How is it that some people embrace change so willingly and use it to launch and maintain success while others seem to run from it and refuse to implement it? I’m always amazed how long someone will tread the same path over and over without the slightest consideration that the path may need repaving or must head in a completely new direction to be able to attract and maintain high traffic.
Let’s face it; business owners are not timid when sales are rolling in. It’s probably their expert plan and leadership that is driving the results. When sales are slow or less than desirable, it’s someone else’s fault! Do I hear an Amen! And who will get the ax if sales doesn’t improve? A strong contributor to weak sales can be the failure of a company to re-engineer its path and change direction as necessary.
What brought you to the dance and what used to work doesn’t mean it will work today. No one person has all the answers. Therefore, most business owners would benefit from strong leadership and expertise to help them design and guide ongoing transformation. What’s most important: sales results! If your sales results are less than desirable and you’re out of ideas, you need to find someone smart.
Often, when things aren’t going well, some business owners wait way too long to reach out for help. When asked why, their reasons might surprise you as many share a prideful, stubborn or arrogant position. Why is it they ask their customers to continually update to new technology solutions, while they themselves sit in the same ole dream, year after year, without adopting healthy transformation strategies? No matter how successful you are, in most cases implementing an effective transformation strategy will take you well beyond where you are today. Some dealers will share certain problems (usually high cost concerns) with their manufacturer and others gather their colleagues and powwow to seek solutions to common concerns, but many do nothing at all. Our saying for that in Texas is, “You look like a cow staring at a new gate!” A cow that walks the same path every single day will be frozen in a stare when a new gate is installed; they know that there’s something different, but they don’t know what it is and more than likely they’re afraid of it.
How often is it that you’re able to find someone who really understands your challenges, and can deliver insightful, valuable solutions specifically designed for you? Yes, manufacturers do care that you are healthy, wealthy, and wise, but their business model is paramount over yours. They move boxes every month and to be in their favor, you must be moving your share. Other dealers may share how they’ve worked through similar problems to yours, but there are so many factors and differences from one dealership to another. Often what’s good for one doesn’t fit another. When transformation, change or improvement is what you’re really after, you must find an expert who can focus on improving YOUR COMPANY, YOUR PROCESSES, YOUR PROFITS with no other influences or ulterior motives.
Another popular phrase I hear from troubled dealers is, “We’re working on transforming and rebranding our company, we will get with you as soon as we finish that!” These are the words of someone who doesn’t understand where to inject a business sales consultant into a change or transformation program. I sometimes think it might as well be said this way:
“As soon as we redesign our current plan that doesn’t work, to a new plan that won’t work, we’ll call you to help us launch, implement and assume responsibility for our new plan!”
What can I say?
A great consultant will bring worlds of experience to deliver the high quality expertise needed to mitigate the risks or challenges you face while providing the shortest path to repair or success.
Serious problems really need the right fix, RIGHT NOW. As quickly as possible, they need an expert diagnosis to address and STOP what is harming the business, while the proper plan is developed. The initial diagnosis and discoveries often are very telling as to what the real problems are and to the skill level of the current leadership.
Many businesses have ignored things for so long that a turnaround may take more than a year, if it’s possible at all. Often their perception is that hiring a consultant is expensive, so they may not see that as an option. Others believe their problems are so unique, there’s no way an outsider could understand. I suggest to you, in most cases, a consultant will be less expensive than letting problems run their course. It’s very probable that your issues are not unique. If you hire the right help, an experienced consultant can diagnose and implement a great solution, in much less time than most business owners could.
Some business owners believe they’re too big to fail, but the larger the business, the larger the payroll, so it really doesn’t matter what size you are. Stressed and sluggish sales exist in companies of all sizes. It’s more than healthy to get outside advice so don’t wait until things are on the rocks or so late you can’t afford it.
Advancing your company’s value and implementing change is what great business owners have always done and continually do. When you do engage a consultant be clear in what you want and then be willing to implement the changes that align with your ultimate goals. Amazingly, the very people who hire a consultant often become the strongest opponents to recommended changes. It’s typically because the Dealer Principal is the creator of everything that exists today. Letting someone from the outside suggest changes to “their baby” can be difficult. For some, this is hard to swallow and may not always be welcome and at times may result in a significant battle to stop the bleeding. Surprisingly, many people refuse to implement proven practice programs.
Have you ever watched the TV show where bar owners engage a very successful bar and business consultant to help their failing business? When the consultant points out all of the key areas where they’re going wrong, their pride and emotions often keep them from applying the necessary changes and they refuse to accept his help or implement his suggestions. It’s only until they engage in heated, face-to-face exchanges do they realize that the consultant is right and they are wrong. Then the mending process begins as they start to implement his proven processes and best practices.
