In our quest to increase sales, are we as small business owners to crazy busy sales professionals

creating a “Culture of Crap?”

After speaking with two colleagues, Andy Ferguson from across the pond and Dan Waldschmidt from the East Coast, I am beginning to wonder how our economy survived as long as it did before it came tumbling down. It appears we are selling crap by the bucket if not by the barrel full.  We hold our nose and tell our clients it smells better than the crap someone else is selling.

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We did not learn our lesson from the dot.com bubble and it appears we have not learned our lessons from the world wide financial debacle.  People still want everything they want (including to increase sales) without having to truly suffer, work and pay for it. Instead, they kick the can of personal responsibility (business ethics and personal values) down the road to the next generation. The US is sitting with $13 trillion of debt and makes it a big deal in cutting $1 trillion over 10 years.

Here in Northwest Indiana, another series of indictments have taken place not only for an elected official, but for three officers from one county’s sheriff’s department. And when our current sitting governor, Mitch Daniels, points the finger at this corner of the State due to its ongoing, verified, corruption, other elected officials from the opposing party complain about his negative public remarks.

Can you smell the crap?

All the blame should not go at the foot of politicians or financial investment bankers. Everyday business people also share in this responsibility where we have created a “culture of crap.”

The absence of demonstrated behaivors

aligned to positive core values

creates a “culture of crap.”

For example, an ongoing discussion over at Focus.com looked at this question:

Why don’t more organizations invest in sales training?

There were many solid responses, but Waldschmidt cut to the chase and said because most “sales training programs are sh*t.” Being a trained instructional designer and having observed many sales training programs not to mention customer service, leadership and team building training coaching programs, I would have to agree with him. The only difference was my response was a little more emotionally neutral.

However after he shared this succinct thought and opened the door,  I remarked this is truly an issue of personal values and business ethics more so than poor sales training programs.  When business people sell solutions (products or services) just to sell solutions so they can line their pockets, this is wrong. No wonder people view sales people at the bottom on the most admired list.

My conversation with Ferguson also centered around the lack of sustainability offered by many consultants and coaches. He talked about a conspiracy of crap and in reflection I truly believe now it has become a culture of crap.  Part of this reason may be because businesses have forgotten their purpose and may never have realized their purpose.

The purpose of business is to serve the community.

And unfortunately, those engaged in the role of sales professionals get beat up all the time when other organizations have even far more dismal records min serving the community. Take many public education institutions of higher learning.  They cannot graduate a majority of their full time 4 year degree students in 6 years less alone 4 years.  Their excuse is that college students cannot handle 15 to 18 hours of course work.  Bull. Here is the beginning of the “Culture of Crap.”  If your solutions do not work, then change your solutions stop blaming the customer.  Deliver what you promised. Construct sustainable solutions that truly serve the community.

Earlier this week I listened to a colleague share a story about a firm that had a significant contract yanked due to non-performance.  This company underbid the competition but lacked the capacity to actually deliver the work. They failed to serve the community.

No Values Generated Non-Performance

Then today during a sales coaching session I listened to a client share a comment from his or her boss.  “I don’t care how you close the gap (between current revenue and new sales goal), just do it.”

What message is this sending to not only the sales team, but everyone else in the organization?

What will the sales team do to meet the sales goals?

Will corners be cut?

Will extras be charged?

Will the community be served?

Look at any hospital bill and see all the extra charges that very few people question. When I had my daughter 28 years ago, my bill had radiation treatment cost on it to the tune of $25,000.  Had I not questioned it, I am sure it would have been paid.

Yes times are tough!

Yes keeping the doors open appears to be a never ending process!

Yes your competition will take the business if you don’t!

Yes, the “Culture of Crap” will continue as long as business people allow it!

Now not later is the time to stop this “Culture of Crap” and be willing to sacrifice some business, some dollars and honor personal values and business ethics.  Business people need to care more about their customers and stop delivering solutions that are not sustainable, that require them to come back in 6 months to a year to fix things again.  As Mike Holmes of Holmes on Holmes has said “Do it right the first time!”

I guess this “Culture of Crap” will exist as long as

good men and women do nothing.

As for me, I will continue to answer questions forthrightly, deliver sustainable solutions and not be afraid to turn down business when I cannot deliver the desired results.  Just imagine what would happen if more of us became the child in the crowd who pointed at the naked Emperor as he strolled by and said in disbelief:

The Emperor has no clothes on!

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