Sales Mentoring – Step Change in Sales Performance
Background
Our client, one of the largest companies within the FTSE 100, is a leading UK based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services in retail, commercial and corporate banking, general insurance, life & pensions and wealth management.
The challenge
Our client was seeing the same sales people achieving excellent results and being recognised every year. They wanted to find a way of targeting help and development for some mid-range performers with motivation to move into an ‘excellent’ category. Perhaps some of the people who were achieving their targets had the potential and inclination to push themselves to that next level?
Morgan Clarke’s approach
In partnership with our client, we designed and developed a bespoke mentoring programme to achieve this goal. We identified potential candidates and invited them to meet with a business psychologist from Morgan Clarke. Through psychological assessments we were able to identify people who had the right type of motivation and the potential to take on this challenge.
Senior managers were selected to act as mentors for the successful candidates matching mentees with these suitable mentors.
The client expected a 20% improvement in performance from mentees and targets were set accordingly. An added benefit was the up-skilling of the senior managers carrying out the mentoring.
The programme consisted of monthly meetings between mentees and mentors and four “away days”. The away days were designed to improve skills and confidence and to challenge self-limiting beliefs which may have been holding back the mentees. Participants were challenged to move out of their comfort zone, share their experiences and shape a view of best practice for high performers. Satisfaction ratings for the Morgan Clarke facilitated away days average out at 96%!
Achievements
Sales figures across the mentee population have indeed increased by 20% on average and their confidence and self belief have increased measurably. When surveyed at the end of the programme, responses from mentees gave an average score of 8/10 when asked if their personal confidence level had improved since starting on the Sales Mentoring Programme journey and 8/10 when asked if their self belief was greater than when they started.
When their performance was reviewed most showed significant performance improvement and two had been promoted. The client sponsor said “Following the Sales Mentoring Programme, our people are so much more self aware. They’re walking 3 or 4 inches taller.”
If you wish to realise a similar opportunity within your own business, contact
Clive Watkins on + 44 (0) 1306 621600 or email him at clive.watkins@morgan-clarke.co.uk