Sales Force Training Audits

JRC Training Solutions

310.398.1341

Sales training … every sales representative at every organization needs it. Many organizations invest significant expenditures of time and resources to try to give their sales force a top-notch sales training experience. But is that what’s really happening? How do you know if sales training provides the knowledge and skills necessary to enable sales representatives and sales managers to achieve key business and sales goals?

One way to ensure that sales training is really first-rate … that it’s worth the expense and provides sufficient tangible results … is to build it on a solid practical foundation. That’s what sales force training audits provide. The right kind of audit, undertaken for appropriate reasons and with realistic expectations on the part of all concerned, can be a powerful dynamic tool for improving sales force productivity.

Types of Sales Force Training Audits

There are three main types of sales force training audits.

Needs confirmation audit. The purpose of this type of audit is to confirm (or refute!) what is believed to be already known about sales training requirements, based on a specific situation.

Suppose that ABC Automotive is going to introduce a new car or truck into its existing model lineup. A clear-cut set of marketing objectives for the vehicle has been identified. In this situation, a sales force needs confirmation training audit would examine questions like:

Who needs training? For example, sales consultants only or other members of the retail sales team at the dealership too?
What are the key training requirements for those who should receive sales training? For example, what should be the overall strategy and approach to sales training? What training delivery formats/media should be used?
What other issues are involved? For example, what’s the timeframe to move forward with sales training, based on when the new vehicle will be launched?

Needs analysis audit. The second type of sales force training audit involves a more general situation in which the overall goal is to link sales training programs and events to key organization/sales goals. This audit may also be used to better understand the way a business sells its products/services, how its customers buy, and what they really want.

Suppose that XYZ Marketing is a fairly new but rapidly growing concern. The organization currently serve about a dozen clients, who range in size from small to very large. XYZ’s sales force varies widely in both on-the-job experience and industry knowledge. Competition is also keenly intense in the marketplace in which XYZ operates. In this situation, a sales force needs analysis training audit would examine such questions as:

What is the composition and nature of our sales force? For example, what do they know? What are they good at and where do they need improvement?
What kind of structured sales training program will take sales representatives from apprenticeship to top performers?
What will be the likely end result of building/implementing a new sales training solution? What’s the long-term negative impact of continuing with the status quo?
What other factors besides training impact sales performance? Morale? Compensation? Product quality vs the competition?

Course/curriculum effectiveness audit. This sales force training audit performs a very different function from those discussed above. The other audits are used primarily to identify sales training needs and specify a plan of action to address those needs. The course/curriculum effectiveness audit, on the other hand, evaluates the success/value of existing sales training programs, courses, or related events. During this audit, specific enhancements and changes are recommended or entirely new sales training products are proposed.

A sales force training audit of this type would examine questions like:

What are the main strengths/weakness of the course(s) or curriculum under consideration?
Are the proper learning/performance objectives being addressed?
Is there a good match between objectives and content? Between objectives and learning activities?
Do the implementation/delivery methods used support the needs of the sales force?

Process

Although each sales force training audit is unique, the process can be divided into four phases:

Preparation. Typically this begins with a definition of project goals. Then the audit methodology is defined and agreed upon.
Data collection. For example, one-to-one or group interviews with sales representatives, including average performers, top performers, and new hires; review of existing sales training materials; attend sales meetings and training classes; and interview sales managers.
Data analysis.
Presentation. The findings are presented and reviewed in an informal ‘‘yellow pad’’ meeting among the core members of the audit team. Feedback from the yellow pad review is incorporated into a written report. Results and recommendations are then presented to executive management.

What Will It Cost? How Long Will It Take?

The consultant’s answer … it depends. Some sales force training audits can be highly detailed and complex, taking up to several months to complete. Other, more informal, audits can be accomplished in just a few weeks. It all depends on the project goals and scope. Such factors as the size, diversity, and experience of the sales force; what’s prompting the audit; how data will be collected; the length and intricacy of the sales cycle; and the competitive landscape all need to be considered.

Work With An Expert

Working with outside experts can help you accomplish sales force training audits more efficiently as well as more effectively. Use experts at multiple levels of involvement to supplement your own internal resources. For example:

If you have experienced resources on staff who are available to work on an audit … use outside experts on an occasional/as-needed basis to provide an objective perspective, QA at key project milestones, and guidance/feedback on especially thorny matters.
If you have less experienced resources on staff or if staff members have limited availability due to other work commitments … use outside experts on a supplemental basis to perform such tasks as generating key work outputs, like methodology workplans or data collection instruments.
If you have inexperienced resources on staff or if more experienced staff members have no availability due to other commitments … use outside experts to conduct the entire audit, from soup to nuts.

All options can be highly successful, depending on the individual circumstances and the requirements of the specific situation.

For a broader/deeper perspective on these and related topics, check out:

	Using Sales Training Best Practices To Increase Sales
	Developing Performance-Based Sales Training To Increase Sales