COVID-19 has changed the way we work. Companies in many different industries, including sales, now have people working from home and doing jobs that were always traditionally an office role. It’s a huge transition for companies, managers, employees, and everyone else. The typical workday is out the window as we adjust to the new normal way of working and doing business.

Working from home is not always as simple as it seems.

One of the most challenging aspects of having employees work from home is communication. It’s challenging for management to communicate with employees, for employees to communicate with each other, and for companies to maintain communication with their business partners and customers.

Sales organizations need to have a strong communications plan in place to effectively maintain a constant flow of communication while sales teams and other employees are working remotely.

Struggling with communications? Looking for ways to improve your communication channels? Here are 8 tips form Toronto sales headhunters to help you maintain strong communication during this pandemic:

1. Have a communications plan

The way you are used to communicating with your sales team is no more. Having a plan is always an effective way to adjust to new situations and processes. While you and your team are getting used to the new way of working, it’s important to create a communications plan that is specific to this new situation. Outline how you plan to communicate with your employees and customers. Think about how, when, how often, and what channels you will use to try to keep the sales team on the same page. Expect this plan to be a dynamic document that will change as details change surrounding the pandemic.

2. Get input from your team

Getting through the pandemic is going to take a team effort. So get some input from your team about what they think works best. Do they have a communications preference? Some employees may prefer a phone call, while others are fine with email and chat. Use this information to share your communications plan.

3. Over-communicate

Making an effort to over-communicate is important. It’s an uneasy time for many people. They are not only concerned about adjusting to working from home, they are also concerned about keeping their jobs. Be proactive and communicate often with your team. It’s important for sales managers to keep everyone in the loop. It’s also important to communicate regularly to ensure all team members are still meeting deadlines and expectations.

An effective way to keep in communication with your team is to set a daily schedule. Schedule calls with your team and individual reps each day. Use this time to ensure everyone is on track. Talk about work to be completed and expectations for the days and weeks to come. Consistent communication will help keep everyone on the same page.

4. Set clear expectations

This cannot be overstated – set clear communications expectations for your sales team. Let them know when you expect them to communicate, how often, and with whom. Failure to set expectations can make it even more challenging to keep up with your sales reps than it already is.

5. Check-in periodically with team members

Set aside some time to check in with your team and reps as needed. Some team members will struggle with the new way of working. So, spend some extra time helping them adjust. You can do this on an ad hoc basis. Your team will need your support, so make sure you build some time into your schedule to help them.

6. Choose the right medium – chat, video, phone

The technology you choose to communicate with your team is an important decision. Will email and messenger suffice? Do you need to have phone calls? Does video make the most sense? Or do you need a combination of these mediums to get the job done? You also need to make sure all people have access to the same technology when working remotely. If they don’t, you could have a lot of compatibility and tech issues to deal with.

7. Be flexible and understanding

There will be distractions. Your team is not only distracted by COVID-19 and their health, but they also have the kids and pets at home. Perhaps they are also caring for other family members. Be flexible and understanding. Maybe this means you allow some employees to work staggered hours. But, even with flexibility, you still need to maintain strong communications at all times.

8. Don’t be a micromanager

There is no doubt the temptation is there to be a micromanager with your employees all working from different places. You are faced with the huge challenge of trying to keep up productivity. But now is the time to put trust in your team. Don’t communicate with them just to see how they are doing, unless you have a reason. This can be a distraction. It can also send the wrong message. Set the daily agenda and give your team the space to get the work done.

Get More Advice for Working Remotely

COVID-19 has added a number of challenges for sales teams. Check out these insightful blogs. As Toronto sales recruiters, we provide you with lots of great tips and advice to help your sales company be successful during these trying times:

8 Tips for Having Difficult Conversations With Customers During Uncertain Times

6 Tips to Ensure Your Sales Team Comes Out Strong After an Economic Downturn

6 Tips for Managing a Remote Sales Team

7 Ways to Be a Leader in a Time of Crisis

Don’t Give Up! 4 Ways to Salvage a Sale

6 Ways to Come Back From a Drop in Sales

SalesForce Search is a Toronto 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.