Effective communication, or the lack thereof, is crucial to sales team synergy. Our recent surveys show that too many businesses still struggle to get this right. We highlight the three frictions that contribute to ineffective communication between rep-manager relationships and how businesses are overcoming these.
The common thread that runs through the 6 factors that negatively affect rep-manager relationships indicated below, is a lack in effective communication. Whether it’s a general lack of trust or the perception that sales reps aren’t properly supported or invested in to do their job, underlying these issues are communication failures. On the one hand the failure to relay helpful information to reps, and on the other the failure to gather important information from reps.
Why do sales managers fail to communicate effectively?
Poor communication easily erodes trust between reps and managers and as long as a trust gap exists, effective communication will remain difficult.
Assumptions and, at worst, suspicion inevitably fills this trust gap. Managers often face the frustration of having very little insight into what their reps are doing out in the field, having to rely on assumptions. This lack of transparency has at least two negative consequences:
1. reps are unfairly held responsible for failures to reach sales goals
2. managers spend most of their time micromanaging instead of coaching their reps
Despite the best intentions to communicate more effectively, sales teams often get stuck in this trap and remain unable to bridge the trust gap and communicate effectively.
How can sales managers overcome this communication barrier?
Our surveys among sales professionals in South Africa and the UK reveal that many communication barriers stem from what we call Relationship Friction.
Together with Technology Friction and Data Friction, Relationship Friction forms one of the three key challenges that weaken communication and trust between sales reps and their managers.
Skynamo is transforming the sales conversation by eliminating these points of friction and closing the trust gap between field reps and managers. With real-time visibility into field sales activities, managers can now have ongoing, meaningful coaching conversations instead of reactive check-ins.
This transparency makes it easier to understand why some reps struggle and to provide targeted support that helps them improve. Rather than simply showing them the door.
Instead of asking, “Why aren’t you overcoming these challenges?”. Managers can now say, “Here are possible solutions we can tackle together.”
‘We have a philosophy: we always prefer to “coach up” rather than “coach out”. We prefer not losing our reps. All reps have different strengths and weaknesses and Skynamo allows managers to hone in on those qualities and coach them as individuals.’ – Mike Giltrow, CEO of BED Holdings
“I can be much more proactive as a sales manager and lead the difficult discussions, which is to my reps’ benefit. We spend about 80% less time in conversation but our conversations are so much more fruitful.” – Jannic Zietsman, Regional Sales Manager of Lionel’s Veterinary Supplies
