Recently, the author chatted with several frontline salespeople who complained that clients (i.e., distributors) don't respect them, and some even get scolded by clients. Despite being sent by the company to manage clients, they end up being managed by them, making their work difficult, with high pressure, poor performance, and no status or dignity in front of clients, leading some to consider changing jobs. The author believes this phenomenon stems from the following reasons:
Salespeople's own low business capability and incompetence The author believes that the responsibility of frontline salespeople is to help distributors complete tasks assigned by the company, while also possessing marketing network management capabilities and new product development capabilities. They should also be able to carry out promotional activities within the region, supervise clients to strictly implement the company's marketing strategies and policies, and promptly feedback market information to regional managers. Therefore, if a salesperson lacks certain business capabilities, it is difficult to carry out work. Since many company salespeople are recruited locally, their cultural and business capabilities vary. Additionally, new salespeople may not receive company training and are unfamiliar with business processes, naturally lacking confidence in front of clients. It is understandable that clients do not respect them.
Clients' poor quality, poor communication skills, and self-righteousness Most current distributors are nouveau riche who developed in the 1990s. Their cultural quality and personal cultivation are relatively poor, and some are family-run shops. They have a certain second-tier network locally, hire a few workers, buy a few trucks, and can represent several brands. Their management of the market and personnel is blind, and their communication skills are limited. They often complain to salespeople, use foul language, are self-righteous, look down on frontline salespeople, and sometimes maliciously complain to higher-ups, always thinking that higher-level managers are their money gods. This creates a long-term rift between them and frontline salespeople.
Clients completely distrust salespeople and prefer to report market conditions to higher-level managers In recent years, manufacturers have recruited a large number of salespeople to place in the market to help clients expand the market. Some distributors represent over a dozen brands and have seen many salespeople, so they don't place frontline salespeople in important positions. Sometimes they even scold salespeople and order them around. They don't believe the company policies that salespeople convey and prefer to ask regional managers or even higher-level managers. This is a common problem among distributors, leading salespeople to feel they don't receive due respect from such clients and the company, and they lose motivation. Remember, people have dignity, and everyone wants to be respected, unless you don't respect others. Clients' disrespect for frontline salespeople is a great loss for them, as salespeople's performance directly affects the achievement of sales targets. Therefore, the author advises those clients who prefer to report to higher-level managers not to disrespect frontline salespeople.
Regional managers do not delegate authority to salespeople, thinking it's safer to manage themselves Speaking of delegation, the author believes that authority is given by rank, and one should act within their position. That is, do what is appropriate for your position and don't overstep. Regional managers should be responsible for coordinating and solving various problems encountered in sales within their region, providing guidance, training, inspection, and assessment of salespeople's work, grasping the big picture, and controlling the overall situation. Other matters should be left to the salespeople to handle. Don't micromanage; matters that should be handled by salespeople must be completed by them, with responsibility assigned to individuals. Moreover, regional managers should fully trust their salespeople, adopting the mindset of "never suspecting those you use, and never using those you suspect." They should help salespeople establish authority in front of clients. However, some regional managers like to manage everything. If regional managers manage everything, clients will go to them for any issue, and salespeople will feel that nothing is their responsibility, leading to low enthusiasm. Without pressure, there is no motivation, and they just coast along. Eventually, they fail to meet targets, don't get bonuses, and naturally leave to find a new employer.
The company does not respect frontline salespeople In the Chinese market, many enterprise leaders do not value the salespeople who fight on the front lines for them, especially in domestic companies. The salary, benefits, and welfare of frontline salespeople are often not guaranteed. Some have worked for years without signing a labor contract with the company, and no pension or medical insurance is provided. If an accident happens, it's uncertain whether the company will acknowledge them as employees. In short, they are treated as temporary workers. Even the year-end sales meeting does not allow frontline salespeople to attend. How can such salespeople gain respect from clients? In their eyes, they are just order takers. If their own company doesn't respect them, clients won't either. Such salespeople have no combat effectiveness, and even if they do, it's short-lived. Such enterprises also have limited development.
Of course, the above are common problems currently, and we cannot generalize. There are also some clients who respect frontline salespeople. Finally, the author appeals to enterprise leaders: please respect your soldiers. Although their work is not great, your company's development cannot do without them. At the same time, remind those distributors who look down on frontline salespeople not to treat those hardworking frontline salespeople with discriminatory eyes. Since you've given them a "stage," why restrict their "dancing"?
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