The Revolving Door of Unaccountability

Posted on July 13, 2011 by Bill Cook

Years ago, when I was a District Manager for Critical Care America, every six months or so I would get a new VP of Sales for a boss.  So, after my fourth new boss in a year and a half, I began to wonder if I should implement all the new directives from the new leader, or simply wait him out!

Unfortunately, this trend still occurs as the average tenure of sales leaders is very short– less than 2 years for Vice Presidents of Sales.  We frequently hear about the cost of sales rep turnover, which in many health care industries is 25% to 35% or higher annually, and how that turnover dramatically impacts the top and bottom lines for organizations.

But, we seldom hear about the cost of turnover of the managers and directors and VP’s who lead the sales teams, and the negative impact that has on the sales folks beneath them.  Since I have moved around some in my career, I am qualified to speak about this topic, but I am much more interested in your thoughts on this issue.

Please comment and let me know your thoughts.  Does turnover in the sales management ranks of a company have a negative impact?  If so, how much impact does it have?  A lot, or a little?

Thanks for sharing, Bill

Posted in Sales Management | Tagged , | 3 Comments

A High School Graduate with Honor(s)

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Bill Cook

With the graduation season ending, I wanted to share a fantastic address by the valedictorian of my daughter’s high school class.  I took particular notice of this young man’s speech, not only because it was my daughter’s graduation, but because I gave the same address to my high school class exactly 30 years ago (ouch– am I really that old?).

The biggest difference between his speech and mine was that he exuded so much more character than I did.  He gave credit, showed courage, thanked others, and pointed us all to God.  Wow.  That’s a graduate worth emulating, and a speech worth sharing.

Thank you Josh.  You are a fine young man with honor.  Here is his speech:

“Good morning everyone. And Good morning class of 2011… Isn’t it great to be here this morning? Now, I just want to start off by asking: “Who in here is happy to be here today?”

Guys, I know it’s commonplace to say, but I’ll say it anyways….”We made it!”

It was a long road wasn’t it, and took a great amount of motivation didn’t it? From our parents, brothers, sisters, friends, teachers, grandparents. Regardless of who motivated us, we made it and no one can take that away from us now.

Now if I can be open and honest with you, I’d like to share with you my personal motivation that helped me through these stressful years of school. It comes from the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 and says “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.” This is one of my favorite verses because, in its simplicity, it offers so much encouragement. It was the very motivation that helped me press on through the stresses of school, the projects, tests, quizzes and the other often-overwhelming stresses of school.  Knowing that with His help I could do anything helped me to keep my chin up and continue on….

So what kept you moving on? You heard what helped me. So what helped you? Were you a “day by day live-r?” Saying to yourself, “If I can make it through today, I can make it through tomorrow?” Were you just excited to see your friends every day, knowing that their kind words could lift your spirit up? Or maybe, did you just simply want to come and learn and better yourself for the future?

I advise each and every one of you to think of the source of your motivation and take a hard look at who you’re serving, because the success of your life depends ALL on Who you serve. Many of y’all know my motivation comes from the One I serve… but are YOU serving Him? Or are you serving someone else or even yourself?

I’ve taken so much criticism for my future plans and staying here at ASU, but it’s not about what you guys want for me, it’s about what I’m being called to do and what is in my best interest. So one of my greatest pieces of advice, don’t serve someone else… They may not always have your best interests in mind. Listen to those who DO know what is best for you, which more often than not are your parents (even as crazy as that sounds!).  If you don’t listen to the right people and advice, it can lead you down a road you don’t want to go and take you places you don’t want to see… you’ll keep ending up in misery your whole life and making compromising decisions.

As my pastor has constantly told me, INTEGRITY matters. The world today tells us to and wants us to compromise, to give up, our ideals and morals for poor decisions, for alcohol and drugs. Now I know many of y’all may laugh at me and think I’m crazy for saying that, but it’s true. Name someone whose life is better off now after losing their honor and integrity. You can’t! It’s impossible! Just ask anyone in charge of a college or business or anything along those lines. People will look at you for what you do, what you’ve done, and future generations will look up to you for what you will do. So set a good example.

It’s hard to lose your respect for yourself, but it is SO easy to lose the respect of others, and even harder to win it back. So keep your integrity… While others may falter and fall after making poor decisions, you can stand strong because you know what you are doing is right.

But it’s going to take hard work. Look at those up here– your teachers, coaches, Sterling. It’s not because of a lack of hard work that they’re up here; it’s because of an abundance of it. It is truly an honor to be standing up here with all of them this morning. I could not have done it on my own and I need to give credit where credit is due… and it is also what you should do, too.

