Case Studies: Sales Consulting in Action

Following are just a few of our most recent success stories. These case studies highlight specific interventions and subsequent results and do not represent the full range of work provided to clients.

Profile on Structured Hiring and Coaching Process

Client: Top 15 national financial services firm

Challenge: The company wanted to improve its cross-selling capabilities.

Solution: We developed a structured hiring and coaching process that enabled the company to 1) hire the right sales professionals; 2) deliver a consistent value proposition to customers and 3) coach and train sales employees on a systematic basis.

Results: According to a national peer group analysis, the firm’s productivity per sales person was 33 percent higher than its peers. In the same survey, the firm’s turnover rate was 41 percent lower than its peers. The company also generated a top-10 ranking in J.D. Power’s Customer Satisfaction Study. View PDF of a recent company profile.

SPOTLIGHT ON ORGANIZATION REDESIGN

Client: Top 10 national financial services firm

Challenge: The company had high turnover and unsatisfactory sales performance results.

Solution: We helped design a new sales organization structure for one of the firm's divisions. As part of this process, we interviewed sales staff members, management and customers; and identified internal/external challenges and opportunities. Then, we implemented new sales hiring, training and retention programs to achieve long-term growth goals.

Results: Program results were outstanding and generated $5 million to the bottom line within 12 months.

FOCUS ON HIRING AND TRAINING SYSTEM DESIGN

Client: Top 20 national financial services company

Challenge: The company was interested in improving the quality of its new sales hires.

Solution: We evaluated and implemented a new hire selection program to correct turnover problems. The core implementation strategy included roll-out of sales assessment testing to screen candidates for the relationship selling skills needed to be successful in production. Management education on how to improve interview and selection practices were also included in the project's scope.

Results: Program results reduced turnover by one third generating $8 million in cost saving by not hiring the wrong person.

IN-DEPTH ON A NEW MANAGEMENT COACHING PROGRAM

Client: Top 10 national financial services firm

Challenge: Managers were responsible for coaching producers to the next level but lacked a systematic approach for getting results.

Solution: We designed a customized coaching training program tailored to fit their individual business strategy. We implemented the program so that management could provide consistent coaching for producers throughout the company.

Results: Program results generated more than $1 million in one year to the firm's bottom line.

Listen to what others are saying about us:

J.D. Power ranked three of our clients in the Top 6 in customer satisfaction in 2010. For the third year in a row, one of our clients took the Number 1 spot. The survey results are based on which companies have the best customer satisfaction scores. All three clients have used QFS Group's sales assessment testing to hire better quality salespeople.

"Our sales staff is the best it has ever been. That can be attributed in part to the sales assessment and our ability to make better hiring decisions." — E.H. (Gene) Gaulin, Group Vice President and Manager for South Carolina, BB&T

"A number of our branch managers have taken Pat's manager's development assessment and we have great confidence in the results." —  Bill Bent, VP-Production, Academy Corp.

"On a day-to-day basis, the assessment definitely helps us make better hiring decisions. It helps us identify the candidates who will excel in our business. Now, it's an accepted hiring procedure." — Anne Marie Copeland, Regional Manager, Flagstar

"The assessment has saved us a lot of money by weeding out people who interviewed well but didn't fit the job. We're also not wasting time training individuals who are never going to work out. The test has really been a safety net for us." — Brian Leavitt, Branch Manager, Arbor

"The assessment really saved us a lot of time from a screening standpoint. Once we were able to understand what qualities candidates possessed that were most linked to success in our world, we were able to hire much more efficiently and effectively," — Dana Wilde, Recruiter, Ameripath

"Please know that your work (QFS Group) has positively influenced the way I run our business. Thanks again for your research on top mortgage originators." — Greg Gianoplus, CEO, AAXA