicators for a certain period with the establishment of factors influencing its fluctuations. External factors for reducing sales include:

seasonal drop in demand for goods;
image losses of the company;
increased market competition;
financial, economic and political crises.

Internal factors reducing work efficiency may be the following:

shortage of personnel or inappropriate reshuffling;
reduction in product quality and/or service level;
errors in the department's development strategy;
lack of funds intended for advertising purposes;
interpersonal conflicts within the organization;
ineffective system of motivation or incentives for employees;
low level of specialist competencies;
difficulties encountered during the sale of goods.

2. Determination of the relationship between the total sales volume and the professionalism of managers.

3. Identification of the competent level of each manager and employee.

4. Development of new ways to improve the professional literacy of salespeople.

5. Personnel training, increasing the productivity of business processes

Methods

The range of tools for assessing the work of salespeople is quite wide. Let's highlight the most effective of them:

Intra-organizational observation - analysis of recorded telephone conversations with potential clients, attending negotiations, testing and questioning of employees, customer surveys.
Operation “Mystery Client” is the introduction into the work environment of a specially trained person who acts as a buyer, determining the level of professional compliance of the manager.
The “360 degree” method is the provision of information about the behavior of a specialist in a real business process by all its participants: clients, colleagues, managers.
A business case is a problem with several unknowns that is as close as possible to a typical work situation.
Methodology for automated assessment of key performance indicators (KPI).

Criteria

These indicators are usually divided into three groups:

Performance indicators:
— actual sales volume/gross profit, their share of planned indicators;
— active customer base/daily number of calls/number of new and lost customers;
— quality of activities with receivables.
Criteria for assessing personal characteristics:
— activity;
— creativity;
- responsibility;
— diligence;
— initiative;
— flexibility;
- communication skills;
- ambitiousness.
Indicators for assessing professional skills:
- ability to learn and make decisions
- persuasive skills;
— success of presentations and negotiations;
— customer focus.

Assessment center

This comprehensive methodology is recognized as the most in-depth, as it allows you to evaluate not only the manager’s current successes, but also his potential.

The assessment center includes employee testing and business games. They are entrusted to professional business trainers.

Based on the results of a set of assessment activities, a detailed report is drawn up, reflecting the effectiveness of the entire team and each employee individually. Based on these data, the division manager draws up strategic planning for the development of the sales department.

TO The criteria for evaluating managers allow the organization to determine the degree to which managers are suitable for the position, the degree to which strategic and tactical goals are achieved and the specific tasks that employees face.

IN All criteria for evaluating managers can be divided into three groups:

1. Criteria for assessing performance effectiveness

2. Criteria for assessing personal qualities

3. Criteria for assessing professional qualities.

The first group of criteria - Criteria for assessing the effectiveness of activities

TO criteria for assessing performance are metrics, indicators that help assess the quality of work of sales managers, the productivity and efficiency of the manager, correlate actual results with planned ones and determine how quickly the organization is approaching its goal through these labor resources.

TO I propose to divide the criteria for assessing the effectiveness of activities, in turn, into three categories:

Criteria for assessing the performance of a manager;
Criteria for assessing the quality of work with clients;
Criteria for assessing the quality of work with receivables.

R Let's take a closer look at each category.

1. Criteria for assessing the manager’s performance:

Sales volume (income/revenue).
The share of actual sales volume from planned sales volume.
Gross profit (income minus expenses).
The share of actual gross profit from planned gross profit.

2. Criteria for assessing the quality of work with clients.

TO criteria for assessing the quality of work with clients are needed in order to determine how well the manager works with clients, and, if the quality leaves much to be desired, to identify the manager’s mistakes and determine at what stages of work the main difficulties arise.

Active customer base.
Number of new clients.
Number of repeat applications.
Number of lost clients.
Number of calls per day.
Number of cross-selling.
Duration of one sales cycle (from the first call to the conclusion of the deal).
Average transaction amount.

