Center for Organizational Energy - Jim Ullery

Everyone talks about wanting a measurable ROI from a training initiative...but how do you, personally, measure your ROI?

2012-02-14T14:55:00.005-05:00

How to Measure Training Results: A Practical Guide to Tracking the Six Key Indicators by Jack Phillips and Ron Stone ISBN-10: 0071387927 or ISBN-13: 978-0071387927 is the book that
you want for this subject. For me the guarantee that I give my customer is that
they are the sole judge and jury on the results of the training.

I will place a student that does not measure up back into our training class without charge if they do not improve in the skill that I am teaching. I give the client up to one year to determine this. I also tell the client that if the student "washes out" for whatever reason - I will re-train the new
employee for up to one year providing the student returns with all of the material from the previous student. If they do not have the material I collect for a new set of material.

Any graduate is free to re-attend a program for refresher as long as the same version of the class is being taught without charge.

As for managers that want to measure ROI my impression is that the accounting community has the whole concept backwards. Why the heck is it that you can purchase a new computer or a major piece of equipment and it considered an investment yet you train a person that will provide the company multiples of financial return and the cost is considered and expense?

None the less, the "bean counter" that you are generally working with has not got a clue on the valid methods of calculating an ROI and when they do it will take them more time than it is worth to figure it out. I refer the accountant type to the above book! Even then I have the ROI requesters head spinning when they realize they do not have a clue on how to do Value
Justification. The real answer for me is - Have your bottom line profits improved? Did you implement and effective follow up program and some pig headed discipline to put the training into place? Knowledge is a great thing - The real issue is however are your people implementing the ideas? Did top management participate in the training with their people so that a real discussion of systemic issues related to the training can be addressed? In most cases the
managers have less than one hour per month to guide the actions of the new graduates of any training and that is in the 3% of the companies where the manager even gives one hour of face time per month to their people. 97% do not give as much as the hour. These are the statistics according to Harris Interactive study done for the Franklin Covey organization.

How To Handle A Concern

2012-02-03T13:44:00.013-05:00

“We are satisfied with our current provider…”

I am sure that many of us have either heard or seen this type of reply from a prospect. The key to a crisp reply is understanding and listening:

To Whom It May Concern:

We have been working with Paul Peterson for many years now. He has always done a fantastic job of offering good coverage at a fair cost. However, what sets Paul apart is his outstanding
customer service and speed in accommodating our needs as a manufacturing company. Many of our staff actually employ the talents of Paul’s firm because of the level of comfort that we have with him. Over the last 10 years, there have been countless other electrical contractors knocking on our door trying to earn our business. We respectfully decline and tell them we are satisfied with our current provider; just like any happy homeowner would.

When you read this don’t you just wish that you were Paul? In the Sales Pro Professional
Selling System PSS class we teach that this is a customer concern. Other sales classes might refer to it as an objection. Frankly, there is an army of salespeople that turn on their proverbial heels when this statement is made and they are out the door.

Please understand, in Sales Pro we teach that this is a good thing. We want to hear these
comments. This is not an objection, it is a concern. What we want ourselves to hear is I have been using my current provider for the last 10 years and I hope my trust in them is being met with the very best in innovation and advanced technology. You see, raising issues or concerns that our firms are able to deal with up front, demonstrate our ability to provide what the customer needs today. Needs change over time. So should our investment in listening to the current needs of an organization or its people.

Here is a sad truth that you can take to the bank. The very best customers are used to using
their current providers and many of them let down their guard and do not ask for special considerations in the form of expanded services and greater profitability. An easy example is to
call your current cell phone provider and shop for a new plan today. In most cases where you may love the provider and their platform, that very firm is giving new customers off the street a
better value than you currently have.

So what do you do? First acknowledge what is important to the prospect without endorsing
the company. Never say, “They have a great reputation!” Why? Simple you are not their marketing department.

A better acknowledgement would be, “Being confident in your choice of vendors is extremely important as the technology advances today.” Now seek permission to probe on a limited basis.
I never want to overstay my welcome as I am now on borrowed time. If I introduce a time frame I will saysomething like, “I will take no more than 10 minutes.”

Now I am going to explore what the current situation is.

“Tell me about the three most important factors that go into your maintaining the relationship with your current provider?”

“Please put them in order of priority for me.”

“Over time, what changes have you seen in that relationship that has kept it returning greater investment for you?”

Next I want to pick up on something the prospect says that is very important to them and look for more detail. I am looking for an opportunity.

“You said….… was important – would you expand on that for me?”

“Mmm that is very interesting. More and more of our clients are telling us the same thing.” Here I am acknowledging. (In our program we talk about the extreme importance of
acknowledgement.)

Now I want to explore the effect on their business if this factor is not all that it can be.

“What have the consequences been for you to discover after the fact that you might have
configured your….differently?”

“How do you feel about that?”

“How has that affected you?”

Finally I want to confirm that there is more than potential in what my firm can do for this prospect. I want to confirm that during this interaction potential has become desire to accomplish or to have something. It has become a need!

