Article
Two: Figures are About More than Money by Bill Boorman
In my previous articles (see issue 278 for the most recent in the series) I outlined ways in which you can use performance management to enhance the sales within your organization. You use a qualitative process, i.e. use measurements, to develop your Consultants skills, in all areas of their working day. I’d now like to talk about getting these measurements. What should you be looking for? How often should you collect the figures? In fact, just what figures should you collect?
For a start, are your Consultants using their time effectively? What should they be doing to increase their sales and fulfill their objectives?
Making calls, chasing promises and using selling time effectively all contribute to achieving activity targets and objectives. I have found over time that Consultants need to see just how much work they are actually doing in order to see whether they are gaining a valuable return or not. In its simplest form a ticklist can be used; for every activity performed, e.g. dials made, interviews arranged etc, the consultant checks a box and at the end of the day the figures can be collated. These can then be reviewed at the end of day meeting. However, because of the number of activity measurements generally required, it is far wiser to create a database for all staff activities, showing just what they are actually doing on a daily basis.
Data becomes far more meaningful when it can be manipulated to generate reports, showing just how drops in one performance area can affect their overall performance. For example, less calls than required could mean a drop in interviews made, which in turn means less starters. Getting to the cause of unsatisfactory end results is easy if you have a clear over view of what’s going on. To decide just what you are going to measure in terms of activity look at what your consultant does in an average day.
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They make calls – How many? Who to? How many generated an interview or new candidate?
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They make matches – How many new vacancies have been matched to candidates? How many applicants are booked? How many interviews and briefings been arranged?
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They close – How many vacancies have been filled? How many grey matches (possibilities) were put forward? How many temps have been booked?
This is not an exhaustive list but it illustrates the need to break down all areas where a measurement can, and should, be made.
It isn’t a case of ‘Big Brother’s Watching’ – the process should be transparent and seen as a useful tool with which to assess individual performance and to identify success – which needs to be praised and recognised. Consultants can see how increasing one activity area benefits both themselves and the company. By getting your staff to appraise their own figures you are conferring a sense of ownership over their performance. Encourage this. At the end of every day look at the figures with them, identify what needs to happen tomorrow to reach their objectives and offer support where necessary. Don’t point fingers – give pointers.
What if they cheat?
Well, look at it this way. Adding false figures would actually cause them a problem, as the end results would show huge discrepancies. Untruthful reported rises in speculative calls may look good on paper, but if all of these alleged calls are not filling or finding vacancies then these would make those calls inefficient. In my next article I will explore the efficiency concept further and show how it makes activity figures meaningful, rather than simply being a list of random numbers.
Summary
Identify which activities need recording and how
Decide who collects the data and how
Demonstrate how these measurements benefit the Consultant, not just the company
Use daily meetings to make these measurements meaningful
In the next article (in about three week’s time) I will talk about measuring efficiency effectively. If you can’t wait that long or have a pressing issue then email
billboorman@btinternet.com
and I’ll send you a full key note outlining what you need to think about.
Bill Boorman specializes in management development performance management and helping recruitment companies to achieve business growth. He has 22 years recruitment experience, 12 years as Training Director for a large UK recruitment Company. Visit
www.performancemanager.co.uk
for further information on specific events Bill is holding.
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