GPI 196 – Sales calls leads to customer orders. Measure how long it takes your firm to do it.

Chart the number of sales calls per day or week and see how long the lag (time frame) is for incoming sales orders for your firm.  Every industry and company type is different.  Difficulty making the product, performing the service, selling the concept, designing the project, funding the capital expenditures as well as 1,000 other various reasons for spending delays causes differing time lags.

Measure your time to take an order.  See how long it takes for your sales group to turn a new sales order.  Regardless of the time period, measure your efforts.  Count and log all sales calls and keep track of the number of times it requires to convince someone to drop their vendor and try you.

Record sales calls made by all sales personnel versus the rise in new sales orders.  How many sales calls does it take to get $1,000 worth of sales orders, or $10,000 sales orders?  You determine the dollar amount from which to measure. There will be a lag which you will be able to see over a few weeks or months.  The important thing is to start recording performance and posting it on the wall for all to see and contemplate its importance relative to their own paycheck.