“It sounds as if you would rather have……Is that correct?”

“So you need……right?”

“Would you like to have a way to……?”

2012-01-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

Crayons are part of most supply lists for students going to elementary school. There are many different colored crayons found in a collection. Individual colored crayons serve unique purposes and achieve their own goals. They make an important part of the learning community. This resembles the teachers that are involved in the education of children. It is also a part of the requirement of learning cultures within corporations, not for profits, charitable organizations and any family. A crayon has its own unique tint and colors a picture noticeably, and each individual brings their own personalities, opinions, and their own agendas to the educational and organizational picture. Have you ever seen a child color a picture with just one color? Using one color of the choice of many crayons is often used to complete a picture. It does the job the user requires without using any of the other colors. This is what individuals old and young do. They complete their task on their own without the assistance from others.

Crayons are organized in groups of color families. The color families are brought together because of their similarities and the way they complement each other. Each of the crayon families seem to blend easily together and can create beautiful things within their own group. Though crayons are inanimate objects, the way they are used presents a vivid similarity to home, school, and community groups. Each of these groups comes together on their own based on their similarities in interests, opinions, and purpose. They work tirelessly for their cause, each group on its own, trying to do what is best for their interests.

Yet with both the crayon groups and the home–school–community groups, no matter how wonderful the results are, how hard each individual group works to find a purpose, the picture can be incomplete. The picture may not be able to reach its full effectiveness. When crayons are used together by the blending of colors, the groups working together to further enhance the beauty of the picture, using complementary colors from other families, everything seems to come together. What was once a basic picture, full of creativity yet missing something, the vibrancy of every one of the crayons can be used together to make a beautiful picture. Isn’t this true in the efforts of the three groups; home, school, and community? Each group has something to offer that is good. They can work together to create opportunities to learn, encourage our children to be active in their learning, and help enhance the quality of education in the school. The groups can create a beautiful educational picture. Working together the home, school, community relationships has the opportunity to help build a positive school system within their community.

A word of caution should be acknowledged though. Crayons are delicate instruments. They can break if not cared for. Crayons also need to be renewed. If we use the crayons over and over again, they will wear down and not be as effective. Crayons must be replaced so that colors can remain vibrant. In this regard relationships between home-school-community are very similar. They can be delicate and can break if not nurtured and cared for. It is important to recognize that the people involved in these groups must be renewed. Continuing to use the same people over and over again wears them down. Home-school-community groups must bring in new members so ideas remain fresh and enthusiasm remains constant.

Special attention should be given to these wonderful instruments of education; crayons and home-school-community relationships. Both provide opportunities to express themselves, both work together to form a captivating picture, and both groups add a breath of fresh air for education.

2012-01-30T11:17:00.000-05:00

There is an Old Russian proverb, “Little drops of water wear down big stones." A few years ago we took a trip to Pompeii, Italy. My wife and I were so taken by this city that was buried under the ash from a catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days in the year AD 79. The eruption buried Pompeii under 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) of ash and pumice, and it was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1749. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire.

One of thousands of interesting things that we learned and still consider today was related to the stone foundations that were used to build the public fountains around the city. Aside from the very interesting infrastructure that was characteristic of the city, there was another very interesting fact that our tour guide shared with us. Historians tell us that the population was largely “right handed” which was interesting, however more interesting was how that determination was made from the public fountains. The guide went on to explain that to drink from the fountain required that the thirsty patron lean over one of the walls of the fountain to be able to catch the water which flowed in a stream from the fountain. The water drinking patron would need to hold themselves up with one hand and cup the water with their naturally used hand. Historians pointed out that the side of the fountain which was worn the most was that used by the right handed drinkers.

Today the internet is like the water that carves rock and the hand that slides over the stone of a foundation. For thousands of years the actions of others can be studied and we are able to learn and study from our interpretations of the facts. My business is about teaching people what works best in selling, relationships, management and leadership. Every day that I teach and interact I learn much more as I am sure that you do as well. Please respond in any way to my posts and let me know that you are on this path with me.

Center for Organizational Energy - Who Are We?

2012-01-26T22:24:00.001-05:00

The Center for Organizational Energy is a leader in providing customized sales training solutions that get results.

We provide both customized in-house sales training and public session sales programs, as well as negotiation, prospecting, customer service, team building, leadership and management training. Jim Ullery is the author of our two day sales training program, Sales Pro Professional Selling System. Jim has been a certified Professional Selling Skills PSS trainer for over 20 years.

Jim & Joanne Ullery

With over 25 years of experience, Jim and Joanne Ullery and Center for Organizational Energy are a leading sales, management and leadership provider. We offer a fully customized curriculum of sales strategy, selling skills, consulting, customer service, management and leadership programs that support our clients’ objectives and drive sales results.

