Board Game Distributor Gets On Board to Build Stronger Client Relationships

• March 25^th, 2021
• Blog

 

Board Games Distributor gets on Board to build Stronger Client Relationships

 

Organization:

An Ontario-based Board Games’ Distributor with 10 sales reps.

Business Issue:

In the past, business boomed focused around the success of a specific line of product for this board games’ distributor.  Most of a rep’s time was consumed by order taking activities.  It wasn’t necessary to take time to understand clients’ business issues; nor did reps need to develop customized solutions.  However, in the last few years business changed. They lost a major supplier and other key lines as a major equity business start acquiring brands.   Business had become more competitive with more distributors, maturing and an influx of product into the business category.  Also, games’ retailers had now gained access to new features such as social media thus making them less dependent upon providers when making purchasing decisions.

 

Moving forward, in order to grow sales revenue, reps needed to become more effective in their selling activity. Business had changed such that they had to both understand and apply fundamentals of selling in interactions with retailers.  Reps needed to learn and master selling skills such as:

• Taking control of the call
• Gaining permission to probe (even with indifferent clients)
• Knowing how to probe quickly and effectively
• Handling common objections,  and
• Gaining commitment to move the sale forward

 

Solution:

The Senior Account Manager/Project Lead Tyler Coghill was referred to Peter Webb at Peter Webb Sales Coaching.  Tyler knew reps needed to learn the basics of consultative selling.  He was looking for a program and learning process that would result in behavior change in reps.

Management supported the training.  Peter met with the owner and reviewed management’s key role in supporting the training.  A needs assessment was conducted with the sales reps.  The assessment identified a rep’s selling experience (some reps had worked in sales roles in other companies, others were new to selling).  Reps also had an opportunity to identify challenging selling situations.  This data helped Peter see the breadth of selling experience across the company, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges reps faced. Subsequent coaching sessions were customized to meet the unique needs of each rep.

 

Peter’s recommendation was a proven blended learning approach that combined on-line learning and skills’ application over a 6 week period.  Peter met with each rep individually to establish learning goals.  Each rep independently completed a series of online learning modules called Professional Selling Skills®.    At the completion of Professional Selling Skills® Peter conducted two coaching sessions with each rep.    A final goal setting application session was also conducted.

Tyler Coghill made himself available for just in time support for the reps.  This was very valuable.  Tyler’s descriptions and modelling of consultative selling behaviour gave the reps confidence that consultative skills could be successfully applied in their selling situations.

 

Results:

Often following training and coaching, sales situations present themselves where behavior change can be observed. After the training and coaching, Tyler said “I could see a number of examples of behaviour change.” Tyler said the one break through area was the focus on the call planning process. “The change in the way the team approaches sales calls has delivered greatly improved results. The focus on thinking before acting has paid off.” Tyler cited a large account that had gone dormant for the last few years. One rep used the call planning process (taught in the training and followed up in coaching) to arrange a discussion with the client.  Following discussion and analysis of business issues, the dormant account was re-activated and revenue flowed.

Tyler said” ‘I’m glad we reached out to Peter Webb of Peter Webb Sales Coaching and I thank him for them for all of the guidance and support he offered.  I would definitely work with him again in the right circumstances.”