In the world of sales, there are often no right answers. What would you do in this tough sales situation? Make the call below, and see instantly how your judgment compares. Final results will appear in LBM Journal. Be sure to check back next month for a fresh Tough Call.

Tough Call - Al Analog vs. Dan Digital

The good news: a builder with a huge new project wants a bid. The bad news: he’s in your weakest rep’s territory.

In your work with various construction supply companies, you’ve seen many mistakes made—especially regarding sales management. Since your strength is finance, and not sales, you know from watching the numbers that nothing happens until a sale is made. That’s why you vowed to do it differently if you were ever in a position to do so. In a career that started as a bookkeeper, you’ve worked your way to the position of general manager. And in the five years that you’ve held that position, you’ve taken great pride in how you’ve handled the sales management part of the job.

Specifically, you’ve had very little turnover among your reps and steady performance with measurable improvement from year to year. You attribute this to open, honest communication, and consistency in how they’re dealt with. No special treatment for the top-producer; everyone has an equal shot at landing the career changing client or sale. You’ve always believed in sales territories, and territory integrity without exception…until now.

A prospect that you’ve wanted for five years is set to break ground on a development of modestly-priced homes boasting all the benefits of green building. Even before turning the first shovel of dirt, residents are putting down deposits on these energy efficient, built-to-last homes. The builder has made clear that he’s going to deal with one primary lumber/building material supplier, and that the expectations for the supplier of choice will be high. Proof that he’s no ordinary builder—he sent out actual Requests for Proposal defining what he wants to know—and how he wants it presented (specifically, via Powerpoint presentation for his management team).

As confident as you are that your yard can service the sale as well as the competition, the first step is closing the sale. And that’s where you’re less than confident. Al Analog, your rep for that part of town, has never successfully closed a large account and is consistently your bottom performer. He refuses to use e-mail or learn Powerpoint, preferring faxes and voicemail. Maybe you shouldn’t have kept him on the team, but he’s well-liked and has been with the company for more than three years.

Meanwhile, your top rep, Dan Digital, embraces new technologies that help him do his job more effectively, and more efficiently. He views computers and software as valuable tools—not “more stuff to learn.” Plus, though he joined the company just months after Al, he’s already established a track record of successfully closing large sales with sophisticated builders. However, his territory is on the other side of town.

In a nutshell, here’s the situation: in a year otherwise devoid of any significant sales, you have the opportunity to land one piece of business that would secure your company through 2009 and well into 2010. It’s Al Analog’s territory, and everyone on the team is already rooting for him to hit a home run—as unlikely as that is. Dan Digital would be much more likely to land the business, but giving him the opportunity would be to violate your principles of equal opportunity and territory integrity.

What would you do?

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