When you hire someone in a commercial role, what aptitude tests do you carry out? Does it include an examination of their writing skills? And if not, why not?
A Managing Director of my acquaintance was telling me about a Field Sales Guy he’d had to let go.
Upon his appointment, the man (let's call him Mark) appeared ideal. He’d interviewed superbly. He had all the attributes - tall, good-looking, charming and confident. He had attended a private school, spoke well and was comfortable addressing a roomful of people.
Mark was responsible for selling an expensive “solution” proposition that included software, implementation and a change management program. He was quick on the uptake, and soon his product knowledge was such that he was able to demonstrate features and benefits in an engaging manner.
Despite everything being in his favour, Mark's sales numbers were so low as to be almost invisible. The MD accompanied him at a number of sales demonstrations and follow-up meetings but there appeared to be no issue. After some months, the economics of the situation inevitably led to Mark's dismissal for under-performance.
After Mark had cleared his desk, the MD later accessed his email account to see if could rescue any of the prospects in the sales pipeline. What he discovered demonstrated all too clearly what the hidden issue had been.
Each prospect had received a full sales proposal document which was fine in every instance. However, that document was a standard template which only needed the requisite numbers added and it would work out the pricing automatically. Each had also been double-checked by the MD before being emailed to ensure they were correct.
Unfortunately, in every instance, Mark's covering email and all his follow-up correspondence was juvenile and amateurish. Despite his many virtues, Mark simply could not compose an authoritative and professional business email.
His job was to persuade senior executives to invest sums upward of £30,000. They needed to be assured that they were dealing with a company whose attention to detail was exemplary. Mark’s emails to them simply didn’t reflect that, and as a result they at first hesitated and then lost interest altogether.
A simple cold writing assignment at interview would have highlighted the fatal issue and could have been addressed. Coaching, regular assessment and all outgoing customer correspondence monitored and corrected from the outset.
It was simply assumed that because Mark had been to a good school, he could write properly.
This incorrect assumption cost one man his job and his employer a fortune.
