Having great managers in place is vital for business owners who want to make sure their teams run smoothly and are as productive as possible. This is particularly true for sales activity, which, according to Roy Chitwood, “is the only activity that brings in revenue.” Because of that, businesses are willing to invest significant resources for hiring sales people and managers. Unfortunately, doing so is much easier said than done. Those who are having trouble filling openings, particularly at the management level, will partner with sales management headhunters who have the resources and experience needed to put businesses in touch with talented job candidates.
Though promoting from within is always tempting, and preferable in many cases, the things that make people great at being sales reps don’t always translate into management success. Chitwood notes that there are a handful of things that managers need to specialize in that even the best salespeople do not. That list includes mentoring and coaching abilities, selflessness, the right ego, patience, and the desire to see results achieved by other people. The reality is that not every salesperson has those qualities or the type of personality that makes them perfect for management. As a result, many businesses will work with sales management headhunters who can find candidates who have the chops to fill that kind of role.
While some owners might be hesitant to make the financial investment needed to work with recruitment agencies, doing so could still help save money by avoiding the costs that come with making a bad hire. A sales hiring mistake could cost up to six or 10 times the amount of an employee’s salary, so making the right hire is vital not only for convenience, but for saving money. Loss prevention is a key component when it comes to partnering with sales management headhunters, and no business owner or hiring manager should ignore that.
The debate could rage on forever about whether or not sales reps or their managers are more important in terms of running a successful business. Most likely, there is a balance between the two, and all workers involved in the sales process play a vital role. But “Research shows the above-average salesperson has twice the chances of being successful with an above-average manager,” says Chitwood. “The average salesperson has five times the chances of being successful with an above-average sales manager.” If that is true, then every business should devote plenty of resources to finding the right management personnel. Find out more about this topic here: salesforcesearch.com