3. Criteria for assessing the quality of work with receivables.

D These criteria help to assess how well the manager works with accounts receivable (can he prevent it, does he work to pay debts, etc.):

Number of invoices issued.
Number of invoices with late payment.
Share of invoices with a delay from the total number of issued invoices.
Average debt amount.
The share of the amount owed from total income.
Number of customers with late payments.

D To improve the efficiency of sales personnel management, it is necessary to collect information on each criterion, conduct an analysis, identify patterns, draw conclusions on the basis of which management decisions are made, draw up an action plan and implement the plan.

The evaluation table is a tool that helps to find strengths and weaknesses in the work of sales managers. It shows what skills managers need to work on.

We have prepared a rating table template that you can use yourself. To ensure that managers’ assessments are objective, first adapt the template to your sales cycle, and only then put it into operation. We tell you how to do this.

Define call evaluation criteria

Call evaluation criteria help evaluate all managers from the sales department equally. This makes the assessment objective and allows you to compare the results of different managers with each other.

There are currently 18 criteria in the template, ideally there should be 30–40

In the template, we use broad evaluation criteria: for example, fluency of speech, absence of pauses, handling of objections. They allow you to evaluate any conversation. However, they have a disadvantage: they give too general an assessment. That is, you will see problems that can arise in any sales department, but some specific to your department will not.

To ensure that the assessment is specific, we refine the assessment criteria on each new project. They depend on the characteristics of the product and the sales cycle.

Assessment based on general criteria

Assessment based on specific criteria

The more specific and detailed the criteria, the closer the assessment is to the truth, so we recommend modifying the criteria from our template to suit your sales cycle.

To highlight specific criteria on client projects, we proceed as follows:

We listen to managers' calls, to study their tactics.

We listen to a sample of calls to see what stages of sales managers go through in a conversation with a client, what questions they ask, what they answer, how they present the product, where they make mistakes and where they do everything right. For example:

Metal in the body is a serious contraindication for MRI, so the manager must warn the client about this during the conversation. If the manager does not do this, he may make an appointment for a person with metal in his body. This is a serious mistake, because the doctor will send such a patient home, and he will leave angry. To make sure managers don't make this mistake, we add a "Specify contraindications" criterion to the table.

Sometimes we brainstorm: together we break down a few good conversations step by step. This is how we find techniques that would help improve an already good conversation.

To see how fatigue affects call quality, we listen to each manager's morning, afternoon, and evening calls.

We interview the head of the sales department and the owner, to find systematic errors that are not obvious after wiretapping conversations. For example:

Managers at the clinic should clarify whether clients have contraindications to the procedures. If none of the managers asks about contraindications, then after listening to calls we will never know that they should do this. It turns out that managers are making a grave mistake, but we are not aware of it.

Together with the head of the sales department, we analyze several calls: we ask how they would answer the client’s questions, what they would do differently, and what the manager did wrong. This helps to find hidden errors.

We study the company website and internal training materials, to find what both managers and executives are missing. We can say that we are playing it safe just in case. For example:

On one of the projects, we learned that the company works only with legal entities from internal instructions. In calls with managers and in conversations with executives, this topic somehow did not come up, but internal documents helped.

Most often we pay attention to the questions and answers section on the website and the company’s internal instructions. Usually there is information there that helps resolve customer objections.

We repeat the whole process again several times, to make the criteria more precise.

It will not be possible to collect a sufficiently detailed list of criteria at one time. On projects, we first modify the table, use it for some time, and then modify it again using the same algorithm.

Present the criteria in a table

Formalizing the criteria means that they need to be formulated, deciphered and grouped according to meaning. This helps specialists evaluate them correctly, and managers quickly navigate the table.

Formulation and decoding criteria directly affect the quality of the assessment. If a specialist misunderstands the essence of a criterion, he can evaluate it in any way he likes. This assessment cannot be trusted:

The table always contains the criterion “Treatment by name”. If it is not deciphered, one specialist will understand it as “find out the client’s name,” and another will understand it as “address him by name several times during a conversation.” As a result, different specialists will have different assessments of the same criterion.

We try to describe each criterion in as much detail as possible so that experts know what assessment and under what conditions to give.

