If I were to ask that question to the president or CEO of most companies they would say something akin to: “Well, they are a rowdy bunch so we tucked them in the back far away from the front entrance”. There are 2 things wrong with that sentence. First, the energy and excitement that most sales departments have should be highly visible to the rest of the company, not stowed away in the broom closet.
Most sales departments have an energy that can and should be contagious. It should invigorate and motivate the rest of the company. Sales quotas met resulting in cheers. Large new customers closed and celebrated. Energy and synergy popping from every desk. If this is not happening in your sales department then we should schedule a meeting! For the most part the energy that comes from a sales department should be enviable by the rest of the company and should pervade thought the hallways and offices.
The second thing wrong with that initial sentence is that the entire company should be viewed as the sales department. That may sound a bit lofty but in all reality, it’s very true. I have worked with many attorneys (Not your typical sales career) throughout my career and the main guidance always comes back to sales. This means that for an attorney, the most important aspect is sales not business functions, not human resources, not legal training but sales training. At first contact, when a customer walks through your door, even for a scheduled meeting, the sales process has begun. A friendly smile, a polite offer to fetch a cup of coffee, or an interested discourse about the weather can go a long way.
Once you meet with this person, they have seen a nice smile, had a cup of coffee, and have been distracted by a delightful conversation about the weather. I would say that is a great primer for the sales funnel. Once they are in your office and they are not yet a customer – guess what – you are now a sales person. It doesn’t matter if you are an attorney or a mechanic. You need to first sell them on why you are their best choice. The bottom line is that rather than condemning your salesforce allow your entire company to be part of the process and have the success that you have been yearning for.