Welcome to the sixth in a series of emails from Burrall Associates. This column has evolved from frequently asked questions we encounter when helping companies push for their greatest potential. If you have a topic you'd like to see addressed, email it to mark@burrallassociates.com and we'll consider it for future emails.
90 Day Plan for a Smooth Introduction
Mark Burrall
Worst-case scenario: As a newly hired salesperson walks into the office, another employee asks, "Who are you again, and why are you here?"
What a way to smash the good impression cultivated during the recruitment process. Yet this actually happened at one company. To avoid such pitfalls, I help my clients devise a 90-day training plan that guides everyone through a smooth introduction.
When your new hire walks in the first day, he or she understands the broad outlines of the first 30 days of employment. Before the first day is over, your new salesperson has been introduced to all co-workers. By the end of the second day, the newcomer has reviewed your company's organizational structure for an idea of who does what. And so it goes each day, with specific tasks to be accomplished and people designated to help the newcomer work toward those accomplishments.
During the second 30 days, company-specific training takes place. Frequent monitoring, via quizzes and reviews, ensures that the new salesperson is learning the ropes. Expectations are delivered for performance: orders received, number of calls made, existing accounts contacted, quotations sent.
The final 30-day period includes reviews and a "how are we doing?" lunch with the immediate supervisor. Designated tasks must be completed, demonstrating that the new hire has learned enough about the job to move forward.
For more information about our 7 Steps to Hiring Success, visit 7 Steps or contact us.