The transcript describes in detail in which situations what score should be given

Order of criteria in the table is not accidental: they repeat the steps of the sale - as the stages of the conversation go, so do the blocks in the table. It is more convenient to fill out the table in this order.

In our template, we divided the criteria into five blocks: quality of conversation, identifying a need, presentation, handling objections, and closing the deal. We chose these blocks because they follow the sales steps and are universal for any conversation. Depending on the project, we may add other blocks. For example, dialogue structure, promotions and customer focus.

Dividing the criteria into blocks does not affect the assessment itself, but helps to quickly navigate the table. For example, if you need to see in general how successfully a manager closes a deal, or quickly find some specific criterion in the table.

In the template, these blocks are designed like this:

Fill out the evaluation table

Evaluation criteria and points for their implementation are the basis of the entire table. They show the strengths and weaknesses of managers.

When the criteria are determined, we proceed to filling out the evaluation table.

We divide the table into four blocks: technical fields, rated fields, unrated fields and comments. This makes it easier to work with.

In technical fields specialists record the call parameters: date, time and duration of the call, type of call, type of client and the name of the manager who made the call.

Call parameters are needed to sort calls and find them in the PBX. The simplest example: if you do not write down the names of managers, you cannot understand who has what grades.

Each cell needs to set its own data format and always follow it. This will help keep all data in a single form

In the fields with rating specialists assign points according to the criteria, and then use formulas to calculate the final grades.

For each criterion, we write a note with a transcript so that quality control specialists can quickly see how to evaluate the criterion

We put the points like this:

If the criterion is met, set “1”;
If not completed, set “0”;
If completed, but not completely, set “0.5”. For example, if the manager asked the client’s name at the beginning of the conversation, but did not use it again, the “corporate standard greeting” criterion was not fully met;
If there was no situation in the conversation where the manager could fulfill the criterion, leave the field blank. For example, if the client did not have any objections during the conversation, the criterion “working through objections” is not assessed.

The final grades are calculated automatically using the formula =SUM()/COUNTA().

To calculate the final grades, the formula =SUM()/COUNTA() must be set in each of these columns, and the range of cells must be specified in parentheses

In fields without rating we record details from conversations that are important for analysis but are not measured in scores. What these details will be depends on the specifics of the project.

If, due to the specifics of the project, it is impossible to complete the sale over the phone, we change the column “Sale completed” to “Meeting scheduled in the office.” It depends on the target action of the call

Most often in the unrated fields we note:

Did the sale take place as a result of the conversation? This is how we evaluate the performance of each manager.
Has the client left his contact so that he can be contacted? This shows how well managers retain a client if they cannot close the deal right away.
The type of objection that the client has. This is how we find popular objections and train managers to work with them.
Questions asked by the client. This way we see what is unclear to clients, and, accordingly, we can modify the advertisement, website or scripts.

It is important that specialists fill out ungraded fields in a consistent format. If you write the same price objection differently, for example, “price” and “expensive,” the table will count them as two different ones.

In the table, the price objection is written differently: “price” and “expensive”

In order for the table to correctly understand the comments, you need to adhere to a single format: either always write “price”, or always write “expensive”.

Now the price objection is written in a single form

To prevent specialists from getting confused, we set up drop-down lists. Then it will be more convenient for them and there will be fewer mistakes.

If a client has an objection that is not on the list, you can always add it

In comments we describe how the conversation went, what the manager did well and what he did wrong. This information will help the head of the sales department quickly understand the essence of the conversation without listening to it. The more detailed the comment, the faster the manager reacts to the same mistakes made by managers.

When leaving comments, inexperienced specialists often make the same mistake: they retell the call. It is not right. In the comment you need to describe the manager’s mistakes and support them with examples directly from the call.

The “pros” of the call are described poorly, because they simply retell the call, while the “cons,” on the contrary, are well described

After filling out the sheet with the table looks like this:

Analyze the work of sales managers

We use pivot tables to analyze the performance of managers. They automatically collect information from the ratings table and group it into several separate tables according to different parameters: for example, by date or type of clients. Pivot tables clearly reflect the work of the sales department.

