Employee Incentives Can Light A Fire Under Your Sales
By David
Saxby, Measure-x
I recently
called a company to make a purchase. A woman answered the phone and her
voice was warm and friendly. I could hear the enthusiasm she had for her
job when she asked how she could help me.
I told her I
wanted to order a product I had seen in a magazine. She immediately began
asking me questions to take the order. When she was completing the
transaction, she said shipping would be free if I ordered two, noting that was
equivalent to a 40 percent discount on the second product. She asked, ”Would
you like to order two?” I said yes.
Later, I
realized this was the first time in quite awhile that a company had
successfully convinced me to buy more of something. I wondered if her
supervisor recognized her efforts for boosting the sale or if it was
considered just another order. Selling over the phone is tough. When you’re
not face-to-face, it’s difficult to create rapport and trust with a
prospective buyer. Dealing with the daily rejection of people saying no can
put a damper on anyone’s enthusiasm.
What is your
telecom doing to light a fire under its employees’ enthusiasm to sell? Here
are some suggestions that will help you achieve that goal.
Effective
motivators aren’t expensive.
Dr Gerald Graham, a professor of management at Wichita State University, did a
study on workplace motivators. His research showed that three of the top five
incentives ranked by employees had no cost at all but that managers seldom
used them. Those incentives were a personal thank you from the manager for a
job well done, a hand-written thank-you note from the manager and public
praise. These are effective motivators because people want to feel valued for
their work
Keep a
box of blank note slips on your desk and use them.
Do you remember the last thank-you
note you received? Congratulations if you do because it has been a long time
for most of us – if we have received one at all. Those who receive thank-you
notes remember whom they come from because someone took the time to express
their appreciation. It only takes a couple of minutes to tell an employee
what a great job they’re doing. And if the thank you arrives with a monetary
reward, I would bet the employee remembers the heartfelt message of
recognition long after they have spent the bucks.
Recognize
special occasions.
Recognize employees’ birthdays, wedding anniversaries and number of
years with the company. Recognize something special they achieved in their
life. I get a birthday card every year from Southwest Airlines and I love
it. I’m one of 71 million people who flew with them last year and they
remember my birthday. How many airlines send you a birthday card?
Ask your
employees what motivates them.
Lawrence Lindahl conducted
workplace studies in the 1980s and 1990s that examined what workers want from
their jobs. He asked workers and supervisors to rank a list of motivators
from 1 to 10 in order of importance. Workers rated appreciation for a job well
done as their top motivator while supervisors ranked it eighth. Employees
ranked “feeling in on things” as No. 2; managers ranked it No. 10. Survey
your employees to determine what gets them excited about doing their best
every day. Ask them to share their thoughts on your last recognition program.
You may be investing in a recognition program that doesn’t excite your staff.
Show
them the numbers. Here are the top two reasons people stay with a
company: they feel that the company cares about them and they believe they add
value to the company. Money and benefits rank fifth or sixth in surveys of
what employees want most from their employers. Money may attract people to a
company but it won’t keep them there long term. Keep employees in the loop
about what’s happening at your telecom. Give them monthly sales and expense
numbers. Ask them for suggestions on ways to increase sales and trim costs.
Employees want to feel that they are an important part of the company
Determine
the most effective form of recognition.
Each of your employees places a
different value on different kinds of recognition. The more you
understand these values, the more successful your recognition programs will
be. Here’s an example. A national company with 900 locations conducted a
study of cash and non-cash performance rewards. The non-cash group
outperformed the cash group by a 46 percent margin. The non-cash group
increased its sales 37 percent over the six months prior to the start of
recognition program. Simple, inexpensive rewards can have a huge impact on
your sales and customer service.
Praise and
recognition motivate people to put forth their best efforts to perform at
higher levels. If the employee who convinced me to buy more of her company’s
products had worked at your telecom, would she have been recognized for her
performance?
-------------------------------------
David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
