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LeBlanc
& Associates
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Issue 15 Spring 2001
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The Front Porch Mystery Shopping.Do your sales people hate being shopped? Every sales person has a horror story about a shopping report. Usually this happens when everyone, including the contracted company, thinks in terms of mystery shopping. Over the years, I have strived to turn this mindset around to think in terms of performance evaluations. There is a difference. Top of page With today's market conditions, most agents and some managers question the need of conducting evaluations. If you have been reading this column with any frequency over the years, you will note my message is about establishing and creating the sale. To answer the question of why we need performance evaluations, sales managers must know their agents are maintaining their selling skills to create the sale. If all they are doing is managing priority lists and camp outs, have they fallen into an order taking mode? Performance evaluations must be routinely conducted mainly because it is a format that provides management with information about how your sales people handle prospective buyers. Top of page Companies who use friends, employees, etc. to meet this need are missing the boat. How are these friends and employees assessing the agents? Based on what criteria? How objective are they? Many companies rely on satisfaction surveys. These are important tools for any sales and marketing assessment. However, keep in mind that these are based mostly on the 'likeability' factor. What about the prospective buyers or actual buyers who did not like the agent? How are you to know that subjective issues did not influence their ratings? Those of us who have been in this business for any length of time have known agents who have engaging personalities and make terrific friends or acquaintances, but they don't sell homes. Likewise, we all know agents who are not warm and fuzzy but consistently outsell their teammates and competition. When committing to an evaluation program, always identify your reason to do so. This process must always be part of a training program. The final report (written or video) is one of the best training tools for your agents. When an agent knows that this report will be used to make them better at their profession, then they won't 'hate to be shopped'. Many companies utilize these reports as part of a contest to encourage their team to continually improve their selling skills. Who should you use? Always use a third party company that specializes in the housing industry. You need objective feedback from people who know your industry. While there are many companies out there who provide this service, check their credentials. If they also mystery shop restaurants, banks, convenience stores, etc., then they will have the mindset of mystery shoppers. You need performance evaluations based on a professional selling environment. Top of page When to evaluate? As frequently as budget parameters allow. This process should be done a minimum of once a year. Preferable twice a year or more if possible. Once a year is valuable, but if we catch an agent on an "off" day (yes it does happen) then you do not have an accurate portrayal. The first evaluation should just be the benchmark for future performance. You need to monitor your agent's growth in their sales presentation. The process should be tied into any formal training program you will implement for the year. You should assess the team prior to the training program to identify the agents' strengths and weaknesses. Then again after your training program to insure your agents are implementing what they have learned. Who do you use? Call peers in the industry for recommendations. Determine who they use and why. Ask for references and sample reports. Are the reports relevant and easy to understand? As stated earlier, select a company that specializes in the new home industry. Many of our accounts at LeBlanc & Associates started with us on a trial basis. Once they received a few reports, they then continued with the balance of their sales team. Top of page How do you use the reports? Always as a training tool. Read the report. Listen to the tape and determine where you need to work with your agent. Provide the agent with the tape first and have them conduct their own self-critique. Then provide them with the written report. At LeBlanc & Associates, we provide our clients with a Self Critique report upon request. Don't focus solely on the scores. While you need a measurement to monitor your team, consider the whole picture, which includes the spoken word. Of course with the use of the video program, you have an incredible visual and audio instrument to fully observe your agents in action. In summary, regardless of market conditions, management must always know what selling skills their agents possess to create the sale. It is critical to know that your agents are proactively structuring a highly effective sales presentation. Don't rely on the accidental sale. That is short sighted and does not serve your builder, your bankers, or your buyers well.
Increasing Your Market Share Home Front: In addition to evaluating sales teams, we receive numerous requests to shop a builder's competition. From your experience, why do you feel it is important for builders to conduct a competitive comparison report? Manny Schatz: It should be common practice in our industry to 'shop' our competitors. New builders move into the area, new product is introduced and sometimes old product is updated. A competitive comparison report is a very effective tool to gauge how your competitors are executing their marketing efforts as well as the techniques being employed by their sales teams. HF: Usually our requests fall under two categories. Our clients want to know how their competitors are selling against them (what do they say) and are they cutting any deals (incentives). What other issues do you feel are important to address? Top of page MS: Typical data that can be addressed in a competitive shopping report is: Sales
