Of the different types of Sales Managers, the Maintenance Sales Manager is typically the easiest job of the group. Maintenance is the key term here. It indicate that the Sales Manager maintains an effective sales team and processes that someone else has put into place.
You typically find these types of sales teams in mature companies. Those that have a well-defined customer base with whom they maintain relationships. They usually don’t have much competition since they are so niched or are the most trusted in their industry.
Continue What Works
The important factor here is that the Sales Manager support the efforts of the seasoned sales reps. They follow the sales processes that have proven to work. In addition, they take the time to select, onboard and integrate new salespeople onto the sales team. In addition, they implement a solid succession plan. This ensures there is no disruption in the level of service the customers have come to expect.
Don’t Make Changes Quickly
Some Maintenance Sales Managers make wholesale changes when they arrive. This is a mistake. Never assume that the current processes need updating. Smart Sales Managers take time to analyze the company, processes, and market conditions. They examine the sales teams’ performance and tenure before making changes. The Maintenance Sales Manager role requires maturity and humility to understand their supporting role on the team. They must execute the proper transfer of responsibilities from their predecessor to maintain their success.
Prepare to Adapt
The one thing that the Maintenance Sales Manager must watch out for is change. When market conditions do change (and they eventually will), they must exit maintenance mode and into one of the other types of Sales Manager roles. I’ve seen plenty of seasoned Sales Managers who failed to take action when market conditions changes. The competitive landscape morphed right under their feet. The unsuspecting Sales Manager assumed that everything would go back to the way it was, but it doesn’t. The company sales suffer and the Maintenance Sales Manager is out of a job.
Bottom line: The Maintenance Sales Manager must have the humility to keep a successful sales team running. This means not make unnecessary changes which can emerge from their ego. At the same time, they must be on guard for inevitable changes that require an update to the way they approach the marketplace. Otherwise, they lose their reign as a top tier company.