Our template has six pivot tables. It's possible that not all of them will be useful to you, so you can remove or add what you need. It all depends on the project.

For example, the clinic needs to monitor which contraindications are most often encountered among clients. Their quality control specialists will add a “contraindications” criterion to the evaluation table, and a table for this criterion to the summary tables.

Here are the tables in our template:

Summary table “Call quality ratings for the week” shows the overall picture: how the manager copes in general and at what sales step he may have problems.

Using assessments for blocks of conversation, you can understand why exactly the effectiveness of the entire conversation is reduced

In this table, the manager looks at the final scores as a whole or for specific stages of the conversation. For example, manager Ekaterina is generally doing a good job: her final score is 77 %. However, she has minor problems with quality of communication and presentation. Therefore, the manager should look for problems in this block.

"Evaluation based on criteria" shows how managers perform against each criterion.

The average score for each criterion makes the assessment overly detailed, but sometimes this is the only way to find subtle problems

In this table, the manager sees the average scores for each criterion. In our example, it is clear that the manager Vasily speaks illiterately and allows long pauses in the conversation. Thanks to the table, the manager immediately understands what Vasily needs to work on.

"Dynamics of ratings" shows the progress of managers: how quickly they learn and whether they learn at all.

Thanks to the colors, it’s immediately clear that manager Vasily’s results are growing

Ideally, sales managers check in with sales managers on a weekly basis about their mistakes. They can do this personally or, for example, conduct group workshops.

The table shows whether such training helps. If so, then managers' results will increase every week. In our example, we can see that manager Vasily’s results increased in two weeks from 29% to 67% - which means the training helped.

“Contacts of departed clients” shows whether managers remember to clarify contacts with customers who do not want to immediately buy the product.

If the manager clarified the contact, but the client refused, the manager is not to blame, he completed his task

If the client called himself, found out the necessary information and takes time to think, the manager should ask him for his phone number or email. This is necessary to remind the client about yourself after a while. This table shows which of the managers clarified the client’s contacts and how successful they were.

"Number of actual sales out of possible" shows how many deals the manager could have closed and how many actually closed.

The table counts not only the number of sales, but the number of any other targeted call actions. For example, you can use it to track the number of appointments made in the office

If the call is targeted, this is a possible sale. All that is needed is to carry it out correctly, so success depends on the actions of the manager. This table shows how many opportunities managers had and how many of them were able to complete the sale. In our example, problems are visible in two managers - Vasily and Olga, because they did not close a single target transaction.

“Number of objections raised and resolved” shows how successfully managers deal with customer objections.

If the manager’s name is not in the table, then his clients did not have any objections during the conversation

During the conversation, the client may not be satisfied with something: the price, delivery time or quality of the product. These are all objections. To complete the deal, the manager must work them out. The table shows how successfully managers cope with this.

Other Pivot Tables you need to do it individually for your project. For example, a company cannot close a deal during a call, so you need to schedule a meeting in the office. Then a table will come in handy, which shows how many times managers offered to make an appointment and how many clients agreed to come.

Unfortunately, we cannot tell in one article how to set up such tables from scratch. In short, you need to completely fill out the evaluation table itself, and then create several pivot tables based on it with different parameters.

Quality control in the sales department We will help you find and correct errors in the work of sales managers or call center operators

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How to assess the competencies of a sales manager at the interview stage so as not to make a mistake when hiring a key specialist?

Today's labor market realities, on the one hand, inspire us that there are more than enough sales specialists looking for work; on the other hand, a considerable proportion of these specialists, unfortunately, are not effective “sales people.” How to assess the competencies of a sales manager at the interview stage so as not to make a mistake when hiring a key specialist? Let's look at the main criteria that should be carefully assessed when deciding to hire a sales specialist.

