• News
    • Automotive
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
    • Digital & Technology
    • Economy
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Finance
    • Human Resources
    • Real Estate
    • Sustainability
    • Talent
    • Wellness and Wellbeing
  • The Break Room
  • Events
  • About
Search
Friday, September 22, 2023
  • Advertise
  • Contribute to the Break Room
  • Email Subscriptions
  • Contact Us
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Corp! Magazine Corp! Magazine
Corp! Magazine Corp! Magazine
  • News
    • Automotive
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)
    • Digital & Technology
    • Economy
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Finance
    • Human Resources
    • Real Estate
    • Sustainability
    • Talent
    • Wellness and Wellbeing
  • The Break Room
    • Advantage Real Estate Helps Fitness Gym Open Downtown Grand Rapids Location

      September 21, 2023

      P&THE Manufacturing Purchases the Assets of Turbo Components

      September 21, 2023

      The Rapid Seeks Community Involvement to Help Shape 20-Year Vision of Public Transportation

      September 13, 2023

      Dearborn Sausage Company Acquires 4 Great Lakes Regional Brands

      September 11, 2023

      Gesher Hosts Hiring Blitz for 50 Direct Care Workers

      September 6, 2023
  • Events
      • Events
      • Webinars
      • Past Event Galleries

      The Secret of Life (How to live a purposeful career, surround yourself with people you love, and make the world a better place.)

      September 26, 2023 • 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET
      Experience a mindset shift that will transform your perception of the world. Join us on a transformative journey of rediscovery, where we delve into the wonders that surround us daily. In a society overwhelmed by negativity and the illusions of social media, it’s time to break free and regain our sense of wonder and connection.

      From Resignation to Rebalance: Marketing the HR Journey Ahead

      Michigan Salute to Diversity Awards and Conference 2023

      The Growing Epidemic does not discriminate. So, what do we do about Mental Health Conditions in the Workplace?

      Featured Programs

      Michigan Salute to Diversity Awards and Conference 2023

      October 12, 2023 • The Henry
      For more than 15 years, Corp!, a WBENC Company, has recognized businesses, organizations, and leaders who champion diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and achievements within their organization or the community. Corp! Magazine’s Salute to Diversity is an educational event and awards celebration that features networking and insightful speakers who share best practices to move the needle on diversity, equity, and inclusion in business.
      Learn More

      Community Events

      No Events
      View All
      Add a New Event
  • About
Home Industry Sales and Marketing 5 Ways to do the Account/Territory Handoff Right
  • Industry
  • Sales and Marketing

5 Ways to do the Account/Territory Handoff Right

By
Troy Harrison
-
January 22, 2015
Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
Email

    “Troy,” the business owner said, “When I hire a new sales rep, I always give them a few of my own accounts to help them get their territory going. What’s the best way to make that handoff happen?” This question came from an attendee at a recent seminar I gave in Las Vegas. It’s a good question.

    Handing off accounts – or transitioning territories – is a potentially touchy task. Our salespeople build relationships with customers, and for whatever reason, we are severing one relationship to start another. Comfortable customers buy; one of the most uncomfortable moments for a customer is when a new salesperson takes over their account. Here are five ways to take the discomfort out, and keep their business intact.

    1. Give the customer plenty of warning. Customers don’t like surprises. They like it even less when the surprise has to do with the point person for their business. So, one key to a smooth transition is to warn the customer ahead of time, and give them an opportunity to mentally adjust to the idea of a new salesperson before they have to adjust to the reality of a new salesperson. Sometimes this isn’t possible (for instance, in the case of a sudden change in personnel), but oftentimes it is possible. If you have a senior rep who’s leaving, if you as a manager are transitioning some of your own accounts, or even if you’re just doing a territory realignment, you need to be giving your customer a heads-up. And put a completely positive spin on it.

    Trending
    Enbridge Agrees to $14 Billion Deal With Dominion

    2. Make the handoff in person. The handoff should be made in person, preferably from the old salesperson to the new salesperson in real time and at a face-to-face meeting. This allows the past salesperson (with whom the trust has been established) to introduce the new person, and in doing so, the past salesperson is giving the new salesperson his endorsement. This should mean that the “new guy” doesn’t have to build a relationship from scratch. In those cases where the past salesperson isn’t available to make the handoff (for instance, the past salesperson abruptly quit or got fired), a manager (you) should conduct this meeting. You do have your own relationships with key customers, right?

