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Sales Force Effectiveness Analysis

Vassilis Engonopoulos

Partner of Imparta Limited UK & TLC http://www.hrcapital.gr

February 2014

Objectives

• To develop a robust and sustainable field force effectiveness analysis,so as to enable the organization to effectively pursue and achieve itsbusiness objectives

• To identify the strengths and weaknesses of key employees and toidentify their development needs so as to plan and implementfocused developmental initiatives

• To identify high potential employees/star performers in order togroom them for management positions in the future

• To incorporate an assessment process which is scientific,standardized and fair so as to demonstrate credibility of the processand gain confidence of all related stakeholders

Why Competency Compass?

• The best way to understand performance is to observe what sales repsactually do vs. the existing competency model.

• Objective point of view rather than relying on assumptions.

• They should be linked to meaningful behavior/outcomes that describe howsales reps should perform in the business environment.

• The best way to measure and predict performance is to assess whether sales reps have key competencies.

• They should be made visible/accessible.

• Competencies can be learnt and developed.

Sales Rep

Teamwork Customer Orientation

Comm. with.

Impact

Leading People

Develop. People

Strategic Orientation.

Results Orientation.

Change & Innovation

1

2

3

COMPETENCY ICEBERG MODEL

Behavioral competencies are below the waterline - they are more difficult to assess, and often harder to develop. Behavioral competencies can be understood as manifestations of how a person views him or herself(self-image), how he or she typically behaves (traits), or motives him or her (motives).

Skill: - A person's ability to do something well. For example, is great at using Microsoft Word.Knowledge: - Information that a person uses in a particular area. For example, this might differentiate the outstanding waiter or waitress who speaks many languages from his or her average counterpart in a restaurant with an international clientele.Self-image: - A person's view of him or herself, identity, personality and values. For example, seeing oneself as a leader, or as a developer of people.Trait: - A typical aspect of a person's behavior. For example, being a good listener.Motive: - What drives someone's behavior in a particular area (anunderlying need for achievement, affiliation or power).

The Process

Competency Compass

Competence gap analysis determines how skilled or proficient individual

sales rep are on these components, how much individuals differ from desired

performance and whether or not they need development. The required

performance minus the present performance equals the competence gap.

Sales Rep

Teamwork Customer Orientation

Comm. with.

Impact

Leading People

Develop. People

Strategic Orientation.

Results Orientation.

Change & Innovation

1

2

3

Sales Force Effectiveness Analysis

• The first stage is to identify the dimensions and levels of competences. Translate each competency in measurement behavior (attributes, traits, skills and knowledge) in responding to competitive and challenging pharma environment .Also prepare & customize all the appropriate material(role play, exercises and games etc.) according to the measurement behavior and the conclusions from the field visit and discussion with management . Communicate the purpose and objectives of project to reps.

• The second stage is to determine the current state of sales reps competences using assessment centers approach. This involves identifying the knowledge, skills, and behavior dimensions and levels of which sales people already possess.

• The third stage assess the gap between required sales reps competences and thecompetences already acquired by the sales force during AC process.

Identify the dimensions and levels of competences

& Customize the Material Communication plan

Determinethe current Situation

Assess the Gap andproducing reports

Stage 2Stage 1 Stage 3

Competency GAP Analysis

Stage Activities

1. Identifyingthe

dimensionsand levels of

competences

Customized

Material

• Clarify the meaning of competencies in the Company environment

• Behaviors displayed by sales reps will be linked to meaningful andrelevant behavior (such as attributes, traits, skills and knowledge )

how the sales reps should perform in doctors environment• Organize field visits to understand company sales approach• Prepare and customize the material to be used in assessment center

2. Determining the current state of sales

reps competences

• Assessment Center - These include a number ofobservations, assessment techniques for gathering adequateevidence for the presence of particular competence

3. Assessing the gap• Detail Reports will be produced for each participant in order to use in

the discussion of integration of scores

• The pooling of information will be done through statistical techniques

• Discussion Feedback per participant

ASSESSMENT CENTRES (AC)

Assessment Centers are described as the variety of testing techniques that allow the sales reps to

demonstrate, under standardized conditions, the skills and abilities most essential for success in a given

model.

