subject: The Benefits Of Having Your Sales People Work From Home Part Two [print this page] It's not hard to convince someone that working from home is great. For the worker, life is made much simpler by not having to make a trek into the office everyday. Working from home and being able to make your own schedule means that you can take the time to walk the kids to school, be there when they come home and don't have to scramble to make arrangements when they're sick. Not having to commute saves time, money and energy, allowing you to actually be more productive.
But what about the employer? When choosing whether or not to have their employees work from home, many companies worry about quality control. How can you make sure that the work is getting done? How will you know if the employee is maintaining a professional demeanor on the phone or using their time efficiently?
There are a few easy solutions to these potential problems.
1. In House Training
Make sure the employee goes through an in house training session before they commence working from home. This will ensure that they are familiarized with the company and are able to start off strong. It is important that they meet management personal and other employees who they can rely on for help should they ever need it.
2. Maintaining Contact
Modern internet technology makes instant communication cheap and easy. It costs next to nothing to hold weekly "office" meetings via skype, have conference calls over the web or have a conversation over email. Having frequent check-ins (such as a set weekly skype meeting) helps maintain a professional atmosphere and sets expectations despite working in a home office.
3. Goal Setting
To make sure your employees stay on track, have them come up with a clear set of goals and ask for monthly reports on goal progress. In addition to keeping track of their sales numbers and quotas, having them self-evaluate on specific goals they would like to meet encourages staying on track and consistently making progress.
While it may be hard to let go of the control you would have if all your sales reps worked in the office, studies have found that professionals who are able to work from home are generally happier and more productive than those that have to sit in a cubicle all day. Less commute time means more time to devote to work. Additionally, with decreased stress and an ability to tailor their work atmosphere to their own needs, you will find that your sales representatives start to bring in more business.
