Every company has a sales process. In some cases, these processes are well-established and well-documented. All team members understand their roles and perform to their quotas with ease. Other companies struggle with certain members of their teams. Some individuals are so established in their ways that they struggle with new technologies and products. Others are so intrigued by new technologies that they rush out to sell work that isn’t easily produced. If either of these scenarios sounds familiar, this is a great time to perform a sales process audit!

Start with the basics to look at the touchpoints in your sales process. When you hire a new salesperson, what do you tell them about how to sell your products and services? Is there a written guide or is everything handled using the oral tradition? Are sales territories documented, or established by historical precedence? Are quoting and estimating done using an established software solution that is kept up-to-date, or does the process use spreadsheets and cultural knowledge to establish pricing? Who can approve exceptions to pricing rules? Where does the sales job start, and where does it end? When does the job become the responsibility of a Customer Service Representative or the production team?

If you were able to answer all of these questions without difficulty, your business is in excellent shape. If, however, some of the answers aren’t easy to identify, this is a great time to evaluate your sales process and determine how your products are sold. Start by considering each salesperson and their client load. How much new work does each team member book, and how much of this work is from established clients? What are the prospecting processes? Who is working successfully and who could benefit from some coaching?