It’s not uncommon for a consultant to discover that the dealer’s greatest failure point is the dealer themselves. Like in the TV show, consultants find themselves in a power struggle hearing all of the reasons why things shouldn’t change, even while the business continues to fail.
I do understand the emotion that surrounds change, as you can imagine the leaders of each company have devoted their entire lives to their business. However, being the author of the current mess (if it is a mess) doesn’t eliminate the harm that one might be doing by rejecting outside advice and not fixing what’s wrong. In business and sales I see good and bad in multiples and just like a doctor during flu season, when someone is complaining of chills, fever, and stomach issues, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to know that you probably have the flu! It’s the same in business; I get to see all of the weak and achy sales results and the great news is you can be healed. It will take more than just an aspirin and it will probably take some time to recuperate. But the prognosis is good!
I’ve seen so many sales challenges over and over that are common from companies within our industry. Although these challenges may seem overwhelming at times, just like the flu doctor, there are remedies and/or strategies already built to eliminate just about any negative effect they may cause. On almost every issue when driving sales excellence, there is an answer; you just have to be willing to seek expert advice.
Are you your own worst enemy when it comes to change? Let’s review just a few of the situations I continually encounter and the repair for each. As you can imagine, there are many paths to restoration; however, these cases and their specific repair fit the owner’s business objectives. I welcome you to compare these to possible challenges you may be experiencing.
- One of the most popular situations for “failure to change” is when neither the business owner nor sales leader knows how to manage sales well. These are often the guys who started the business and are probably better at individual sales than they are in a sales leadership role. This is a simple fix: if you don’t have the proper sales leadership talent in-house, hire it and get things rolling.
- Very often I see dealer principals who don’t empower the sales leader with the appropriate authority. This almost always invites end-around conversations, (sales rep to the owner bypassing the sales leader). This is usually a sign of one of two things: either the company isn’t ready for the sales leader role to be put into place, or the dealer principal has put an under-qualified person in the job of sales leader. Either way, this is not good. If the timing and sales leadership is right, you must enforce the chain of command. Failing to change this situation undermines the sales leader’s authority and makes it impossible for them to be seen as someone to be taken seriously. Install the right sales leader and empower them to succeed.
- Recently, a Dealer Principal told me, “My comp plan for the sales reps isn’t really right, so next year I’m going to change it!” REALLY?! FIX IT NOW and don’t let an incorrect comp plan ruin the rest of your year. No matter how much you sell, a comp plan that isn’t right will never sell what it could! Don’t be stingy—creating the right comp plan creates excitement and momentum and should promote the behavior you need to drive sustainable opportunity. If your comp plan doesn’t generate enthusiasm and success, you should change it now.
- Here’s one I love, when the Dealer Principal or Sales Leader says, “The reps know what they need to do, so they just need to get out there and do it!” This is absolutely caused by lack of leadership. Sales reps need and deserve effective instruction and leadership. Tell them what you want and why you want it and then lead them to success.
- As companies maintain their course, a serious area lacking change is their website. Recently my marketing team pulled up 50 websites from the industry and we found that over 35 of them looked like they hadn’t been updated since the day they were created. Many of the links didn’t work, spelling and grammar were incorrect and most of the 35 were seriously less than competitive. If you want to lose business without trying, let your website be stale and outdated. Your website should be superior and inviting, and your home page should speak directly to your number one target. Present your company as the leader in the industry.
- Killing business with an elephant. It’s no surprise that every dealer wants to win large deals. Most recently, I worked with a dealer who landed an account so large that the install took all hands on deck, even the sales team. Although they chalked it up as a fantastic win, it may have created a giant loss. The fact is, it required everyone in the company to get the install done and starved sales activity for 9 months. Ultimately, with no other sales on the board, and using every ounce of cash and credit to put the deal together, they worked themselves into a position where they were out of money and out of time. I get two or three calls a month where a large client is wanting out of a deal because the dealer isn’t capable of delivering the necessary support that they need. The SLAs associated with these larger deals can be so demanding it can stretch your organization way too thin and injure your reputation with that account and many others. As you build your market strategy, build it on realistic and obtainable goals and no matter how nice a deal looks, be sure that it’s REALLY a good deal for your company.Any company that wants to lead their marketplace in the office technology industry must adopt a healthy “change” policy. Your ability to right the wrongs and fix anything that demands change is a best practice for success.
When something doesn’t position you or your company to win, change it!
