Over the past few months, I have had the opportunity to talk to various sales organisations in the UK and France. As we were discussing training requirements for #salespeople and sales managers, it became evident that effective time management skills are essential for enhancing sales performance.

In the UK, a survey conducted by PwC revealed that 56% of salespeople are not effectively managing their time, leading to decreased productivity, sales performance and lost opportunities. Similarly, a study by Cegos found that 61% of salespeople in France felt that they were not provided with adequate training on time management skills.

These statistics highlight the need for companies to include time management training as an integral part of their sales training programmes to improve the overall productivity and efficiency of their sales force. However, it is surprising to note that most training programmes specifically designed for sales personnel do not include #timemanagement skills.

But what are the key benefits of focusing on improving time management for sales organisations?

Let’s start with the most obvious one… Sales Performance = More revenue.

It is a numbers game…according to a study by HubSpot, salespeople who were able to manage their time effectively spent 34% more time selling, leading to a 15% increase in sales performance and productivity. When salespeople are more productive, they can have more conversations and meetings, leading to more sales opportunities and revenue generation.

But the benefits of time management skills extend beyond just increasing the number of interactions.

By understanding and implementing key principles of time management, salespeople can become better at the “selling” part of their job.

They can allocate more time to prepare for each meeting, allowing them to be more focused and engaged during client interactions. This increased focus can help salespeople better understand client needs and preferences, allowing them to more effectively tailor their approach and offerings which in turn improve their conversion rates.

A survey conducted by Sales Hacker found that sales teams that prioritised time management had a win rate of 43%, compared to just 34% for teams that did not.

Second…Better customer satisfaction

Incorporating debriefing time into salespeople’s schedules can also have a positive impact on customer satisfaction and sales performance.

By having the time to review each interaction, salespeople can identify areas where they can improve and adjust their approach to better meet customer needs. This helps to build stronger, more trusting relationships with clients over time.

By scheduling time to reflect on meetings, salespeople can ensure faster responses to clients’ enquiries and demonstrate their commitment to follow-up actions. Research by Harvard Business Review has shown that customers who receive a rapid response to their enquiries are more likely to become repeat customers, and that repeat customers spend on average 67% more than new customers.

Third…Better forecasting

Effective time management skills play a crucial role in enabling sales organisations to improve their forecasting accuracy.

Salespeople and sales managers need to have a deep understanding of when sales are likely to close, and this requires effective planning and communication.

By developing their time management skills, salespeople can better articulate the next steps in the sales process, providing evidence-based information that can be used to build confidence in sales forecasts. In turn, this can help sales organisations put in place the necessary measures to achieve their targets, driving growth and success over the long term.

Accurate forecasting is a key priority for high-performing sales teams, with 57% citing it as such according to research by Salesforce.  By prioritising time management and improving their ability to accurately forecast sales, salespeople and sales managers can make better-informed decisions about resource allocation, drive revenue growth, and ultimately achieve greater success in their roles.

The same survey found that teams with accurate sales forecasts have 10% higher win rates than teams with poor forecasts.

Fourth… Better job satisfaction

“You are only as good as your last month”…For salespeople, this means that every month, they start anew with a fresh set of targets and challenges to tackle to achieve them. It is a huge pressure and urgency that salespeople face every week, every month, or every year to meet their quotas and generate revenue. Salespeople can sometimes find themselves in a position of not knowing where their revenue will come from, when they will have important meetings with their clients, or when their project will be delivered by the service team.

These uncertainties can lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety, making it difficult to improve their sales performance.

Effective time management techniques can help salespeople regain control of their schedule and alleviate some of this stress, ultimately leading to better sales performance and increased job satisfaction.

Effective time management techniques can provide salespeople with a greater sense of control over their workload and sales pipeline. With better control comes greater confidence in the ability to meet targets and the capacity to put in place the necessary actions to achieve them.

By mastering these techniques, salespeople can reduce stress and increase productivity, leading to improved job satisfaction and higher revenue for the organisation.

Finally…a special mention for Sales Managers who carry their own sales quota.

According to a study by CSO Insights, 62% of #salesmanagers in the UK carry their own sales quota in addition to managing their team’s quotas. This puts them in a challenging position, as they must balance the responsibilities of both selling and leading a team.

Effective time management becomes even more critical for sales managers with personal quotas, as they must prioritise their time between their own sales activities and coaching and supporting their team.

Without effective time management techniques, they may struggle to meet their individual targets and effectively guide their team toward success and higher sales performance.

In conclusion, yes, it’s essential to have effective sales management tools and training in place to drive success and sales performance.

However, simply investing in these resources and forgetting to equip your sales team with strong time management and collaboration skills is not enough to achieve success. Sales managers and salespeople need to understand how being able to manage their time effectively is critical in driving results.