agent selling skills MS: The first step is to determine which competitors need to be shopped, and more specifically, what you intend to learn from that specific shop. Clearly define any critical issues you need to have investigated. Your shopping company should have knowledge of your product and community so they can make reasonable comparisons. Top of page HF: Finally, once the competitive report is completed and received by management, what do they need to do with the information collected? MS: Following the completion of the survey, the next step is to analyze the information gathered to determine whether your homes and community are competitively positioned. You should then prepare a detailed Competitive Action Plan to improve your positioning. Be specific and consider all alternatives and possibilities. Do not forget to involve sales managers and sales personnel in developing your plan of action because they are the responsible parties who will carry out the changes. They need to be part of the process. Manny Schatz, principal of Professional Builder Services, Inc. in Danville, has been involved in nearly every aspect of home building. He holds a general contractors license, a brokers license, and holds the MIRM certification. In addition to his many professional affiliations, Manny was an associate of The Stone Institute, having worked closely with the late Dave Stone. For further information, contact Manny Schatz at (925) 837-1937. Kudos Korner This past quarter was a challenge for us to recognize the best of the best for Kudos Korner. The sales teams from Centex Homes raised the bar so high, we were forced to limit our kudos due to space restraints. Each agent scored a perfect 100. While rating perfection is one thing, they each excelled in their own personal selling styles. In all the years I have been evaluating agents, I have never seen this consistent quality in a sales team. Top of page Michelle
Walden Linda
Butterworth Sheri
Groen Linda
Turner Carol
Crandall Our next agents come from our Video Profile program: Tim
Jones, K. Hovnanian Casey
Clark, The Equinox Group Long Ago and far away... Long ago and far away, in the Empire's Royal House The Imperial Family convened one day, some of them with spouse. The Chamberlain reminded all the time had now drawn near For each of them to answer the call, and select a worthy career. Top of page According to the family pact, for one year out of ten Each of the Royals, to find humility lacked, took the ceremonial pen. Quill in hand, fear in heart, family integrity at stake, Each member fulfilled his part and chose a path to take. Decreed by Imperial tradition, each Royal owed the folk A one-year contribution to the lightening of their yoke. Members chose a craft, a profession, or a trade They chose a worthy calling, to honor the legend made. The Grand Duke became a cooper, his devotion to wine well known His Duchess shook off her stupor, and pledged to groom the roan. The Princess claimed her role as nurse, tending suffering and the ill. Her husband let fly an oath and curse, chose to operate the mill. Another Princess became the tailor, Royal gowns to make and hem. Another Prince chose jailer, and taunted the rest of them. A knight became the maker of arms, his devotion thereto keen. A Viscount chose to tend the farms; the Royal stock had been too lean. The Empress chose a noble role that of Empire's Brewer She knew the toll inferior ale would take against the poor. Top of page Faster now commitments flew, sometimes it seemed a torrent Inevitably, emotions grew, as others disclosed their warrant. So it went, one by one they chose: "Surgeon", "Bowman," and "Town Crier" "Tinker," "Sheriff," "Showman," "Assistant to the Friar." "Publishing," "Tax Collection," "Keeping of Royal Game" Each Royal made the election when someone called his name. The Monarch finally came to choose, selections available sparse. The lower Royals left few roles that would not result in farce. There seemed one wonderful choice for the head of the Royal clan. Clearing his throat, raising his voice, pronouncing with great élan "Nine years now I wondered how my subjects chose their homes. Farmhouse or palace" he thundered "Sod roof, steeples or domes." Top of page The Monarch then selected the calling that he meant: "I choose site sales," he effected "to stop subjects paying rent. I wish to vend new homes, that is my regal expression A noble calling. Yea, it seems a Monarch-worthy profession. "I will ask each guest: Is this their first visit, what brings them in today? This is not difficult is it? no matter what they say. And no matter what they say, I'll never need to make amends. Amused I'll be when each says 'Just looking for some friends.' "I will demonstrate in some fashion, and get each prospect's name. I will follow up with a passion, and always fan the flame. I will speak of every feature, the size of every stone, Introduce the local teacher, Sister Margaret Ann Saint Joan. I will be ever so persuasive in describing every site I will never be evasive. I will always do what's right." Top of page The Vicar knew he dreaded correcting his master's selection. He might soon be beheaded as he stuttered his objection. "Sire, you know your subjects love you, our admiration abounds. But site sales is above you, despite how good it sounds. New home sales can be trying, the showings, then the tedium, The prospects may not be buying, their commitment only medium. "Buyers can be liars, disloyal to the core, Sellers seldom cheery, are always wanting more. Decorators not on time, wherever did she go? Some colleagues disrespectful, then complain of your ego. Eleventh-hour no-show agents indulge in suicide poker Risking peer-humiliation: 'I am a buyer-broker.' "It takes a certain knowledge, thick skin and dedication. Regrettably, Your Majesty, this is not a simple vocation. Those that are skilled deserve our compliments and praise. Theirs is no easy calling, nor one with easy days. Their skills are composed of hard work, art and erudition. Their results sometimes seem the work of a magician. Top of page "They face each day with optimism, diffusing every wrath Those that are the very best will master critical path Turning suspects into prospects and prospects into gold, They increase buying temperature, starting when it's cold. "But overall Your Majesty, you would be doomed to fail. Although it is a travesty, you couldn't make the sale. It would be overly stressful the profession that you chose You cannot be successful: "The Emperor Has No Close." Dave Harding is Vice President, Sales & Marketing Western Pacific Housing. tel 310.665.3700; e-mail dharding@wphi.com It is not what we do, but also what we do NOT do, for which we are accountable. Moliere Actor and Playwright 1622 - 1673 The Eyes Have It Even with the best product in the best of markets, success ultimately relies on the quality of representation in your sales centers. In our Video Profiles, we capture your agent's entire sales presentation through the eyes of the buyer. Get the whole picture. Managers and agents are able to see what our evaluation reports have reported. Denial of the report is eliminated. Training. Use a Video Profile from LeBlanc & Associates to show your best sales agents demonstrating their selling skills. Quality. Our company has established itself as the premiere sales agent evaluation company in the building industry. Our expertise in the housing industry enables us to suit your needs and provide you with a quality video. Technically speaking. All work is done in-house so that we have direct control over the entire process. With our state-of-the-art editing suite, we can offer the best evaluation service in the industry. Give us a call! 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