Call 239-599-8408 or Email Jim@c4oe.com

The Truth About Sales Training

2012-01-26T22:24:00.000-05:00

Sales training takes time away from selling. So if the training or the sales participants are ineffective, your firm is not only losing money on the cost of the program, but also on the lost sales that would have been made in that lost time. This is lost opportunity cost.
Choosing wisely is important! The first concern is to train or not to train.

When you set up a sales force in your company, it behooves you to spend as much time as possible teaching your salespeople the “ins and outs” and fundamentals of selling. The same holds true for any of your channel partners who represent your product line and control its successful introduction to the market. Additionally they need to be acutely aware of all your company’s products and services, terms and conditions, delivery and customer service. But that is not all. You must always be aware of the competition’s offerings. It is a good idea to break this down for your salespeople and train them in all aspects of this.

“Failure to Train Sales People can ruin your Company”

Failure to train your sales force, sales staff and salespeople really can ruin your company faster than any competitor ever could. It is essential to have competently trained staff working for your team.

For the sake of this example let us assume that you have chosen to move forward with sales training. In the course of your investigation you will begin to realize the truth about sales training programs. Most simply do not work. This is a lesson that is not lost at the Center for Organizational Energy with its Sales Pro—Professional Selling System program (PSS).

Though any number of elements could be responsible for an ineffective sales training program, the following stand our as common areas of concern:

There is very little if any follow up support to ensure that the implementation of the new sales process is adopted and implemented by each salesperson. Find a training provider that guarantees their work. The Sales Pro participant receives a life time ability to re-attend any public program at no charge. Your company is provided a one year replacement of any sales participant that “washes out” by your choice or theirs. Recently Sales Pro worked with a cable provider that experienced over 35% turnover each year. Re-training costs and new hiring dropped dramatically as sales professionals now had a place to turn to assure the implementation of the sales training.
Management and the training department do not reinforce the training. Why train salespeople in a process like Sales Pro with the expectation of improved performance and not do the same for sales managers and the trainers/coaches? Sadly this is exactly what many corporations do. Even if the sales force is excited about what they have learned, it does little good if sales managers, trainers/coaches, leadership and marketing do not share the enthusiasm or take the time to understand the process that they have invested in. The Sales Pro client is strongly encouraged to put sales managers, trainers/coaches, leadership and even marketing personnel into the program to have an intellectual understanding of the approach. Unfortunately, we have seen examples of organizations training on a needs satisfaction selling basis and then “hammering the sale” of products that the market has seen no need for. Sales personal were then measured on contradictory information.
Too much theory, and too little practicality. Anyone can develop a theory on how to boost sales results. What too few people can do is prove that it works. The promise of “innovative” techniques, without real world examples of an increase in productiveness is of no value! The seminar participant must have a clear understanding of turning the step in the process being taught into sales action. The Sales Pro participant will practice immediate application skills exercises in class. While in the field, that support system must be strong for the sales mangers, trainers/coaches to assure the use of the skill. Direct contact with Jim Ullery the Sales Pro instructor is also available.
An inexperienced sales trainer who fails to engage the audience. Anyone qualified to teach a sales training program better have extensive experience in the frontlines of sales. The sharing of actual selling stories—both victories and defeats is an important aspect of sales training. When a presenter does not know how to establish a rapport with the audience, or present the material in a compelling manner, the audience will not only tune the presenter out, but discount the sales advice of someone who fails to sell them. Jim Ullery your Sales Pro presenter personally has trained between 600 and 900 sales people per year for the past 12+ years. His practice includes selling the Sales Pro program and teaching it. He also regularly rides with salespeople and their managers selling the client company’s products.
The benefits of coaching will not be realized without proper follow up. The object of continuous training is to ensure that the company profits will continue to increase, Without continuous educational programs, the investment in education of personnel is a waste. Every company today should be striving for the development of a learning community. Jim Ullery at the Center for Organizational Energy, the creator of Sales Pro Professional Selling System, has been actively involved in the creation of organizational learning communities for over 30 years. His work has been included in publications like INC Magazine, Board Room Reports and Successful Meetings Magazine who named his work as One of the Top 5 in the Nation.

Sales training is not simply an intellectual activity. By its nature it demands behavior modification. To be effective, sales training requires that negative or ineffective behaviors be replaced with positive or effective behaviors. The Sales Pro sales coaching we provide is action oriented much more like sports coaching than academic coaching. The lessons must be integrated into one’s behavior, not just filed away. The initial team of sales managers, trainers/coaches start with their coaching calls directly with Jim Ullery, scheduled every two weeks or as desired. Beyond the first 90 days coaching usually continues at 3 to 4 week intervals. Action plans which are to be shared with each of the salespeople are taught and implemented. Beyond this, individual salespeople are welcome to set times directly with Jim Ullery on a time available basis. Several of our clients have established Linked-In dialogue groups which are closed to only their company for assistance in the adoption of new behaviors.

Jim Ullery, Center for Organizational Energy

Author of Sales Pro Professional Selling System

239-599-8408

Jim@c4oe.com