How to Ensure Your New Hire Window & Door Sales Manager Rocks
Having an amazing sales force is one of the most important aspects of a successful window & door supply company. The bottom line is, there are an almost incomprehensible number of window and door manufacturing companies in the US alone. With all that competition it is important to set yourself apart as the leading supplier of the product. This is done two ways. First by ensuring you provide a superior product at a fair market price. The second way (what we are going to cover here) is by having a sales team that is second to none. While hiring a good sales representative is an important part of this, what is even more important is having a great leader for your sales team. This brings us to your new Window & Door Sales Manager.
A sales manager is an integral part of any sales team. Finding a great candidate to fill that position is of paramount importance. A good sales manager doesn’t simply display any one set of skills and talents. To be a true Rockstar in this position you must find someone who encompasses a wide variety of skills and qualifications. It is important to talk with your recruiter about this to ensure they understand the position and what you need to fill it.
First you need to make sure that when you hire a sales manager and bring them on board you understand that you are hiring someone to lead your sales team. You need to let them lead it. There must be accountability of course, but you need to be willing to step back a little and let them lead without too much micromanagement.
Let’s look at some key requirements that will make sure your new hire Window & Door sales manager will rock in their new position.
- Are they open to feedback? – as a sales manager they are going to have to be open to feedback (both positive and negative) about how their team is doing and what needs done to correct any shortcomings.
- Are they able to recognize the effort put forward by their team? – a good sales manager will be willing and able to appreciate the level of effort put forward by their team.
- Are they willing to implement new systems? – sales is an ever-changing industry, there are constantly new and innovative technologies being developed for streamlining the sales process. Finding someone willing to work with these new systems as they become available is important.
- Are they detail oriented? – sales is a process, it's not just always about the results. Making sure that you find someone who is willing to conform (and hold their team) to the process that you have established is paramount.
- Are they good at communicating goals and expectations? – after all they will be managing your sales team. Your new Window & Door Manager needs to be comfortable with managing their team.
- Are they willing to admit when they make a mistake? – this is incredibly important. If they are not willing to admit when an error has been made (both to you and their team) they will most likely not be willing to grow themselves or their team.
- Are they organized? – leading a sales team is a lot of work. There is going to be a lot to manage and being able to remain organized and focused on leading.
- Are they willing to make hard decisions? – this is the final requirement. Unfortunately, as a team leader there may come a time when someone needs cut from that team. Your new sales manager needs to be willing to give their team time to grow, but they also must be willing to let under performers go if the need arises.
Hiring a new sales manager can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It is important though that you make sure that you are hiring the best possible candidate. This will ensure that you (as well as your new employee) are both satisfied with the work and results the sales team produces.
