Do you record some or all of your incoming calls? Here is a step-by-step guide for getting the maximum sales training benefit from the calls you already record without spending a lot of your time.
The first step is to pick something very specific that you would like your store managers to work on. The key is to focus on the behavior. Focus on something that can be observed and described in concrete detail. Perhaps you would like them to talk about the benefits and not just the features of your property, or perhaps you would like them to specifically invite the caller to come to your property to fill out the rental paperwork. Check out this article for more on how focusing on behavior creates a self storage sales culture.
Not only do you want to describe the desired behavior, but you want to be sure that your property manager understands what you’re looking for. Here are 5 ways to make sure your property manager understands what you want them to do: check it out here.
Once you are sure your property manager understands what he or she will be focusing on for the week, let them work their magic. Then at the end of the week you ask them to review their own phone calls and to e-mail you one, two, or three examples of them successfully implementing the behavior you’re focused on practicing. By having your store manager review their own calls and look for examples of the desired behavior, you are not only saving yourself time, but you are reinforcing in your manager’s mind the importance of the desired behavior and some clear feedback about whether they are mastering the skill, or otherwise in need of more practice.
Now that you have the narrowed list, it is your turn to review “good” calls and give your property manager feedback about where they were amazing and where they may have missed the mark.
If the best your store manager can muster is a subpar performance, then you can coach them as necessary.
Here’s a pro tip: pair managers to help each other and save yourself even more time. Pair the manager(s) who need improvement with a strong manager who has demonstrated competence, and ask the strong manager to help coach the weak.
So here is a summary of the formula:
- Choose a very specific behavior.
- Invest the time necessary to make sure your property manager is clear about what you would like them to do.
- Give them a week to perform the desired behavior with the incoming callers.
- Have your property manager review their own calls and send you their one, two, or three best examples of them enacting the desired behavior.
- Review the filtered results and provide feedback, or alternatively pair a strong manager with a weak one so that the strong manager can provide coaching and encouragement.
Follow this repeatable process with each of your key selling behaviors and you will soon be on your way to using your recorded phone calls to improve your property manager’s performance.
This post was originally published on the Storman blog in December 2010.
If you are not currently using tracking numbers in your advertising and on your website, I would highly encourage it. Since they upgraded their system, I have been increasingly pleased with the reporting provided by Storage Marketing Solutions Call Tracking system. I have also had very good experience with Callsource.
