Speak to any CEO or MD and it is likely that they will say that one of their organisation’s biggest challenges is attracting and retaining top talent.  It’s a phenomenon the world over, however,  the challenge seems to be more prevalent in results-orientated environments like sales where staff have targets, and their performance is continually assessed,  based on figures and results. This pressure of delivering results, coupled with the fast moving timeframes of  the world of FMCG, means that the retention of field sales teams continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing Sales Managers and Sales Directors across the globe.

At FMI, as with any field marketing agency, sales is the heart of what we do. In order to overcome this issue we have had to delve into the primary reasons why sales people choose to leave, in order to ensure that as a business we are able to develop a strategy that helps negate these issues. Through our research we observed that many of the following reasons come up time and again:

• Unrealistic targets

Thinking that high targets will motivate and drive their field sales team to perform, companies often set impossibly hard to reach targets, and the results are quite the opposite. Instead of motivating the field sales team they become disillusioned and unmotivated as they see the target as unattainable. This drives negativity, rather than allowing the buzz and feel-good factor associated with achieving targets.

• Lack of leadership

There is a distinct difference between ‘Leadership’ and ‘Management’. Sales people are typically quite self-sufficient and resourceful and as a result, high levels of micro-management can quickly breed discontent. Usually field sales teams respond best to leaders who are able to unify the team by creating a common sense of purpose which motivates  and inspires field sales teams to achieve their targets. This sense of purpose within a genuine ‘team’ is always going to retain top talent far better than someone who simply wants to ‘manage’.

• Lack of work challenge

There is an element of repetitiveness in all jobs, and the nature of a sales rep’s job is to consistently call people in order to make sales. However, as sales people are by their very nature competitive, by using competition as a key motivator, through regular competition,  team prizes, and bonuses,  the challenges of work are dealt with in a fun, engaging, and rewarding way.

Our MD, Nicola de Beer recently did a presentation, on the challenge of attracting and retaining talent, at the Sales Institute in Dublin. She discussed FMI’s approach of looking at the individual as a whole and stated that businesses should view retaining staff as an investment.

At FMI, we strive to provide an environment where field sales teams can develop and flourish. We aim to set testing but achievable targets, provide leadership that inspires, and a workplace that challenges the mind and motivates the sales team to excel.

Looking at our data we analysed that the average tenure of the current field sales team is 15.7 months. The length of employment of a field rep within FMI is depicted in the chart below, these figures include people who have since switched roles but started out as sales reps.

These figures far exceed the industry average and are reflective of the FMI ethos that “our strength is our people”.  Knowing how to appeal to the individual sales person across all aspects of his/her work life, not just as a means to drive sales and keep clients happy, but as genuine concern for the individual employee, is what ultimately retains sales talent.

“We are rightly proud of our staff retention rates, with some who have worked in field sales roles for over 5 years. As a trusted partner to all of our field sales clients, we are able to devote the necessary time and attention to retaining sales talent, that can often be under- resourced when you operate your field sales campaign ‘in-house’.” Nicola de Beer, MD, FMI.

By looking at the individual as a whole, FMI has been able to create a dynamic and responsive culture. The business and the people in the business are reflective of each other.

FMI aims to instil confidence in all our staff, especially in our field sales teams. We aspire to provide them with the right tools,  whether this be:  training,  which can help reinstate their value; mentoring, through a structured development programme; or growth opportunities. We acknowledge that providing them with access to the right resources enables them to unlock the skills they need to achieve their targets, and because they are continuously developing it helps to keep them motivated and engaged.

At FMI we think about retaining staff as an investment we also recognise that what attracts someone to stay in a job isn’t always what attracted them to the job in the first place.

We aim to provide a sales environment where the field sales teams not only have a job that they enjoy turning up to on a daily basis, but where they are able to receive plenty of meaningful training, where they are continually challenged, pushing them beyond their comfort zone and where there is a genuine appreciation shown for the effort that they put in.

Our strength truly is our people and we believe that our strength is worth investing in.

To gain an insight into the people at FMI view our Video