6 years ago
March 6, 2018

3 Creative Ways to Deal with Sales Reps Who Refuse Coaching

Sales coaching is one of the most important tasks for sales recruiters and managers. Helping your reps improve and perform to the best of their abilities is a key success…

Claire McConnachie Recruiter
Claire McConnachie

Sales coaching is one of the most important tasks for sales recruiters and managers. Helping your reps improve and perform to the best of their abilities is a key success factor. You can have a huge impact on the sales team.

Having a rep or two who refuse coaching is not uncommon. You can’t expect all reps to be receptive to sales coaching, especially if they are a top performer and regularly hit their sales quota.

While it’s not ideal and can be downright frustrating, there are a number of creative ways you can deal with reps who are less than receptive.

1.     Speak their language

No two sales reps are the same. Some are more advanced and have more experience than others. Some like to be guided; others are self-starters. What motivates sales reps can vary greatly. This is why it’s so important for sales managers to get to know their team. Mass communication doesn’t always work. Sometimes you need to speak a rep’s language and tap into their unique communication style to get them to open up. Remember, not all people are good at receiving feedback – good or bad.

2.     Ask for feedback about your coaching

Sometimes, it’s not the sales rep that’s the problem. Your approach, as a sales recruiter or manager, to how you coach and train could be one of the issues and a reason why reps refuse it. Some may see it as a waste of time or of no value, while others may think their time could be better utilized doing something else.

Ask your sales reps for feedback about how you coach. Ask them what they find helpful, what they don’t find helpful, and ask for feedback on ways your coaching approach could be improved to make coaching more valuable.

3.     Remind them about all job expectations

While selling is a huge part of a rep’s job, it’s not the only thing. Make sure to remind your reps that coaching and other tasks are also part of their job description. Some reps are resistant because they assume coaching sessions are optional.

More Tips for Sales Reps Who Refuse Coaching

Not all sales reps stick to the script or embrace training feedback. Here are some additional tips to rein in sales reps who refuse coaching:

Sales Talent Is Overrated! 5 Ways Sales People Can Practice Selling

4 Interesting Training Techniques Every Sales Manager Should Know

10 Tips to Motivate Your Sales Team

7 Ways Sales Leaders Can Challenge Sales People

 


SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.

Claire McConnachie Recruiter

Claire McConnachie

Claire has 4+ years of experience in sales and recruitment. As a Director of Client Services, her main objective is to connect great people to great companies by building strong relationships with both top clients and candidates in the sales industry. She specializes in sales roles of all seniority levels for both enterprise and start-up clients North American wide. When Claire isn't networking with top talent, she enjoys being outdoors, traveling and spending time with friends & family.

salesforce-popup