Is Digitizing Sales Losing the Human Touch? · has experienced. You hire two people with similar skills, background, experience, and they are given similar territories, prospect lists

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Jonathan Farrington interviews Mike Esterday, CEO of the global salesperformance and coaching firm, Integrity Solutions

TOP SALES MAGAZINE MAY 20198

Is Digitizing Sales Losing the Human Touch?

Most of us would agree: Sales is morecomplex today than ever. But what’scausing all the complexity and how can

sales teams excel in this environment? I recentlyposed that question and others to someone whohelps clients navigate this challenge and others.

JF: So, Mike, in your view, why is sales so complextoday and how can sales teams be successful? ME: Everything’s more complex in selling — thereare lots more customer touch points, buyers havemore data at their fingertips — in fact, they oftenknow more about what they’re buying than thesalesperson does. Complexity also is driven by therise of decision makers. Instead of purchasing teams,we’re seeing purchasing armies. Bottom line: Thereare more people involved in the decision; buyers

know more about you; and people are changing jobsmore often, so higher turnover rates means decisionmakers are changing more often, lengthening thesales cycle.

JF: What about the technology component as adriver too?ME: Yes, technology’s influence is huge. And theover emphasis on technology for dealing withcomplexity is a big deal. Recently, I was at aconference of inside sales professionals where mostof the presentations and vendors were focused onthe latest tech — this or that app to handle this orthat function. And AI is coming on strong. There’s aterm being bandied about for this emphasis on tech:digitizing sales.

JF: What’s your bottom line on the techinnovations and all this complexity?ME: Technology is great, no doubt about it. Andwe’re seeing tools and apps that help salespeople inso many ways. But nothing beats the human touch –and, specifically, the quality of our conversations.Most organizations are only focused on one of thethree critical conversations that will help themachieve their numbers this year.

JF: Let’s walk thru each of the three criticalconversations.ME: The first is the most obvious – the conversationwith the customer. This involves the salesperson’sskillset – territory management, product knowledgeand selling skills. These are foundational.

The second conversation is the one salespeoplehave with themselves. This one is even moreimportant and takes place dozens of times a day –way more than, say, conversations we’re having withcustomers. This is about mindset – the self­talk we allhave about who I can call on, how successful Ideserve to be and the types of goals I set. We callthis Achievement Drive. It’s about beliefs, values,

Jonathan Farringtoninterviews Mike Esterday,CEO of the global salesperformance and coachingfirm, Integrity Solutions.

The Jonathan Farrington Interview

purpose, the drive to achieve and push throughobstacles.

The second conversation is the one that’s oftenoverlooked in most training and coaching initiatives.

The third conversation is the one salespeoplehave with their coach. Is there a trust environmentto talk about real issues? Are discussions only aboutnumbers and details or does the coach have theability to truly develop people, seeing more in themthan the salesperson sees in his or herself?

JF: What have you learned from your researchabout coaching?ME: We conducted a research study with the SalesManagement Association of global sales leaders andthe results surprised us.. Most sales organizationsrecognize that coaching is critical today – in fact,76% of those we surveyed said so. But roughly thesame number said they don’t do much of it. What’smore: Few organizations have a shared definition ofwhat coaching is or isn’t, so managers do whatevercomes naturally. Coaching conversations aroundmindset are rare, which presents a huge opportunityfor many organizations.

JF: Tell what you think what is the best way toimprove the conversation between coach and salesrep?ME: Today, we see many sales and coachingprocesses that are way over­engineered. They oftenlook good on paper and sound comprehensive, butthey’re just too complex for managers to execute. Assuch, managers tend to find that they are, notsurprisingly, “too busy” to coach their people. But it’snot a time issue – it’s a skill and confidence issue.Keep it simple, agile and managers will embrace it.

JF: How does Integrity Solutions address themindset piece?ME: For the past 50 years, we’ve believed that asalesperson’s ability to sell is much more an issue ofwho they are than what they know. People’s innervalues and beliefs control sales success.

Achievement Drive is the multiplier of success. In addition to building world­class selling skills,

effective training must also address the root causeof what may be holding back sales performance.These are more internal issues such as asalesperson’s view of selling, view of their abilities,view of possibilities, values, commitment to activitiesand belief in product. One or more of these may bethe underlying cause, the real reason for lowperformance.

These deeper challenges can explain a vexingphenomenon that everyone in sales managementhas experienced. You hire two people with similarskills, background, experience, and they are givensimilar territories, prospect lists and opportunities.One of the two becomes very successful and theother one never gets out of second gear. Why doesthis continue to happen? The reason is clear: Untilyou proactively address all three of theseconversations, you can give reps all of the training,tools and technology in the world and you will beultimately frustrated with the results.

We create development processes that addressall three of these components by incorporating thecritical elements necessary for performance change– repetition, reinforcement, accountability, coachingand – most importantly – time­spaced learning.

JF: Mike, thanks for these insights. Any finalthoughts? ME: Technology, product knowledge and sellingskills are all givens in today’s world. At the sametime, sales success is truly an inner game. To reachthe highest levels of success, you must address notjust how, but also why they sell to unlock thepotential that resides inside each of yoursalespeople. n

Mike Esterday is the CEO of IntegritySolutions, the sales performance, coaching,

and customer service firm headquartered inNashville. More details here

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