1. Logic of career building

Even at the resume assessment stage, it is necessary to analyze the candidate’s professional experience. If a candidate moved from sales to process activities (financial management, engineering, technical support, etc.), it is quite possible that his “sales” competencies are very weak, or he is not sufficiently motivated to work in sales, or, perhaps, process-oriented, which is unacceptable for an effective sales manager. It is necessary to find out the reasons for such dramatic changes in his career and draw the right conclusions. It is also necessary to assess the dynamics of the candidate’s career growth in accordance with age. If a candidate is over 40, and his professional experience includes only positions of specialist managers, without managerial functions, it is worth thinking: why has the candidate not reached a higher career level? Either he did not strive for career growth due to fear of responsibility, or management did not recognize his professional achievements, or he lacked managerial qualities. We cannot exclude the possibility that the candidate is only interested in sales and did not consciously move to a higher level. The last reason should not be confused with the candidate’s rigidity, fear of leaving the “comfort zone” - these are already negative signals when assessing the candidate.

2. Frequency of transitions from Company to Company

For a sales manager, in my opinion, a discount should be made when assessing his stability from the point of view of choosing an employer. As a rule, a good “sales person” is motivated by money, but, unfortunately, the motivation system for the sales department is not always transparent, understandable and fair. In conditions of inadequate motivation, a sales manager “burns out,” as a rule, after a year of work. There may be other objective reasons for changing employers, so it is important to thoroughly find out why the candidate changed jobs. It happens that candidates are disingenuous by not voicing the real reasons for leaving; it is quite difficult to verify this. Therefore, it is important to create a trusting atmosphere during the interview. It is not a fact that even after this the candidate will talk about everything in spirit, but the chances that he will be more open will increase significantly.

3. Self-presentation skills

This issue requires careful and comprehensive consideration. On the one hand, if a candidate can position himself competently, this is certainly a plus. But it is necessary to understand that the candidate could simply carefully prepare for the interview, or attend a sufficient number of them, before coming to you. In this case, an experienced recruiter will hear “memorized phrases”; they, as a rule, are difficult to integrate into the structure of the narrative when the interview is carried out competently by the recruiter. On the other hand, we must not forget that an interview is usually stressful for the candidate, and therefore he cannot always show off a bright self-presentation. Therefore, in the process of the candidate’s answers, more attention should be paid to the structure and consistency of the narrative. Numerous digressions, avoidance of answers, the manner of answering a question with a question, an overly long story filled with numerous details should be considered as negative factors.

4. Company level

This assessment criterion should be considered in three directions:

Number of the Company. If a candidate has worked in small organizations, it will be difficult for him to integrate into a large structure, since the level of communications, approvals and time frames in solving certain problems differs significantly.

Client level. Decision makers (decision makers) at different levels are different. If a manager concludes a deal for a million rubles, one circle of people communicates with him, if for 30 million, the circle of people, firstly, expands, and secondly, the level of negotiations becomes more complicated. As a rule, large organizations are focused on tangible financial results and attracting large key customers, so the “sales people” there are stronger and more experienced. Of course, there are exceptions; in this case, you need to analyze the candidate’s sales volumes within a particular Company.

Company mentality. Yes, there is such a concept; it includes corporate culture, Company policy, leadership style, workplace organization. For example, if the previous employer had an “office” system, it will be difficult for the candidate to adapt to the “open-space” format. Or, for example, if a candidate previously had a democratic leader, it will be almost impossible for him to adopt an authoritarian leadership style. I recently interviewed a candidate who left a large construction company due to the constant use of profanity in communication between colleagues. Here it is important to provide the candidate with the opportunity to assess his strength: whether he can adapt and accept the “rules of the game” of the new employer. The main thing is to voice all the nuances to the candidate “at the entrance” so that there are no unpleasant surprises for him after he becomes an employee of the Company.

5. Adequate self-esteem

Basically, this criterion is expressed in the cost of the candidate, in the level of his salary expectations. If a sales manager wants to earn 35 thousand rubles, then he is not a sales manager. If a sales manager expects a monthly financial remuneration of 300 thousand rubles, he is either a good sales manager or an inadequate person. How to understand how adequate a candidate’s self-esteem is? It is important to find out two points: 1. How much the candidate earned at his previous job. Perhaps his income was close to the amount indicated on his resume, then there are no questions, everything is quite understandable. Again: if the candidate does not embellish reality. This can be checked by looking at the vacancies of the Company in which the candidate worked and the level of payment for these vacancies. Or ask the candidate for certificate 2 - personal income tax, if his income at his previous place of work was official. 2. Whatever “fix” would be comfortable for him. If a candidate names a salary that is close to his expected income level, this is a bad indicator. Any sales manager wants to earn money, so he will tie his income to a percentage of sales. Of course, a low level of a fixed amount is not good, but during the interview process it is important to understand whether the candidate is focused on salary or is ready to tie his financial reward to the results achieved. It is worth noting the following negative factor when assessing a candidate: if a candidate voices the amount of his monthly expenses, this may indicate his immaturity and passive life position.

