Tips to Build a Cohesive Team in your business
By Colin Wilson, Director, Key Business Advisors
Business owners and managers can no longer afford to have staff and departments working independently from each other. There needs to be a sense of urgency for all staff members and departments to work together; everyone has to be aligned with the company vision, to become one company and one team. So how do you drive this strategy within your business?
Staff and departments need to work in conjunction with one another to deliver excellent customer service. Ask yourself, who has the skillset to make the difference i.e. Sales People are great communicators however paperwork and admin duties is not usually an area of strength. Admin are exceptional with paperwork and details, but can sometimes be less adept in dealing with customer issues. Utilise your staff’s strengths to achieve the strategy and remove tasks which drain their energy so they can excel and build on the sales engine of the business.
As well as playing to the strengths of your staff, tap into their knowledge of products and customers. Recently I was with a customer in the office technology business and played an exercise to improve business development and lead generation. Imagine the power of the following exercise within your business.
- Admin Team: Have the whole admin team together and ask them to write the first 3 clients that come to their mind where they invoice out more than 3 invoices per month. You’re not asking them to sell, just think, you will have 15 potential leads come out! An idea the admin team generated was offering a service to the clients where they receive a single bill for all items purchased.
- Service Team: We offer clients office furniture and new equipment. Have the whole service department come up with 3 clients they have recently visited who have old office furniture, broken chairs or equipment. We are looking for a dysfunctional office with messy desks and paper everywhere.
- Service Technicians: Write down the first 3 clients that come to their mind. You’re not asking them to sell, just think and 25 potential leads come out!
The wow factor of this exercise generated 40 potential leads, fired the sales team up and highlighted who they were working on and who they need to visit. A cohesive team has formed and everyone is working together as one, contributing to customer service, lead generation and the sales process.
If you believe your business may have dysfunctional departments, could use some help in generating leads and increasing sales please contact our team who specialise in building cohesive teams and the sales engine within a business.
