Jen, Jen, Jen: A Case Study

Today's blog posting is an interactive case study to help you identify your coaching aptitude and skills. I encourage you to invest a little bit of extra time in yourself and complete the exercise.
 
Situation
Jen is one of your most productive, if not the most productive, part-timers. She's fantastic with customers. Jen's monthly UPT (units-per-transactions) and ADS (average daily sale) are always almost number one in the store.
 
Jen is very outgoing, almost outspoken. Her customers love her and are known to wait a longtime just to work with her. Jen's kids are grown and she's really only working for the fun of it, something she doesn't hesitate to remind everyone.
 
You recently announced to the staff that you want to put a higher emphasize on following-up with customers. You asked that all customers that made a purchase of $100 or more be sent a thank you card, and you'd like to see those who spent $500 or more receive a telephone call.
 
A month later most of the staff has gotten into the swing of the new guidelines. Just about everyone is getting their thank-you cards done, and although the calls aren't going as well as you hoped, there is some progress.
 
The only exception is Jen. Jen has only written a couple thank-you cards and hasn't attempted even one phone call. When you casually mention to Jen that she needs to get her thank-you cards out she snaps, "I know."
 
Two more weeks have passed and Jen still isn't setting the world on fire with customer follow-ups. You've also heard from two different employees that Jen has said how much she dislikes the new follow-up program and is thinking of resigning.
 
What would you do?
 
Share your response below on how you would address this situation. But here's my challenge for you. Don't tell what you think you should do or what you believe is the correct answer; tell me how you would really handle this?
 
If you have managers that work for you what would they do? You might send this to them and find out. This case study will also make a great conversation at a manager's meeting or on a conference call.

I will give you my thoughts and insights from our newsletter readers next week.  

- Doug

 

Comments

[Doron]

I have a question Doug: Is she maintaining or exceeding her performance during the new campaign?

[Doug Fleener]

Hi Doron,
First thanks for Tweeting about this case study. In regard to your question, I would say she is maintaining her performance which is of course above average to begin with.

Doug

[Julie Butler]

Since she is one of my top performers, I would approach her and ask why she doesn't like/feel it necessary to perform the follow up with customers. Maybe there is a good reason why she doesn't do it and that reason can be fixed somehow. I would value her opposition and opinion about the situation and hopefully find the real reason she isn't doing it.

[Doron]

There would have to be some probing but more so on Jen's side. I would ask questions like "Tell me why you have reservations" etc and try to sell her on the benefits of increased cx interaction. If she was still unwilling, I would have to "succumb" and give her an exception or at least a reduced requirement but I can assure you that her monthly performance would be closely monitored and any variations to the negative would have to be challenged.

[Matt Chowning]

Jen is challenging my authority, and is working on her terms, not mine.

I would have a private discussion with her to find out why she feels the way she feels. However, the question to be answered is: Is Jen's performance prior to this policy change worth allowing Jen to dictate policy for the store? This is what she is trying to do.

After we discussed what she doesn't like, I'd make sure Jen understands my commitment to the policy, and that she needs to follow it.

[Marge Laney]

A couple of things come to mind after reading this. When management comes up with these types of programs that require associate buy in and compliance for success I believe they should have a place at the table during the development. Pride of authorship brings a lot of positives and compliance is one of them.

Sometimes, however, associates that have been around a long time and have a successful selling strategy that works for them, are not willing to change their ways. Many times these people, like Jen, have been held up by management as exemplary associates that should be emulated by others. When it comes time to initiate new processes though, the Jen's of the sales force often believe that they already do a great job (mostly because you have told them so) and are resistant to change. They are also your most likely associates to introduce what I call the "smirk factor" by smirking during the meeting where the new idea is being introduced. These de facto sales force leaders can jettison a new initiative with a smirk and can kill any ideas they deem useless.

When this happens you must decide whether you are willing to lose the all important control of how your associates connect with your customers, or if you are satisfied with letting the Jen’s of the sales force run the show.

[Doug Fleener]

Thanks for all of the great comments and different perspectives.Marge I really like the smirk factor. Boy have I seen a few of those in my days.

After I gather more comments from the newsletter readers Ill share what others had to say.

Obviously the most important thing is to do something....

Doug