6. Self-confidence

A successful salesperson is full of self-confidence. He has sold, sells and will sell, he, as a rule, has no negative sales experience, he is ready to cope with any non-standard situation, he has everything that is necessary for effective sales. A true salesperson will never prepare for failure in advance. This can be understood by the questions he asks. If they are of an organizational nature or relate to the specifics of the product, you can breathe easy: the candidate does not feel afraid of the sales process itself. A candidate who is unsure of his abilities asks “guaranteeing” questions. He asks you whether a customer base is available, whether you need to make “cold calls”, what will happen if he doesn’t sell, who will teach him the specifics of selling this product - this means that he is either not fully competent or has negative sales experience, and more precisely, “non-sales”. In a word, if the candidate’s questions come down to external factors and possible failures, it is unlikely that a true salesperson is sitting in front of you.

7. Excitement

Ask the candidate to describe the most difficult deal they have ever dealt with. He will talk about it in an interesting, “tasty” way; his eyes will sparkle, remembering his recent victory. Another enthusiastic salesperson, if the conversation is structured correctly on the part of the recruiter, will begin to voice possible options for finding clients, potential markets, and will ask about competitors. It’s as if he is already working here, he seems to be “trying on” the role of an employee, he already sees the goals set for himself and the ways to achieve them.

8. Mixed reference

As we all know, internal reference is important for managers, external reference is important for performers. For a sales manager, a “skew” in one direction or another can have negative consequences for sales. If the reference is internal, he may not have enough flexibility when interacting with the client, and he will not always easily accept management decisions. If external reference predominates, he will not be able to “press” the client, will follow his lead, will not be able to express his position or enter into a constructive discussion. We need a golden mean. If, nevertheless, a “skew” can be traced, it is allowed in the direction of internal reference. People with internal reference, as a rule, have leadership qualities, the ability to defend their own position, they are charismatic, stubborn and efficient. All of the above qualities are decisive for a successful sales manager.

9. Sales specifics

It is necessary to find out how the candidate’s professional experience will fit into the specifics of the new Company. If a candidate worked in consulting, it is not a fact that he will be able to effectively sell engineering equipment. And vice versa. Product and service are psychologically different things. Both for the client and for the sales manager. Quite often, candidates’ resumes contain organizations with different areas of activity. In this case, the risks of ineffective work in a new place are significantly reduced. Or, if the candidate built distribution, it will be difficult for him to carry out direct sales, since the specifics are significantly different. You can also note candidates with experience in FMCG (sales representatives working in the “fields”): the level of negotiations in this market is usually quite low. B2B and B2C sales should not be strictly divided by levels of complexity: interaction with clients occurs at a decent level, in both areas there is an active search for clients, in addition, B2C sales have a relatively recent history, so candidates’ resumes usually include a share of work in B2C sales , is small.

10. Cycle, dynamics and sales volumes

There are different sales cycles, different sales dynamics and, naturally, different sales volumes. All these indicators should be clarified and analyzed during the interview. For example, in companies providing certification services, the sales cycle can range from 1 to 3 years, from negotiations to payment for services by the client. A manager who knows how to manage a long sales cycle can easily cope with a short cycle, but the opposite can be more difficult. In transport companies, sales dynamics are low for the first six months: the client “tests” the contractor to ensure compliance with deadlines and cargo safety, and only after that begins full-fledged cooperation and provides tangible volumes. Sales dynamics should be taken into account to a greater extent during the sales manager’s adaptation period: you should not set ambitious sales plans from the first month. Sales dynamics have little impact on professional experience. Sales volumes, I think, do not require explanation, but it is important to understand that if your Company carries out millions of transactions, the decision to hire an employee with experience in selling low-cost products and services is reckless. Firstly, it is psychologically difficult to operate large sums out of habit. Secondly, let me remind you once again about the level of negotiations: depending on how much the client is willing to part with, the circle of decision-makers changes dramatically and the level of negotiations, accordingly, too.

