Every Manager of Salespeople, in one way or another, eventually ask that question?  The words may be different but the question is the same. In this downturn economic environment, it's a universal question. If you haven't confronted the issue yet, it's only a matter of time that you will.

Most sales forces are made up of a variety of people, ranging from the inexperienced rookies, to the veterans who have been around, one way or another for 5 years or more.  The rookies are eager to learn and quick to adapt to new things, while most of the veterans are  set in their ways and resistant to the new initiative.

The question of how to get the veterans to embrace  and implement the new things always comes up within the framework of a specific change that your company wants to make.  From my perspective,  however, it is a large issue.

The veterans may be resistant to the specific change being implement today.  But there will be another change, next week, next month, next year and year after year for the rest of our careers. Today's issue, whatever it is, is just a symptom of a larger problem. Like an iceberg, the veterans' resistance to  the new initiative is what you see on the surface, but beneath the facade is a much larger  force to be reckon with. It's not resistance to any particular change; it's resistance to any change  that is the issue. Ignore it today, and your are likely to run up against it again in the near future.

It is important to recognize that there are exceptions to the rule. Some experience veteran salespeople openly embrace the next thing  and actually lead the way. But that kind of attitude is rare. If you have a veteran with a 'change is great, let's do it' attitude, be thankful. The rest of the management world must confront this issue.

The knee-jerk reaction is, of course, to say, "Do it this way, or find another job. It really would be great if it were that simple. However, many of these veterans salespeople have been consistent performers in the past, and many managers of salespeople feel loyalty to the people who have helped them build their business. Additionally, the veterans are typically a storehouse of product/service knowledge, well-entrenched in their good accounts, and adequate, if not superior performers. So, while it is easy to say, "Tell them to change or leave," the  reality is much more complex than that.

Here are seven essentials to changing the behavior of an experience salesperson.

Seven Steps to implementing change. 

1. Mandate the change:Too many executives and mangers of salespeople try to bring about serious change without being publicly committed to it themselves.  This half-hearted commitment is obvious to the employees, and provides them a mental escape/  After all, if management isn't really committed, why should the be?  Don't let that happen. If you want the change to stick, them put your personal power behind it.  You announce it to everyone, you explain the rational, you commit the assets of the company to it, and you let everyone know that this changes is going to be how the company does business.
2. Communicate clear expectations:  Okay, you've mandated the change. Now you must make sure that those veteran salespeople know specifically what is expected of them personally. For example, we may be implementing a new optional service, " Mary (veteran salesperson), by May 1st we expect you to be fully versed is product knowledge. By May 10th, we expect you to comprehend our clients usage, how it fits into the marketing systems and the rue value to the client. By May 15th we expect you to be fully functional on all five applications and presenting it on a regular bases." Follow it up with a written memo saying exacting the same thing. Now, everybody know exactly what is expected.
   
3. Tie the behavior to some reward: It would be nice if you could make 10% of their paycheck dependent on them meeting the expectations you set out. In most circumstances, the entire logistics of this is to difficult to pull off. The principle still remains, however.  Maybe you can have a big banquet for every salesperson that has achieved the expectations. Include the spouse or partners of course. Maybe you can all go to a sports event. Let everyone know, including the spouses and partners, that this is a special occasion is only for those who make the change.
4. Train them. Only the really eager to change will pick up the new behavior on their own. Everyone else, the 95% of the force that is left, will require specific and repetitive training in the thing that you want to do. I am continually amazed at the number of managers, who, while in other ways are progressive and well-manged, have never thought to budget time for training. It's as if their need to provide instruction to their team is something they never considered.  Don't fall into the class of companies who don't realize that raining is an on-going investment. Plan to train them.
5. Support the change behavior.  Just because you've trained them doesn't mean that everyone "got it." They'll still need reminders, someone to talk to about specific questions, websites to go to to review the change, etc. Set up your infrastructure for supporting the changed behavior before you begin training.
6. Manage and monitor the change.  Institute a formal, highly structured, regular meeting between the mangers of the salespeople, the sales trainers and the sales person.  It is a good idea to meet regularly with each salesperson to monitor their growth and progress in meeting the expectations. Ask questions like, " What progress are you making?' "Are you where you need to be?" "Why or why not?" "What are you going to do now?"  "How can I help?"
7. Be prepared to take action.  After you have done all of this, you really have invested the company;'s assets in a significant effort to help this person make the change.  What if he/she still doesn't?

At this point you need to make a determination. Is this a 'can't do" issue or  is tit a "won't do" issue?  In other words is the problem that the salesperson just does not have the ability to do what you want them to do?  If that is the case, then maybe they should be in another job.  Their current job may have grown beyond their capabilities. It happens.

The problem may not have anything to do with abilities, but lies in attitude. Is the issue that they won't do it?  If that is the case, then it may now be time to part company with this individual.

The future of the sales team will be characterized by constant and rapid change.  And every salesperson must  be expected to be supportive of that change.  It's part of the job description.  Resistance to today;s initiative will lead to resistant to tomorrow's.  If you can consistently manage the changes and systematically bring them about, behavior we will have is a serious competitive advantage over those whose salespeople are locked in behaviors that used to work.