    3. Train the new salesperson. The biggest fear of the customer is that there will be a drop in service levels when the new salesperson takes over. Don’t let that happen. Make sure that the new salesperson is trained to a reasonable level of competence; you won’t be able to replace 20 years of experience with a training session, but the new person should understand your company’s products and services, as well as knowing your sales process and culture. Good onboarding and training can get a new salesperson to about 70-75 percent of the effectiveness of a veteran. Make sure that the salesperson is at this level before the handoff.

    4. Give extra support to the new salesperson. You may need to devote extra resources to the new salesperson handling the account(s) for a while. That means extra support personnel, more of your time, increased quality checks. The most critical issue here is that the customer perceives no drop in customer service levels – and if the customer perceives a raise in service levels, that’s even better. While you’re at it, devote extra management time to the transition. Don’t be afraid to follow up individually with the customers to make sure that they are happy with the transition. The critical piece is that relationships stay intact between your company and your customers.

    Trending
    Don’t Be Scared, Be Prepared

    5. Don’t force the customers to accept a bad deal. If you transition a lot of customers, invariably you’ll have at least one where you have an unhappy customer. No matter how good the new salesperson is, there’s likely to be a personality conflict between a legacy customer and a new rep. When that happens, don’t force the customer to accept a salesperson that they don’t want to deal with. Remember – one way or another, the customer will cut that salesperson out of the process, either with you or without you. That means that, sometimes, you have to make the uncomfortable decision to move an account. Don’t be afraid to do it – and unless it’s a pattern, don’t blame the salesperson. Personality conflicts will happen.

    You should, of course, allocate your time wisely. If you classify your accounts on the old “A/B/C” system, focus most of your handoff efforts on the A’s, the B’s, and maybe a few high “C’s,” and let the salesperson fly on his/her own in the low “C’s.”

    Whether you’re transitioning one account or a whole territory, keep these steps in mind if you want a successful transition.

    • TAGS
    • account handoff
    • accounts
    • sales
    • salesperson
    • territory
    • Training
    • Troy Harrison
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
    Email
      Previous articleLower Gas Prices Push Consumer Optimism to New Highs
      Next articleRecovery Program Takes on Addiction in the Workforce and is Winning
      Troy Harrison
      Troy Harrison
      https://www.troyharrison.com/
      Troy Harrison is the author of “Sell Like You Mean It!” and a speaker, consultant, and sales navigator. He helps companies build more profitable and productive sales forces with his sales training and methodologies. For more, call 913-645-3603, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.TroyHarrison.com.

      RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

      Randy Gungab Joins Rehmann as an Accounting Solutions Senior Manager

      Matrix’s ‘313 in the D’ Tops $80,000 Fundraising Goal

      Amazon: ’23 Event Was Biggest Prime Day Ever

      Sign up to recieve Corp! Magazine ePublications

      Best Employment Practices Resource Guide CTA

      LATEST ARTICLES

      Loepp Sets Retirement Date From Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

      Business Press Release - September 21, 2023
      Dan Loepp, who has led Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for two decades, announced he'll retire at the end of 2024.

      The Right Place debuts 10-Year Tech Strategy for Greater Grand Rapids Region

      Digital & Technology Press Release - September 21, 2023
      The Right Place has a plan to turn Grand Rapids into a major technology hub in the next decade.

      Private Colleges Seek to Expand Campus Diversity, Equity

      Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Press Release - September 21, 2023
      Private colleges are looking to expand opportunities for students from underserved communities as they push to change enrollment strategies as DEI efforts ramp up.

      Advantage Real Estate Helps Fitness Gym Open Downtown Grand Rapids Location

      Business Press Release - September 21, 2023

      P&THE Manufacturing Purchases the Assets of Turbo Components

      Business Press Release - September 21, 2023
      certified WBENC, a woman-owned business
      ABOUT US
      Corp! Magazine is a nationwide business publication dedicated to business owners and C-Suite leaders. Our publications provide breaking business news, legislative news and guidelines, best practices, and economic trends — everything a CEO needs to know. Part of a small business itself, Corp! Magazine is a certified WBENC, a woman-owned business.

      Corp! Magazine began publishing in print form in 1988. Today, like so many businesses in the digital age, Corp! has pivoted to become a 100-percent digital operation, with a reader-friendly digital flip-book, delivered to its influential audience of seasoned executives and business leaders. This exclusive circulation ensures the highest-quality, targeted audience for advertisers and readers.
      Contact us: [email protected]
      FOLLOW US
      • About Us
      • Advertise
      • Subscribe
      • Articles
      • Corp! Events
      • Community Events
      • Submit Community Event
      • Contact Us
      • Pay Invoice
      © Copyright 2023 - Corp Publishing, LLC
      Click to access the login or register cheese