11. Motivators

A good salesperson's main motivator is money. We can talk as much as we like about interesting tasks, career prospects, etc.: a sales manager wants to earn money. He is ready to give his all, stay after work, go on business trips, bring results, but for this he will expect a decent financial reward. Therefore, it is very important that the Company has an adequate, transparent and understandable motivation system for sales managers. There are examples when key sales specialists left the Company because they reached the financial “ceiling”: they bring in large clients, but their level of payment remains the same, because the motivation system has a number of conscious or unconscious shortcomings. On the other hand, there are examples of managers reaching a financial “comfort zone” - a certain psychological “maximum” that is enough for them to live quite comfortably. Such managers, consciously or unconsciously, reduce their activity, switch to process actions and become less effective. The “ceiling” hinders strong “sales people”; the “comfort zone” reaches the “average”. Analyze the situation in the sales department and decide what kind of motivation will work for you.

12. Results-oriented

There's nothing scarier than a process-oriented salesperson. They are guided by the principle “if something is done, something will happen.” They make cold calls honestly, often even more than high-performing managers; send out commercial offers, analyze the customer base, monitor competitors, and write reports. Such managers, as a rule, have a sufficient number of intermediate results: the client ordered a trial batch, the client requested a commercial proposal, etc. But, most likely, the intermediate results will remain intermediate. The effectiveness of such a specialist will be spontaneous, he will lose clients and disrupt deals, and all because he is not results-oriented. How to identify an effective manager? Results-oriented sales managers communicate results in measurable terms. They name numbers, deadlines, remember their clients perfectly, sometimes know more about them than necessary: what kind of cognac Ivan Ivanovich likes, what breed is Svetlana Petrovna’s favorite dog, when is Serafima Sergeevna’s daughter’s birthday. Non-process-oriented specialists, accordingly, will describe the process: “walked, called, sent,” etc.

13. Decency

If a candidate for a sales “manager” vacancy solemnly tells you that he has a customer base, do not rush to rejoice. This speaks primarily of his dishonesty towards past employers. He was selling the Company's services, not his own? And when he left, he “took” his portfolio of clients with him. We all have a certain pattern of behavior in certain situations. Think about it: are you facing the same fate that befell your previous employer? Transitions from competitors to competitors should not be assessed positively either. Such an employee is a risk factor for your Company in terms of maintaining confidential information and customer base. A number of Companies have already abandoned the practice of “poaching” sales specialists, primarily for security reasons, but also for the purpose of complying with business ethics.

14. Using sales tools

We will consider this point in the light of two types of sales specialists: Managers with the “aspiration” position. Managers with an avoidance attitude. How to find out the position of a sales manager? Ask them one simple question: “Do you think cold calling works?” Managers with a drive attitude will always answer that cold calling works. They will ask clarifying questions about delivery times, terms for agreeing contracts - in a word, they will focus on quality, efficiency and the level of interaction between the selling and supply departments, so that nothing prevents them from selling and there are no problems with customer satisfaction. They will also be interested in whether they will need to engage in follow-up with the attracted client. They save their time and work for results, without referring to external circumstances. Managers with an “avoidance” attitude will say that “cold calling” is a thing of the past; they will ask in detail about discounts, installment plans, and possible problems in interaction with the client. It is important to be able to identify a candidate’s “avoidance” attitude. For such managers, difficulties have a demotivating effect. Prices for products have increased, negotiations have gone wrong, the client has been rude - and he already gives up, the manager sighs and complains about injustice, while often taking an accusing position. The avoidance position is manifested in the candidate’s concentration on negative experiences, in voicing external circumstances that prevented him from performing certain tasks.