How to Get Non Sales Staff to Sell?

[Insurance-Guy]

Well I was faced with the same difficult question and I have offered every type of bonus situation you can think of. I was bi tching and complaining one day to a group of professionals about my situation and a lady said you need to find what drives them? So I thought about it had a office meeting and made a new incentive. For every preferred auto policy for a specific company I would give the producer one hour of paid time off..."comp time". Well let me tell you this worked and still works well...before I was offering more $$$ than what their one hour of paid time off however the time off seems to motivate them more. So what I would suggest is to find what your CSRs passion is if it is family...maybe time off is the key...church maybe for every policy make a donation in the CSRs name to the church. It has taken me awhile to figure this out but money isn't what drives everyone. Meaning everyone is not like ME!

Good luck.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Well I was faced with the same difficult question and I have offered every type of bonus situation you can think of. I was bi tching and complaining one day to a group of professionals about my situation and a lady said you need to find what drives them? So I thought about it had a office meeting and made a new incentive. For every preferred auto policy for a specific company I would give the producer one hour of paid time off..."comp time". Well let me tell you this worked and still works well...before I was offering more $$$ than what their one hour of paid time off however the time off seems to motivate them more. So what I would suggest is to find what your CSRs passion is if it is family...maybe time off is the key...church maybe for every policy make a donation in the CSRs name to the church. It has taken me awhile to figure this out but money isn't what drives everyone. Meaning everyone is not like ME!

Good luck.

I discovered a long time ago that money is not what motivates most people. Praise, an occasional lunch, a day off, even a title and business cards can be a great motivator. Fresh flowers, a name plaque, a gift card to a spa, all sorts of things other than "just money". Something to make them feel special.

Everyone is not like you but are you really so different? We post here because we want recognition whether we realize it or not. Being an independent agent can be a lonelier job than being the Maytag repair man. That is probably the greatest value this forum has, we have others who do what we do to talk to/recognition.

We can talk about our successes, failures and have others to bounce thoughts and ideas off of.

 

[DHK]

Hire motivated people.

 

[rousemark]

I discovered a long time ago that money is not what motivates most people. Praise, an occasional lunch, a day off, even a title and business cards can be a great motivator. Fresh flowers, a name plaque, a gift card to a spa, all sorts of things other than "just money". Something to make them feel special.

Everyone is not like you but are you really so different? We post here because we want recognition whether we realize it or not. Being an independent agent can be a lonelier job than being the Maytag repair man. That is probably the greatest value this forum has, we have others who do what we do to talk to/recognition.

We can talk about our successes, failures and have others to bounce thoughts and ideas off of.

Frank, I agree. I know it is foolish but there have many times I have been much more motivated by some silly contest, trip, plaque, etc. than by the prospect of having an increases paycheck. I think that applies to a majority of people.

There was a manufacturing company that paid their employees on a piece work basis. They started posting the productivity of their production workers on the bulletin board. The company output increased by almost 15% becasue folks strived be at or near the top of the list and to get the plaque that was presented each quarter. The listing motivated them much more than the possibility of an increase in their check.

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

Some people especially some women, want that comfort with the steady paycheck. Be careful not to piss off your solid CSR by trying to get her to do something she doesn't want to do.

As a Manager, I knew of quite a few Fronters who would call leads, get them all warmed up for the sales people, and it really jacked up the closing ratios with the tag team effort. They wanted their $300/wk plus bonus for every sale that resulted from a front. Try telling them 0 salary and 75-125 per sale? Oh no it wasn't happening.

 

[1manshow]

Some good suggestions here...except for the ones that suggest letting her take your $$ home each week for not performing to your expectations.

My advice...don't ask for advice that you don't have the guts to put into action...grow a set...outline your program...explain that you must have 100% participation....replace the non selling csr with a motivated, self starter and then watch the bottom line improve.

 

[VolAgent]

Some good suggestions here...except for the ones that suggest letting her take your $$ home each week for not performing to your expectations.

My advice...don't ask for advice that you don't have the guts to put into action...grow a set...outline your program...explain that you must have 100% participation....replace the non selling csr with a motivated, self starter and then watch the bottom line improve.

That is a good way to cut your nose off to spite your face.

A much better idea. Sit down and evaluate this person's performance, your needs, and your goals. Is it essential for this person to be a salesperson for you to succeed? Or can you achieve even greater success by keeping the person exactly where she is and hiring another salesperson?

If she is as great as she sounds, she may take a good chuck of your book with her when you run her off, and she won't even try. If she is the person your clients always speak with, the one who always solves their problems, they may have more loyalty to her than to you.

 

[moneymaker1]

Just a suggestion, but you may not want to change her. Maybe she truly does not want to "sell" and is very comfortable in her csr role. In the mid 90's (I sell group benefits) a competitor had a similar situation, the Account Manager was comfortable in her role but the sales manager wanted her to sell, not account manage. About two years later the experiment failed and he fired her. I hired her the next day as an account manager and she has been doing a great job ever since. By the way, the three of us had been friends for years and the sales manager has admitted his mistake.

Just some food for thought.

Couldn't agree more...stop trying to change her. Good employees are hard to find. If you push her too far you may lose her altogether. Be thankful for what you have in her and if you need another sales person, then hire them, but leave her to be what she wants to be. If she DOES end up selling, she'll probably be unhappy and IDK about you, but I am NOT a fan of unhappy employees.

 

[Insurance-Guy]

Everyone is not like you but are you really so different? We post here because we want recognition whether we realize it or not. Being an independent agent can be a lonelier job than being the Maytag repair man. That is probably the greatest value this forum has, we have others who do what we do to talk to/recognition.

We can talk about our successes, failures and have others to bounce thoughts and ideas off of.

Frank- My comment was just a little sarcastic... Although my point was that just because you offer money or incentives that are in the form of money doesn't mean it will motivate people the same way it will motivate you (or me) that's all. So you and I are in agreement. Sometimes it is the pat on the back or just a "good job" that will motivate others... One thing that I always do is when I give my staff their Christmas bonus and presents is to handwrite a note in each of their cards telling them how much I appreciate them and all that they do. I always point out a couple of things that I have noticed that they did that I thought was great. I have had several of them tell me that they have never gotten a card from their boss like that and it really means a lot. I am a firm believer in treating others the way that you would like to be treated yourself!

 

[1manshow]

If she is as great as she sounds, she may take a good chuck of your book with her when you run her off

Hmmm...she sells nothing...and she's gonna take a big chunk of your business? I doubt it. OMG is this the wimpy boss section of the forum?

leave her to be what she wants to be

Does it take that much courage to actually ask employees to follow your program in exchange for the money you transfer from your pocket to theirs each week?