In this episode of the Stronger Sales Teams podcast, Ben Wright speaks with Ingrid Maynard, founder of The Sales Doctor, about the evolving world of B2B sales leadership. They explore how customer service has shifted post-COVID and how leaders can adapt to build high-performing, customer-centric teams. Ingrid shares insights on what defines great service today, emphasising curiosity, communication, and strong relationships. The episode also covers hiring the right people and creating a culture that supports growth—offering valuable takeaways for any sales leader.

About the Guest:

Ingrid Maynard is the founder of The Sales Doctor and host of the Sales Revolution podcast. With more than 25 years of experience, Ingrid is a seasoned expert in transforming business performance through strategic sales improvement. Renowned for her dynamic speaking style and thought leadership, Ingrid has been featured in prominent publications and has worked with some of the most iconic brands across Australia and New Zealand. Her approach centres on cultivating customer-centric, commercially astute cultures that drive lasting results. Ingrid recently released her first book, The Sales Revolution, a reflection of her deep expertise and forward-thinking perspective on modern sales leadership.

Key Takeaways:

• Genuine curiosity, communication, and connection are essential for excellent customer service.
• The onset of COVID-19 altered service delivery, leading to a mixed impact on customer experience.
• Effective customer service involves setting, meeting, and exceeding customer expectations.
• Selecting the right people and nurturing their growth and skills is crucial in building strong sales teams.
• The transition to virtual meetings has blurred professional standards; maintaining professionalism is vital.

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro

1:25 Guest Introduction

3:05 About the Guest

4:37 Customer Service In The Modern World

7:21 Service In The Modern World That Isn't Successful

10:20 Expectations

13:29 Delivery Better Service To Customers

16:10 Growing The Service Development

22:17 Guest Socials

22:55 Outro

Rate, Review, & Follow If you’re liking what you’re hearing, make sure you ‘follow’ the show wherever you listen to your podcasts…so you never miss an episode! I’d also love to hear what you think, so drop us a review after you close that next deal…tell me what you’re liking, and what you want more of so I can look to cover it in a future episode.

In this episode of the Stronger Sales Teams, Ben Wright engages in an insightful conversation with Glenn Poulos. Together, they examine the rapidly evolving sales landscape, with Glenn highlighting a growing overreliance on technology at the expense of genuine, face-to-face client interactions. He underscores the importance of robust onboarding processes, meaningful metrics, and well-structured compensation plans in driving team performance. Emphasising accountability, Glenn details how consistent check-ins and clear expectations are essential to creating disciplined, results-driven sales teams.

About the Guest:

Glenn Poulos is a highly experienced entrepreneur and sales executive, boasting more than four decades in the sales arena. He currently serves as President of ProgUSA, a leading distributor in the electrical testing and measurement equipment industry. Throughout his career, Glenn has built and successfully exited businesses valued in the eight figures. He is also the author of Never Sit in the Lobby, a practical guide offering actionable strategies for sales professionals to close more deals and sidestep common missteps. As a respected speaker, podcast host, and LinkedIn Top Voice, Glenn is widely regarded for his forthright and insightful approach to cultivating high-performing sales teams.

Key Takeaways:

• Sales teams must balance virtual selling with face-to-face meetings to understand customer challenges and competitors.
• Clear onboarding programs and consistent metrics are essential for setting salespeople up for success.
• Align compensation with company values to motivate the right behaviours and drive business goals.
• Implement clear expectations, public goals, and disciplined check-ins to maintain accountability within the team.
• Simplify offerings, clear out non-real deals, and double prospecting efforts to ensure growth and hit targets.

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro

0:58 Guest Introduction

2:41 About Glenn Poulos

6:59 The Most Common Mistakes Sales People Make

11:15 How High Performing Sales Teams Are Built

17:14 Building Accountability In The Sales Process

21:55 Supercharging Growth Of The Business

25:40 Guest Socials

26:22 Outro

Rate, Review, & Follow If you’re liking what you’re hearing, make sure you ‘follow’ the show wherever you listen to your podcasts…so you never miss an episode! I’d also love to hear what you think, so drop us a review after you close that next deal…tell me what you’re liking, and what you want more of so I can look to cover it in a future episode.

In this episode of Stronger Sales Teams, drawing from years of hands-on experience, Ben addresses the common challenge of sluggish deal pipelines and presents practical strategies to boost close rates and refine the overall sales process. He underscores the significance of a consistent, repeatable sales framework to eliminate bottlenecks and accelerate deal progression. A key message is the importance of being “chosen early and often,” as Ben urges teams to prioritise strong initial connections and a clear understanding of client needs and opportunities.

Key Takeaways:

• Prioritise building strong initial relationships to be “chosen early and often” by potential clients, which can simplify the sales process.
• Devise a structured sales process that the majority of the team can consistently follow to create predictability in closing deals.
• Employ careful preparation and research to engage clients effectively, using common ground like shared interests in sports or hobbies.
• Implement actionable checklists during client meetings to establish clear pathways for deal progression and closure.
• Regularly assess stuck deals by re-engaging customers with direct check-in sessions to understand remaining barriers and find resolutions.

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro

2:20 Increasing Close Rates

3:30 How To Stop Slowing Down The Deal Pipeline

4:55 Going Back To The Process

6:07 Getting Things Right Early

8:35 Greeting the Customer

10:45 Setting Up The Outcome

13:25 Asking Questions

14:40 Creating Checklist

19:00 Being Clear On The Role Of People

19:56 Setting Time Frames

20:55 Making Sure That We Are The Choice

21:53 Recap

23:02 Outro

Rate, Review, & Follow If you’re liking what you’re hearing, make sure you ‘follow’ the show wherever you listen to your podcasts…so you never miss an episode! I’d also love to hear what you think, so drop us a review after you close that next deal…tell me what you’re liking, and what you want more of so I can look to cover it in a future episode.