No matter who you are or where you’re from, someone has helped you get you to where you are today. So I personally have to thank, first and foremost, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,  my mom, my dad, my brothers, Haley, Joon, Sterling, Nick Culpepper… Thank you. I couldn’t stand here today without you guys. Y’all gave me the motivation to stick with it through the hard days, taught me how to sleep in class while looking awake (Joon), taught me calculus, physics, chemistry, and taught me to do my best to remain humble. Again, thank you all for helping me, but also thank you everyone else in attendance for helping each one of these graduates in front of me to sit where they are today.

Graduates, look around you. Look at everyone who is here, even now, supporting you. I think they all deserve our gratitude and appreciation for what they’ve done for us. And I think we should give them all a round of applause for their help in getting us here…….

Always give credit where credit is due, because there is always going to be somebody better than you. But I’m here to say that that’s okay…. Use those people and those opportunities to learn how to better yourself. That’s what I’ve tried hard to do and something everyone should try to do, as well.

Class of 2011, it’s been a fun journey, but our lives are not over yet. We still have much more to accomplish. Keep your integrity, “run with endurance the race set before you”, don’t give yourself away to something meaningless, and don’t sell yourself short of anything that will harm you… I beg you! Keep working hard, and the One and the ones who are always watching will reward you… I can give testimony to that. We’ve made it here through the help of each other and my challenge for everyone is to continue to help each other, especially as we move on in our lives and travel along different paths.

Congratulations again graduates and it is my hope that one day, you will be able to step back and see the magnitude of your accomplishments. May God bless you in all that you do and whatever your future holds. And as for now, let’s stick together and continue to show everyone why Lakeside is number one. Thank you.

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Are you Practicing, or just Professing?

Posted on June 16, 2011 by Bill Cook

It is not what we eat

but what we digest

that makes us strong;

not what we gain

but what we save

that makes us rich;

not what we read

but what we remember

that makes us learned;

and not what we profess

but what we practice

that gives us integrity.

–Anonymous

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The Top Ten Priorities for Sales Managers

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Bill Cook

Priority #1: Teaching, Training and Motivating Sales Staff while Riding Along with them in the Field to Ensure Quota Attainment

Working with your reps is your top priority and where 60% of work time should be spent. This means being in the passenger seat of your reps’ cars three full days per week .  This also means that while you are with them, you are theirs and not everyone else’s.  You should focus on them by putting your phone on vibrate and not taking and making calls all day long.  At the beginning of the day, with your rep’s input, select a couple of breaks during the morning, at lunch, and in the afternoon to make and return calls.  You should actively listen throughout the day and seek ways to help them improve their performance.  You ask them questions and get them thinking about new ways to approach difficult accounts and situations.  You inspire and challenge them, fill out a ride along analysis when you are done, and make sure that you have added value to them before you leave.  If they are not performing per company policy, you implement a success plan quickly and see it through until they improve or exit the organization.

Priority #2: Partnering with your Operations counterpart so that Sales and Operations Work as a Team

You should be tied at the hip with your operations counterpart, working closely and effectively to ensure that communication and teamwork happen at every level. Occasionally, we fail to complete an assignment, or someone makes a mistake.  When this happens, you will have to rely on a strong relationship in order to see the conflict or problem through to resolution or improvement.  Teams that have mutual respect and cooperation simply do better; make sure you do your part to build a close working relationship.  Here are several ways to ensure this:

  •  Attend staff meetings when possible.
  • Invite operational staff to lunches and appointments.
  • Do a blitz periodically to build teamwork and have fun, as well as to increase business!
  • Make sure you stay within your budgeted expenses to help operations meet their bottom line.

Priority #3: Recruiting, Hiring, Training and Retaining Sales Staff

Looking for talent is a never-ending part of being a sales manager.  You need to have a stable of potential recruits to fill vacancies that inevitably come up.  Sales turnover in most industries is typically between 25% and 35% annually.  So, always be recruiting because the odds are that you will have an opening or two at some point during the year. Implement a rigorous hiring policy that includes behavior and performance based questioning techniques, multiple interviews and personality profiles.

Give your new hires a great orientation and training program and make sure they fully understand your services and processes.  Set up periodic refresher courses for existing staff.  Listening well and providing fair and firm guidance to everyone on your team will also help you to retain an excellent staff.