ASSESSMENT CENTRES (AC)

ASSESSMENT

CENTRE

Allows candidateto demonstrate behavior

/skills

/knowledge

Series of exercises (situational & job

simulations )

Designed to measure dimensions/competencies required

to deliver effective performance in a given job

Specially developed

assessment simulations

of future job situationDesigned to measure

dimensions/competencies required to deliver

effective performance in a given job

It is a standardized

procedure of

evaluationPooling of judgment

through a statistical

integration process

Used for a variety of HRdecisions

Stages in a typical AC

ACs normally involves the following stages. The list of critical responsibilities, at each stage in highlighted in the below given table.

Pre AC•

• Defining the objective

of AC .• Conduct job analysis.

• Define the

competencies required for the target position.

• Identify the observers.

• Train the observers.

• Design the ACexercises.

• Decide the rating methodology.

• Make infrastructural

arrangements.

• Schedule the AC.

• Inform the sales reps of the schedule.

During AC

• Explain participants the purpose of the AC, the procedure it would follow and its outcome.

• Give instructions to the participants,

before every exercise.• Conduct a discussion of all observers on

every participant’s ratings, at the end of the session.

• Make a report of the strengths and

improvement areas of every participant.

• Give feedback to participants.

• Get feedback from participants and

observers about the conduction of AC.

Post AC

• Compile reports of all participants .

• Make improvements

in the design according to the recommendations.

• Evaluate the validity

of results after a

definite period..

Tools used in Assessment Centers

• Psychometric Tests

• Interviews

• Games/Simulation Exercises

• Role Plays / Observation

• Presentations

AC’s tools per Competence

TOOLS Teamwork Customer Orientation

Comm. with

Impact

Strategic Orientation

Results Orientation

Change &Innovation

Role Plays /Observation

Games/ SimulationExercises

Interviews

Presentation

Psychometric Tests

Exercises in Assessment Centers

Tool Explanation Competency

Competency-based

interview

Includes personal history questions and

customers tasks and scenarios

Analytical skills, business acumen,

communication, interpersonal skills,

personal attributes

Group exercise - Games Includes problem solving within a or team

Personal assertiveness, teamwork,

Interpersonal effectiveness, drive

for result

Presentation Involves a 10 to 15 minute presentation on a

pre-determined topic.

Strategic orientation, presentation

delivery and communication, working

under pressure, business acumen

Psychometric/Personality

/ Aptitude Tests

Includes a personality questionnaire and/or

numerical, verbal, and diagrammatic job

match reports

Personal assertiveness,behavioral

interaction,extroversion

/introversion, teamwork, change ,

innovation, productivity, problem

solving

Role-playexercise Involves acting-out a business-related

situation

Videotaping the role play

Approach to business situations

The advantages of Assessment Centers(AC)

• Exercises are designed to bring out the specific competenciesthat are required in the target position.

• Since the exercises are standardized, the observers evaluate thecandidates under relatively constant conditions and are therefore ableto make valid comparative judgments.

• The observers usually do not know the candidates personally and sothe personal biases are kept out of place.

• The observers are trained to observe and evaluate the specifiedcompetencies. The observer become more accurate in theirobservations about people and they and people around them haveincreased confidence in their judgment of people-related issues.

• The assessment focuses on only the key identifiedcompetencies and therefore makes the task easier forassessors.

• A combination of internal and external observer pair helps gain anobjective view of the person’s potential.

• The fairness, equality and transparency that the process offers,appeals to most participant’s logic.

• The candidate gets a clear picture of the job responsibilities andchallenges in the target position and therefore can make a muchwell informed decision of whether he would like to take it up.

• Since multiple observers accurately record the behavior ofcandidates in an AC, there is concrete evidence for the results of anAC. These recordings can be later produced in case of anyarguments.

The advantages of Assessment Centers(AC)