Are Salespeople Lazy? Maybe it’s something else.

Are Your Salespeople Lazy? Maybe It’s Something Else.

When sales results fall short of expectations, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that the sales team is just being lazy. But is that really the case? If only one salesperson isn’t delivering, maybe they aren’t giving it their all. But if your entire team—or everyone except for your top performer or a new hire—isn’t hitting their targets, the issue could be more complex.

At Connect, we’ve seen this scenario play out countless times, and it’s rarely just about laziness. Let’s break down some potential reasons for underperformance and what you can do to fix it.

1. The Wrong Job for the Person

COVID-19 changed life as we knew it. Many of us spent more time at home and re-evaluated our work-life balance. Some salespeople discovered that the high-paced, on-the-road lifestyle didn’t fit their new priorities, even if it used to.

I can relate to this personally. I began my sales career as a newlywed, but four years into my marriage, my wife and I adopted two children. My career had to work around this new family dynamic, and during COVID, it became even more evident to me that I thrive on the road. But for many others, COVID opened their eyes to the possibility of a different, more family-centered lifestyle. They’ve stayed in sales, but their passion may have waned.

Solution: If you suspect that one of your team members may be in the wrong job post-COVID, it’s time for an honest conversation. We’re far enough removed from the pandemic that they should know by now if their heart isn’t in sales anymore.

2. Tribal Knowledge Is Running the Show

Sales training in many organizations is often shallow. A new salesperson gets a week at headquarters, a week shadowing someone in the field, and maybe a ride-along week in their territory if they’re lucky. After that, they’re expected to learn on the job, relying on tribal knowledge and tips from colleagues.

COVID disrupted that model. Everyone had to adapt to new ways of doing things, and the old methods no longer applied, especially for teams with new leadership or staff. Many sales teams now lack clear guidance and expectations, causing confusion about how to succeed.

Solution: Develop a robust onboarding program that sets clear expectations and best practices. Make sure your team knows exactly what’s required to succeed in today’s market.

3. An Outdated Compensation Structure

Compensation plans can either motivate or demoralize a salesperson. Take my first commission plan as an example: I earned a flat 1% of revenue. It was simple but didn’t account for anything other than revenue, like growth or market share. This is problematic because a salesperson’s performance is influenced by factors outside their control, such as economic shifts or market changes.

For instance, 2021 was an easy time to sell golf cars, but 2024 is shaping up to be one of the toughest. If your compensation structure doesn’t adapt to changing market conditions, your team could be left feeling demotivated, especially if their income fluctuates wildly from year to year.

Solution: Design a compensation plan that rewards behaviors known to drive results, like proper planning and forecasting. It should also be flexible enough to adjust to market shifts while keeping income relatively stable. I prefer plans where most reps end the year around 90% of their goal, motivating them to push harder without feeling defeated.

4. Lack of Role Clarity

Before COVID, if a salesperson misunderstood their role, it wasn’t always a dealbreaker. But in today’s competitive landscape, that misunderstanding could be costing you. Salespeople need to know exactly what’s expected of them, especially territory managers (TMs).

A TM’s job isn’t just to sell to dealers—it’s to sell through them. Their role involves educating, equipping, and motivating dealers to maximize revenue from their geography. They also need to continually evaluate dealer performance and recruit new partners.

Solution: Clear up any confusion around the TM role. At Connect, we’re launching a “TM101 Basic Territory Management” course to help you get your team on the right track.

5. Lack of Necessary Tools

This ties back into compensation, but if you’re only measuring a salesperson by revenue, you’re missing the bigger picture. How do you know if a TM is truly underperforming?

At Connect, we use our 360° Assessment Tool to evaluate TMs on three key objectives: evaluate, improve, and communicate. We gather input from the TM themselves, their manager, inside sales support, other territory managers, and a sample of dealers. This helps us measure performance against industry standards and the rest of your team.

Additionally, your team needs the right tools for the job. Items to have in your TM toolbox are dealer recruitment decks, dealer evaluation tools, merchandising plans and a value-add CRM. Are you equipping your TMs with the right materials to manage, recruit and onboard new dealers?

Solution: Make sure your team has the tools and support they need, from recruitment decks to updated marketing kits that reflect the current value proposition.

Conclusion: Check the Tank, Not the Fish

Yes, your salespeople might seem lazy—but it’s rarely that simple. They might be in the wrong job, lack the necessary tools or training, or be struggling with an outdated compensation plan.

Remember, if a goldfish dies, you don’t assume it just decided to stop breathing. You check the tank—the water quality, temperature, and pH. Goldfish are cheap, but territory managers are not. Take the time to figure out what’s really going on, and you might be able to turn things around for your team.

If you need help identifying and fixing these issues, Connect offers external Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) to assess and guide your sales team. Let’s work together to make sure your salespeople are in the right role, with the right tools, and are set up for success.