6. Sales Professional - 360 degree feedback

Are you truly customer centred? Do your customers trust you? And are you the first person they call in when they have a problem? This 360 looks at how you combine commercial realities with the essential ability to work in the customer`s best interests. Whilst having the tenacity and drive to get to that vital win-win time after time.

Competency Framework

You must complete all mandatory competencies and can select up to 3 optional ones.

Mandatory Competencies

• Commercial and financial awareness

  The ability to apply understanding of the company & industry to improve effectiveness & profitability

  • Bases decisions primarily upon the benefits to the business
  • Concentrates on delivering results which bring the clearest commercial benefit
  • Demonstrates an understanding of how the different parts of the organisation work together
  • Ensures own work is in line with the direction of the organisation
  • Identifies opportunities to gain commercial advantage by exploiting competitors' weaknesses
  • Is able to use sound financial logic to propose a convincing case to influence the business direction
  • Keeps up to date with commercial developments within the industry

• Communication

  The ability to give and gather information and to actively manage the communication process

  • Asks questions to find out others real views and check understanding
  • Conveys complex information in plain language
  • Has a manner, style and presence that makes a positive impression
  • Listens to and considers others views
  • States own views clearly and concisely
  • Tackles disagreement constructively
  • Uses electronic communication channels appropriately and in a way that generates a positive reaction in the recipients

• Customer focus

  The pursuit of the highest level of customer service

  • Anticipates future customer needs and trends
  • Focuses on identifying opportunities to benefit customers
  • Offers advice and guidance in responding to customer enquiries
  • Shows respect and friendliness to customers
  • Strives to resolve customer concerns
  • Talks and listens to customers to clarify their real needs and expectations

• Delivering results

  The ability to focus oneself and others on achieving specific outcomes

  • Challenges those who fail to achieve the required standards
  • Effectively implements company initiatives
  • Encourages others to aim high and exceed normal expectations
  • Focuses effort on priority tasks and activities to achieve maximum results
  • Is able to progress several issues simultaneously
  • Manages projects successfully from inception to delivery
  • Sets realistic deadlines, tasks and standards for others

• Influencing

  The ability to influence and persuade others

  • Anticipates how people are likely to react and prepares appropriately
  • Continually assesses a situation and adapts behaviour accordingly
  • Has the appropriate skills to turn objections into positive outcomes
  • Is good at influencing senior people and winning support for a case
  • Is persuasive without being aggressive
  • Makes a strong & positive impact in a group
  • States own views & opinions & backs them up with clear evidence

• Integrity and Ethical management

  The ability to work ethically according to professional & company values

  • Accepts responsibility for own work & decisions
  • Admits mistakes
  • Gives credit to deserving parties and does not take credit for the work of others
  • Is loyal to the company and its principles
  • Maintains principles even if short term commercial advantage is compromised
  • Sticks to decisions which have been made and stays true to their word
  • Uses positional and personal power with care and restraint

• Resilience

  This competency reflects the ability to be resilient and to achieve through repeated effort

  • Maintains motivation and focus when under pressure
  • Perseveres over a period of time to achieve an end result
  • Progresses with the task even in the face of personal frustration or disappointment
  • Refuses to allow earlier setbacks to affect future situations
  • Remains calm, professional & focused, acting as a role model in difficult situations
  • Stays positive in the face of interpersonal conflict or disruption to plans
  • Steps back from a difficult situation to understand what is going on & why
  • Sticks to the task in hand, even if practical difficulties arise

• Selling Skills

  This competency reflects the ability to sell products and services effectively and in an ethical manner

  • Able to handle the pressure to sell more when targets are raised
  • Accurately diagnoses the critical issues facing the buyer
  • Actively prospects to find new opportunities to sell
  • Builds trust by not trying to sell things that buyers do not need
  • Deals with scepticism, objections and rejections positively and objectively
  • Focuses discussions on benefits and features most appropriate to the needs of the buyer
  • Makes the most of new opportunities to sell e.g. good at turning leads into appointments
  • Works inside the appropriate ethical guidelines or codes of practice

• Time Management

  The ability to make most effective use of one's own time and that of others

  • Challenges the need to go to irrelevant or time wasting meetings
  • Gets the job done without procrastinating or delaying.
  • Is constantly aware of what is the best use of their own time
  • Is punctual and a good timekeeper
  • Only uses email when it is the most efficient and most appropriate form of communication
  • Resists temptation to take on other people's problems at the expense of own productivity
  • Says 'no' assertively when time is not available

Optional Competencies - you can choose up to 3 of these

• Adaptability/Change Management

  The ability to respond & adapt to changing circumstances and to manage, solve problems and provide solutions in a climate of ambiguity

  • Adopts ideas used successfully elsewhere
  • Challenges conventional views to benefit the business
  • Enthusiastically accepts beneficial change
  • Generates innovative ideas and solutions
  • Identifies when changes are needed
  • Suggests ideas for possible improvements
  • Translates ideas into practical solutions

• Developing self

  The ability to focus on own development and to take action to learn.

  • Actively seeks feedback to assist with continuous self-improvement
  • Evaluates own performance
  • Is able to accurately identify own development needs
  • Open to learning
  • Reviews & consciously learns from experience
  • Sees own development as important
  • Takes responsibility for setting up their own learning opportunities

• Motivation

  The ability to support and encourage individuals and teams, so that they give of their best

  • Demonstrates belief in the abilities of others
  • Displays genuine interest in people and their progress
  • Gives praise and open recognition
  • Has strength and maturity to support individuals and teams through difficult circumstances
  • Involves others and encourages full participation
  • Motivates others through personal example
  • Takes time to discover what motivates individuals

• Planning and Organising

  The ability to plan, organise and prioritise work. Balancing resources, skills, priorities and timescales to achieve objectives

  • Allows for contingency in plans
  • Concentrates effort on priorities
  • Ensures own work is accurate and timely
  • Holds structured, productive meetings
  • Identifies clear targets and priorities
  • Plans for the long term
  • Reviews and reassesses plans and priorities on a regular basis

• Managing Remotely

  The ability to keep the team connected and focused on business activity when working remotely.

  • Delivers on own commitments in a timely manner.
  • Displays appropriate social etiquette during online meetings – such as paying attention, listening, not interrupting.
  • Recognises and creates space for online collaboration to reduce isolation and departmental silos.
  • Recognises the need for compassion, treating people who are working remotely with sensitivity and respect.
  • Sets clear expectations and boundaries for remote team members.
  • Stays connected with remote workers, ensuring they have regular check ins.
  • Strikes a balance in digital communication between task focus and making team feel appreciated motivated.
  • Uses appropriate communication methods for a remote audience and subject matter.

• Working remotely

  The ability to stay focused, deliver on commitments and use digital communication in a productive way when working remotely.

  • Creates boundaries to protect own wellbeing
  • Is self-motivated and proactive in their work
  • Knows how to use the technology required to work remotely
  • Makes an effort to connect and engage with other team members
  • Manages own time well to ensure they deliver on commitments
  • Pays attention during online meetings
  • Stays focused on business priorities

Free Type Questions

• What would you like <NAME> to do differently or stop doing?
• What does <NAME> do well that you would like them to do more often?