Priority #4: Running Effective Sales Meetings

As a sales manager, you simply must bring your sales reps together periodically, usually monthly or at least every 6 weeks, and only for a day.  A day that includes role-playing situations and programs that you need all of our reps to be proficient with.  This is critically important to increasing sales effectiveness and to creating a culture of improvement and winning.   Your responsibility is to plan the meetings to start and end on time, to assign pre-work and to appoint members of your team to lead segments.  Think of your sales meeting in the same way you want your reps would think of a sales call—and if you aren’t prepared for your meetings then don’t expect your reps to be prepared for their sales calls!

Priority #5: Analyzing Call Quality and Quantity

You probably have at least a decent CRM or call tracking program that will help you monitor the number of calls your reps are making as well as the depth of the calls. You simply must take some office time each week to review each rep’s call activity and to talk to them about what you are seeing.  The other key piece to this is to look at the frequency of visits to certain accounts and the volume of business that is being generated—is the rep focusing on the right accounts?  Why do they spend so much time at some accounts and not others?  This exercise leads you to the next priority…

Priority #6: Monitoring and Adjusting Business Credit and Accounts

This should be another weekly task that you do during office time. Make sure you work with your operational staff to ensure credit is be assigned properly throughout the month.  This will save you a lot of time at the end of each month, and will minimize potential squabbles between your reps.  You will also need to periodically change account assignments – especially if you have a rep that is not generating results in an account. Typically, you should evaluate account success every quarter, and make changes in strategy or even in personnel if goals are not being reached.

Priority #7: Planning your Time

Set a monthly calendar in advance and communicate the days you will be in the field with your team in an email to all of them.  Obviously, things may change throughout the month, but use the calendar to stay on track.  Your reps need to know when you are going to work in the field with them and that you are working with their peers as well.  Set your sales meeting well in advance.  Submit a weekly sales management report to your supervisor on time each week and copy your operations counterpart.

Priority #8: Knowing Your Numbers and Preparing for Conference Calls

Do not get on call or go to a meeting where senior management will be present unless you know your current numbers, by location and by rep.  You are the sales leader and must know your business.  Be ready to account for any drops in volume, and likewise, be ready to explain why things are growing if that’s the case.  Be on time for conference calls and meetings, and speak up at events – give positive and helpful comments based in truth and with the intention of increasing understanding.

Priority #9: Practicing the Intangibles

Having a great attitude is incredibly important to your effectiveness as a leader, and offering solutions to any issues or problems that you bring up is just as important and critical to your success.  Work on these attributes and develop them in your reps—they are proven characteristics of top salespeople:  

1) Don’t take “no” personally,

2) Accept 100% responsibility for results

3) Develop a deep desire to succeed

4) Be empathetic and put yourself in others’ shoes

5) Be intensely goal-oriented

6) Be self-disciplined and determined and persistent

7) Be impeccably honest, and

8) Practice approaching people you don’t know, it’s a great skill that always helps you.

You and your reps will excel if you study, concentrate, and focus on your performance!

Priority #10: Committing to your Own Professional Development

Get out into the field once per year to work with the people who deliver your service or build your product–it will do you a world of good.  Perspective, ideas, stories, and gratitude will all come from a day in the field with the people you represent.  Attend a seminar, read a book, listen to a CD; they all will help you stay on track with your goals and will rub off on your team as well.

I hope you have found these Top Ten Priorities useful and helpful.  I wish you and your sales team much success in the year ahead! 

Bill Cook

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Two Referrals in 30 Seconds!

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Bill Cook

My home health care sales associate and I were ushered back to the nurse’s station soon after we introduced ourselves to the receptionist. We were excited to get back to see the doctor as my rep had been trying for months to get in to see the busy general practitioner. We stood and waited, trying to stay out of the way of all the nurses, assistants, techs, and patients.

After about 15 minutes, the doctor came up to us and said, “You’ve got 30 seconds.” I looked at my rep and he promptly said,

“Good Morning Doctor Lyons. We are with ABC Home Health and have a new office here in Greenville. We provide your elderly patients with great skilled nursing and physical therapy in the comfort of their homes, and we would love to help you care for them when needed. For example, we frequently help newly diagnosed CHF patients with medication and weight management. Here’s my card; please call the number on it when you have an appropriate referral. Thanks so much for taking a moment to see us, and we hope to hear from you soon. Do you have any questions?”

He paused, and when the doctor said, “no”, he turned to leave. I followed, but was a bit mixed on what had just happened. On the one hand, the rep had done exactly what he was supposed to do by hitting the appropriate highlights and respecting the doctor’s wishes. On the other, I felt like maybe we had missed an opportunity to do a little more.

When we returned to the branch late in the afternoon we were thrilled to find out that the doctor had just referred two patients to us! Wow, what a great feeling. I can still feel that excitement, even though it’s been fifteen years since we made that call!

