| Joint field work is where you and your representative | | | | one session to complete. |
| make sales calls together. The sales representatives | | | | 4. Manager Observation Stage - Once they have |
| benefit and learn from your knowledge and | | | | seen the skill performed often enough, it's time for |
| experience, yet they are still are not working without a | | | | them to try it for themselves. In this stage, the sales |
| net, so to speak. | | | | representative starts to practice the skill while you |
| The problem most sales managers have when doing | | | | observe. For example, you may listen while they do |
| joint field work is they end up taking over the call | | | | prospecting calls on the phone, or join them on a call |
| completely. Some even forget the sales person is in | | | | when they present a proposal to a customer. At this |
| the room! This does nothing to train or develop the | | | | stage, you must provide feedback by reinforcing the |
| sales representative. The real purpose of doing joint | | | | right behavior and correcting the wrong behavior. After |
| field work today is so your sales representative won't | | | | several joint calls, this feedback will allow the sales |
| need you on sales calls in the future. | | | | representative to hone their skill until they become |
| More specifically, developing a skill in a sales | | | | independent. |
| representative through joint field work is a five step | | | | 5. Coaching Stage - Once you have observed the |
| process: | | | | sales representative's ability to perform the skill |
| 1. Skill Identification - You first must identify the skill that | | | | properly, you must motivate and coach them to use it |
| you need to develop in your sales representative. | | | | repeatedly. Development is not complete until proper |
| Examples include telephone prospecting, fact finding, | | | | use of the skill is an internalized habit that is performed |
| live demonstrations etc. | | | | unconsciously. Again, this stage occurs over several |
| 2. Training Stage - You need to teach the skill, its | | | | calls and sometimes over an extended period of time. |
| purpose, and how to perform it properly. This may | | | | In fact, some managers say the coaching stage never |
| require multiple training sessions to complete. | | | | really ends! |
| 3. Sales Rep Observation Stage- This is where the | | | | Remember, the goal is to push the baby bird out of the |
| sales representative watches you perform the skill | | | | nest, so to speak. However, he will never be able to |
| with customers in the field. Essentially, you are showing | | | | take his first solo flight if he is only allowed to fly on |
| them how to do it. Again this may require more than | | | | your back. |