Rebuild Your Inside Sales Team with R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

Recent predictions confirm that inside sales is poised to grow way faster than their field counterparts — maybe as much as three times faster by 2015. Uh-oh. Seems like just a moment ago the economy was so dark that you had to tighten up and give some of your employees forced time off, cut their commissions, and stop having so much fun. You had to ask them to do more with less, and now that things seem to be on the rebound they could care less about you! According to the CareerBuilder survey, about 1 in 5 workers plan to leave their current job this year. Worse, you might lose some of the best reps, the ones who laid low and waited patiently for bad times to lift.

Well, it's time to rebuild that shaky team. And this time, keep them happy by showing them a little love and respect!

1. Hire Boomerang Employees. There is a trend towards rehiring previous employees who were lost not because of poor performance but because you had to let them go to keep afloat. Hire these seasoned pros back any way you can — on a part-time, temporary, or seasonal basis — and be prepared for them to dictate their own terms.
2. Listen to Skilled Workers' Demands. As the economy begins to recover, certain skill sets will be more critical and difficult to find. These high-demand workers will want more say regarding their work schedules, environment, etc. This talent doesn't care about being vested, they just want to do good work and go home at night. Keep them happy!
3. Give Them Time Off. The biggest employee motivator today is not money, it's time off. Employees who were hesitant to take paid leave during the recession for fear that it would erode their already fragile job security may need convincing that you're for real about encouraging them to decompress with a little margarita near the pool on a weekday!
4. Embrace Remote Workers. Is the office really the only place to work? The wisest employers will embrace not only flex-time, but flex-place as well. Next-generation tools and technologies have made it extremely easy for workers to work from home, and this trend within inside sales continues to increase. Don't worry about whether they're working in their pajamas! Support this group, provide them with tools, and set them up for success.
5. Retention and Rewards. Employees love to be loved — and money isn't the only way to show your reps how much you appreciate them. Find innovative new ways to reward your valued workers. This innovation will include non-financial ways and even non-reward (recognition only) ways to add value for your top talent. Remember — some of the most innovative ideas will come from the employees themselves. Mine the collective intelligence of your workers and watch profits go through the roof.
6. Hot Fun in the Summertime. It's time to bring back the fun factor- whether it's prospecting, blitzing, planning or pitching- it's time to lighten up, get creative and make learning and working fun.
7. Get in Shape. More and more large employers are embracing ideas like onsite clinics and health coaches, but you don't have to be big to promote health as a reward. Wellness programs to address expensive unproductive behaviors (like smoking and over-eating) are a great perk — especially if positive behavior is linked with rewards like days off and other forms of recognition.

LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC KEYNOTE SPEAKER TO INSPIRE YOUR GLOBAL INSIDE TEAMS?
Put Josiane Feigon on your summer sales conference agenda. Her memorable stories, thought leadership and relevant content will capture attention. For more information, call Josiane at 415-543-6537 or visit the website.

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Josiane Feigon Receives AA-ISP's Top 25 Most Influential Inside Sales Professionals in 2010 Award

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