And, that’s two great lessons for everyone to remember: always have an “elevator speech” handy—you never know when you might need it. Secondly, always respect the wishes of your account and don’t take more time than they have to give you. If they are too busy to talk, ask to meet at a better time because you have something important to discuss with them.

Thanks, Bill

Posted in Home Health Care, Sales | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

A “Little Extra” from You

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Bill Cook

In visiting the edhorrell.com website recently, Beverly Murray found the following excerpt:

“I like to find examples of companies who offer what the French Creole refer to lagniappe…a little extra. I contend that the best companies are the ones who offer a little extra in their service…something that sets them apart.   I found this recently in Nashville, Tennessee.

I was to speak at a breakfast meeting there and needed to find a location near the venue. I went on line and “Googled” hotels near the venue to avoid rush hour driving. I found the Hotel Preston.   I was impressed enough with their website to feel comfortable to book a room there. The rooms looked nice and comfortable, and I felt comfortable with my decision to stay there.  What I discovered when I got to my room was what impressed me.

On the bed in my room was a little laminated card that read:

“You have worked hard all day…Nothing worse than an uncomfortable pillow to ruin your night’s rest. The Hotel Preston has the answer. Please select from our pillow menu to ensure a perfect night’s rest. Dial 0 – We are awaiting your call.  Soft, medium, firm, extra firm, hypoallergenic”.

As an observer of companies who offer lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap) as part of their service offering, I was obviously impressed. I am still impressed enough to use the Hotel Preston as one of my lagniappe examples each time I speak.

I decided to look a little further and contact the Hotel Preston general manager, Bill Ghumm.  “The pillow idea came from listening to our guests at other hotels. They were consistent in saying that they wished they could have pillows like the ones they had at home” said Ghumm.”

What “little extra” are you offering in the way of customer service?  Are you “tuned in” to hear what “little things” would make the difference for your patients, referral sources, co-workers?                                                     

Thanks again to Beverly Murray at CareSouth for sharing this story.  Perhaps the best way to find out what would make a difference is to simply listen, and ask!

Have a great holiday weekend, Bill

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22 Great Ideas to Grow Your Referrals!

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Bill Cook

You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind.
Author Unknown

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.
Samuel Johnson

Fortune favors the brave.
Publius Terence

With the Memorial Day holiday coming in two weeks, May will be a little bit shorter than the usual 31 day month. So, plan ahead now, while we are only half way through the month. Are you more than half way to your goals for May? If not, you might already be a little bit behind. Have you thought about how to get a few extra admits in before that long holiday weekend? How will the holiday be handled so that we don’t lose referrals and admits? Make you plans now and take action. You CAN achieve your goals for May.

Here’s our list of 22 great ideas for reps and managers. One or more of these should help you exceed your numbers:

1. Make one or two extra calls per day
2. Bring in a progress report on a patient and ask if they have another patient just like that one
3. Repeat thyself: ask over and over for the same patient type (doctors can hear same thing 7 times before they recall it!)
4. Take one Saturday per month, in the middle of the month, and go to hospital—target the w/e on call discharge planner, bring goodies and offer to help
5. Develop a weekend flyer letting referral sources know that we are open for admissions!
6. When in facilities check to see if our patients have branding items—if not, get them!
7. Use flower shop/gift shop in hospital to blow up our CareSouth balloons for free!
8. Ask accounts if they can think of a patient that cannot drive—they may be a candidate for our services
9. Ask accounts which patients come in with a caregiver—again, that may be a patient that needs our help
10. Ask accounts if they have any patients that they are putting on oxygen today—same thing, may need home health too
11. Ask DME companies to send you their frequent flyers—the patients that call them 5X per day—they probably need home health
12. Talk to the delivery people and the business managers at DME companies about what we do under Medicare HH
13. Work closely with your clinical team—try having a PTA take a progress note in to the doctor before the patient visits the doctor
14. Have your clinical managers ask, at the end of every call, “do you have anyone else who might need our services?”
15. Make sure your clinicians check out your patients’ spouses as they may need help too
16. Write thank you notes to your clinicians
17. Hold your reps accountable to chasing down NTUC’s
18. Find a strength in one of your team members and call it out publically
19. Get discharge planners to tell you how many discharges they have and offer to take some of them off their hands!
20. Have your reps self eval themselves- find out where they want to go and show them how they can get there with more or better calls
21. Use Michelle’s blue sheet checklists for each disease, especially for ALF’s, especially on Mondays after 11 AM when they have their meetings; get clipboard and leave them
22. Streamline efforts for your reps, especially your new ones—have them prioritize 1 or 2 doctors in a big group of 6 or more instead of trying to see all the doctors

Have a great weekend, Bill

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A Tribute to my Mother

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Bill Cook

To Nancy Ann Francis Cook, my mom:

It has been fourteen years since you lost your battle with lymphoma. You were such a brave fighter. We knew when you were diagnosed that you were going to die, but somehow we all thought you would be able to overcome it. For three years you went through every procedure and test imaginable. I remember donating some of my platelets to you in the hope that you would not reject them, but it didn’t work.

