The outside sales leadership world tends to lack a crucial element: process. In this episode of the Field Sales Leadership Guide podcast, hosts JT Rimbey and Mary Keough are joined by Joe Anderson, Director of Field Sales at Royal Brass & Hose. They discuss Joe’s role in transforming the sales culture at Royal Brass and Hose and the importance of technology in modernizing and improving the sales process.
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You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…
- Joe’s career journey in sales [02:18]
- Royal Brass & Hose’s customer base [06:05]
- Changing the sales culture [09:11]
- Identifying underperforming reps [14:21]
- Why did you win this deal? [19:19]
- CRM adoption barriers [28:01]
Creating a better structure
When Joe joined Royal Brass & Hose, only two sales managers were over all the territory managers. About two years ago, the company restructured its sales force to unify it and ensure that everyone followed the same sales process and training. The company aimed to create more coaching opportunities and time working hand-in-hand by reducing the ratio of sales reps to sales managers.
To achieve this goal, Royal Brass & Hose divided the sales force into four regions with four sales managers who report to Joe. Although Joe misses working on sales calls, he now enjoys his new role of implementing change, influencing people, finding talent, and engaging in strategic planning.
Encouraging collaboration
What is the best way to reintegrate a highly successful but solitary sales representative with the rest of the team? Joe believes that small groups of sales reps who communicate frequently are beneficial because they learn from each other and exchange valuable insights about competition and successful tactics. His plan is to include the lone wolf in a group, potentially as a mentor, in order to foster more teamwork and development.
Shifting the sales culture
During its first 65 years, Royal Brass and Hose’s sales representatives were often lone wolves. They viewed their customers as exclusively theirs and were isolated from one another. While they had assigned routes, their primary focus was making visits rather than identifying new opportunities. In the past decade, the company has made significant changes to its sales process.
Map My Customers has played a vital role in transforming the sales process at Royal Brass and Hose. From lead tracking to territory management, the CRM system streamlines operations, maintains data consistency, and automates the funnel audit process. However, adopting new tools presents its own set of challenges. User-friendliness and demonstrable benefits are crucial for successful implementation.
Resources & People Mentioned
- Royal Brass
- Luke Wittenbraker | LinkedIn
- Building a sales process from the ground up with Luke Wittenbraker – Field Sales Leadership Guide
Connect with Joe Anderson
Connect With Map My Customers
Subscribe to FIELD SALES LEADERSHIP GUIDE
Audio Production and Show Notes by – PODCAST FAST TRACK