5 Reasons Why Sales Leaders Should Prioritize Change Management

Change management is an all-inclusive term to describe the strategies and processes that help an organization or team prepare for, assess the impact of, and undergo change. It can be applied to any aspect of a business that continually evolves and needs upgrades to stay relevant, sustainable, profitable, competitive, and growth-oriented.

The sales department is one such entity. As it is responsible for financial sustenance, adaptive systems should be put in place to ensure faultless functioning.

There are three levels of change management for sales:

1. Individual change management: Focuses on day-to-day operations of salespersons and managers.
2. Organizational change management: Focuses on changing existing sales processes. Things such as tools, workflows, etc., are modified.
3. Enterprise change management: Focuses on leadership, organizational structure, and stakeholder relationships.

Also, there are three types of change management

 based on the need of the hour for the entity/aspect:

1. Developmental change: Improving current operational procedures.
2. Transitional change: For instance, when it gets acquired by another organization.
3. Transformational change: For instance, when it has new products or vision.

Improving the sales aspect in the aforementioned levels and types is a daunting task, especially for sales leaders. It will consume a lot of resources in terms of time, money, and manpower to manage change correctly which could deprioritize the whole process.

Therefore, sales leaders must keep the following five reasons in mind that will help them understand the necessity of and prioritize change management for their teams.

1. Realizing the potential benefits of change#

Everything becomes easier to implement once the advantages become clear, and change management is no different. When sales leaders become aware of the tangible benefits of change management, they will be more likely to put it at the top of their priorities.

Here are some of the biggest benefits of change management:

1. Makes the sales cycle more efficient in terms of converting leads into paying customers faster while consuming fewer resources.
2. Makes the sales process more adaptive and agile to convert different kinds of leads.
3. Gives the individuals, the organization, or the enterprise a steeper growth curve.

With these benefits in mind, friction to the idea of going through change reduces.

2. Smoother transitioning to new processes and workflows#

Change is inevitable, especially when it comes to sales in the digital age. It demands continuous innovation and upgradation to retain its current level of profitability. Depending on the frequency, type, and level of change, the magnitude varies.

If the magnitude of necessary change is huge, everything will be affected. Also, to bring about the change two things need to be taken care of:

1. Keep the current sales processes and workflows as efficient and functional as they can be until the newer ones are hot and ready.
2. Manage the temporarily increased workload on every front and ensure the quality of work and level of competency are maintained.

This is where sales leaders label change management as a top priority and need to guide the employees, organization, and enterprise forward.

3. Aligning practices with values, mission, and vision#

Organizations and enterprises stress the importance of the well-being of people in every way while determining their values, mission, and vision. But, how important is it for companies to put it to practice? Research conducted by Qualtrics concludes the following:

1. 72% of employees feel a sense of personal accomplishment when they work in an organization that aligns with their values.
2. 56% will never consider working at a company if they don’t agree with its values.

Aligning practices with values, mission, and vision not only will keep employees motivated but also makes a company a preferred place to work.

Consequently, sales leaders have to prioritize change management to ensure the literature of values, mission, and vision translate into practice. Doing so will push the individuals, the organization, and the enterprise in the right direction while valuing their greatest asset: people.

4. Staying ahead of the curve#

The sales industry is quite competitive. Professionals across the globe and hierarchies continuously look for ways to gain an inch over their competitors. Tools, workflows, processes, and expertise are some of the factors that need to be updated frequently.

Gaining a competitive edge involves closely watching others in the industry, being in touch with existing clients and target audiences, gaining insights from expert-led content, and more. However, it can be challenging especially when multiple aspects of a business need change.

This is where change management comes in. It helps sales leaders objectively conclude which factors of which entity need to be updated and the best strategy to do that.

5. Recognizing and rewarding high-value employees#

Change helps make processes more transparent and inclusive to the individuals and the organization. This makes professionals in upper management recognize and reward valued employees which will increase employee retention.

According to a  survey, 63% who are recognized at work are "very unlikely" to look for employment elsewhere within 3-6 months. On the corollary, 43% of those who are unrecognized are "extremely likely" to look for work in the same period.

Employee retention is crucial for the stability of an organization as team members constantly entering and leaving decreases the efficiency of the sales cycle. Sales leaders thus need to appreciate the importance of stability in the context of consistent results which motivates them to prioritize change management.

Wrapping up#

Change management identifies the scope and helps leaders bring developmental, transitional, and transformational change with the aim of improving individuals, organizations, and enterprises in terms of sustainability, output, and resource utilization.

As change management can be difficult for volatile aspects such as sales, leaders must remember its five benefits:

1. Helps everyone realize the benefits of change.
2. Makes the shift to new processes seamless.
3. Keeps actions in line with values, mission, and vision.
4. Gain and retain an advantage over competitors.
5. Retains employees and keeps them happy.

These reasons shed light on the importance of change management and why it should be prioritized by sales leaders.