It was really hard for me to say goodbye to you. It is still hard. I miss you so much. You taught me so much. I was fortunate to be the youngest of your four children, because I got to stay home with you when my siblings were off to school. It was just you and me, and Ark Linkletter on the radio! I still remember the little radio on the kitchen counter, and how we used to listen to him as we did chores around the house.

I always admired how strong you seemed to be for us when dad died. You must have been a wreck, but you were able to keep us all together. I know that in some ways your life was better without Wade, but I also know that he was the love of your life and that no one else would do for you.

I remember everything about our house on Lincoln Street. I remember how you kept it, and how it was decorated. I remember with fondness the sign above the sink, “Bless This Mess”. As a kid, I thought it was tacky and I sometimes hated it. I had to do a lot of growing up before I realized the values and the lessons you were always trying to teach with your humility and unpretentiousness.

You were so intelligent. I really admired your ability to know something about everything. You were an avid reader, and you read to me. I still love reading and I have you to thank for it. You had a great smile, and I know that it gives you pleasure in heaven to know that you have a granddaughter, whom you never met here, that has your same smiling eyes.

Forgive me mom, for not thanking you for all the sacrifices you made for me. The braces and the trips to the orthodontist. The things you did without so that I could have a new ski coat and be in the Ski Club. I thought it was so important. Forgive me for not thanking you publicly when I won all those awards in high school and when I spoke to my classmates at graduation.

I forgive you for the times when you could not be there for me. For the times I felt neglected and unimportant. For the advice and direction you could not give. For not being there for me when I went to college, alone and afraid.

You gave me your best and I am grateful for it.

I love you. Your son, Bill

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“CareSouth is the Best!”

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Bill Cook

From Beverly Murray, our Customer Excellence Czar:

In placing Customer Satisfaction Calls recently, it was my privilege to hear many positive comments about the care our patients receive on a daily basis. The following was stated by one patient’s husband when asked if he was pleased with the care the patient was receiving:

“When I asked if the nurse gave information in a way that was easy to understand and listened to any questions, he told me Kim Miller was particularly great at this! He then asked if I had time for him to give me an example of how good she is.

He went on to tell me that his wife’s PT/INR reading was high yesterday when Kim came. He said Kim immediately got on the phone with her primary care physician and they discussed what needed to be done to bring it down. He said when Kim got off the call, she immediately went to the medication box they had set up for her meds, and removed the Coumadin as per the doctor’s instructions so she would be sure she didn’t take it until the doctor ordered. He said Kim always took responsibility for her job, not expecting someone else to do it.

And here was his wrap up statement, “The services provided by CareSouth are tailored specifically to the patient. My wife is mentally in a better mood when she sees any caregiver from CareSouth!”

When I asked if he would refer family and friends to CareSouth, he said, “We have used another agency in the past but this time we were referred to CareSouth by a major hospital and nursing facility and CareSouth is the best! We have only positive accolades regarding CareSouth!”

A shining example of exceptional CareSouth customer service! Thank you Dallas office for a job well done!

“Identify with excellence, put your name on your work, and both your work and your name will stand the test of time.” –Dr. Dennis Waitley

Bill Cook
Senior Vice President
Business Development & Sales
CareSouth Homecare Professionals

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Why Home Health Matters

Posted on April 21, 2011 by Bill Cook

It’s easy for me, as an employee of a home health care company, to talk about the importance of what our care givers do each day. But sometimes I wonder if my perspective is a bit biased.

Then Clayton Montgomery, one our CareSouth sales professionals, tells me about Dr. Michael Early. Here’s a physician who’s dedicated his life to caring not just for individuals, but for families.

After listening Dr. Early, I know what I do matters. It really matters.

Bill Cook
Senior Vice President
Business Development & Sales
CareSouth Homecare Professionals
One Tenth Street, Suite 500
Augusta, GA 30901
Office 706-854-7458

http://www.caresouth.com/

http://www.billcookonline.com

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