Outsourced Sales – Your team will inspire you

March 2020 commenced like most months do in SalesSense, with passion, eagerness and energy. For the Outsourced Sales team this swiftly turned to concern, caution and fear, especially when thinking about family and friends. I found myself experiencing a moment in my life which I had never prepared for, or even thought about. Questions were rolling in from concerned colleagues like what will happen and how long will this last? In reality there were lots of differing views, but nobody had the answers. I found myself wondering “what do I do now?”

The first step when faced with an unexpected problem is to gain knowledge. What could, should, might, will or won’t happen. It is crucial to understand the moving parts and the impact they may have on teams, partners and clients. The second step is to ensure we stay connected. How can we plan together if we can’t be together? Sometimes to successfully move forward we must start by looking back, and reviewing past performances collectively can act as a catalyst to drive change. The third step is to consider the impact on individuals. Those who are introverted may now excel in the crisis, while those who are extroverted may suffer through lack of in-person contact and need a different kind of support.

Having reflected on these three steps I considered the company I work in. As an Outsourced Sales partner proactivity and rapid adaptability are two cornerstones routinely delivered by SalesSense across the business. While nothing could have prepared us for COVID-19, there is nonetheless a steely resolve in the team to overcome obstacles and deliver results. To meet the challenge of the knowledge step we launched a new intranet site called The SalesSense Way, leveraging our proven track record in implementing industry-leading programmes, including Health and Safety initiatives which enhance communication. To address the second step of connectivity we faced no technical challenges, as our business continuity plan ensured we were all working from home within 24 hours. Instead we thought about connectivity in its truest meaning – how could we ensure our staff did not feel isolated during the lockdown. As someone who has grown up in the company, I instinctively understand this risk and so helped to develop new training, to be delivered through Microsoft Teams, and a new Gamification module which was less about training and more about remaining positive together. Finally, at the core of any successful team are its members. I shifted to daily interactions, to ensure that decisions and communications were geared around each individual and I stayed true to our pillar of supporting and growing collectively.

This COVID-19 crisis was a shock like no other but there will be a recovery, consumer sentiment will return, and our economy assisted by government supports and initiatives will help tackle this head on. Within SalesSense the last few months have once again proved the importance of the incredible culture that thrives within our business, this culture will now set the pace, with an unwavering eagerness to move forward and develop as one team. The courage, discipline and imperturbable leadership not only in Outsourced Sales but across all teams in SalesSense and in each of our teams has once again demonstrated to me the strength and ability of our people and gives me confidence that not only will we prevail, but we will be back stronger in a more knowledgeable, connected and people-focused way.

Culture is everything so allow your teams to gain knowledge, to stay connected and to allow their individual strengths to shine through. When disaster strikes, they will inspire you.