Shell-branded Lubricants are the most popular lubricants in the Middle East, for the region's automotive, industrial, marine and aviation sectors. To support this strong position, Shell's Sales Competency Framework, first implemented by Shell UK to develop its own sales staff's professionalism, is being rolled out in Shell's Middle East and South Asia (MESA) Oil Products Cluster.
In MESA, the Framework has been tailored to the specific needs of the region and the competency development programme has been named 'Project Pupil'. The objectives are to improve Shell's multinational sales staff's professionalism and competencies in the region, and provide them with enhanced status and performance-related capabilities within the Shell Group. Feedback from sales staff in the Middle East has indicated that greater emphasis should be placed on coaching by Sales Managers, so a Sales Managers' Academy has been established to improve the coaching abilities of Sales Managers in the region.
'Shell in the Middle East' talks to Mike Stewart, Shell's East Zone Learning Consultant for Sales Ladder Implementation, and Doug Lambert, Shell's Middle East and South Asia (MESA) Team Leader of Project Pupil. Mike and Doug describe the Sales Competency Framework, and talk about how Shell's drive for continuous world-class improvement in sales has been adapted and developed for the Middle East. We also talked to three of the region's Sales Managers who were attending a Sales Managers' Academy in Dubai at the time to see if theory works in practice...
"The Sales Competency Framework was developed by Shell UK to address key issues with regard to the training and development of the company's oil products sales staff," explains Mike Stewart, Shell Oil Products East Zone Learning Consultant.
"Shell UK wanted to develop sales professionalism, whilst examining ways to offer staff a rewarding career in sales. Sales does not have the same status as marketing, and all too often Shell Oil Products has lost sales staff, either to other parts of the business or to competitors. So the objective was also to elevate the status of sales staff.
"The Sales Competency Framework is built on four pillars. The first is 'competencies profiles', then 'assessment', followed by 'competence and performance-based remuneration' and, finally, 'training and development'. This concept is not a new one, but the Framework is an all-embracing package for the employee.
"Competencies profiles are the skills required for sales people to be effective in their jobs. Through assessment, a sales person's strengths are determined and areas for development are identified. Gaps are addressed and skills are improved through clearly defined coaching programmes. At the same time, by providing a more attractive remuneration package, Shell can reward individuals, not only for the development of their competencies but by assessment of their bottom line results.
"What we now have with the Sales Competency Framework is a global product which is being used extensively by Shell. What is particularly encouraging about this is that the approach is consistent throughout the programme's implementation and this is, in turn, providing a more uniform standard of professionalism which is now being applied in various regions.
Mike goes on to explain, "Within the Sales Competency Framework, there is something called a 'Commercial Sales Ladder'. When someone joins Shell as a member of the sales team, he or she is referred to as an Account Manager. Over a period of time, individuals are expected to develop their levels of competence through training, development and coaching, and they are constantly assessed at every stage during this time. The aspiration is for all Account Managers to improve themselves to the level of 'Professional Account Manager'.
"Once individuals have reached this rung on the Ladder, they have a number of choices. They may be happy to remain where they are - not everyone wants to be the Managing Director. However, for those who want to advance there are two options. One is into Sales Management, where they would manage a sales team and be more focused on coaching, leadership and motivation. The second would be to remain in Direct Sales and go into Key Account Management, where they must focus on larger and more complex accounts, which require higher skills and levels of competence.
"There are not enough senior positions to fulfill the expectations of every salesman. So Senior Managers have to become more skilled at managing sales people, offering them fresh challenges and keeping them motivated.
The Sales Managers are absolutely key to the success of the Commercial Sales Ladder, because when we talk about development of sales staff, it is the Sales Managers who will, in the end, be responsible for this development. Sales Managers can't do this sitting at a desk. They must be out in the field, coaching and acting as role models.
"It's a journey of competencies without end. As the business, the products and the markets change, one needs to re-examine the way things are done on a continuous basis and new competencies have to be developed on an ongoing basis."
Doug Lambert, Shell's Middle East and South Asia (MESA) Team Leader of Project Pupil, then moves on to talk specifically about the Middle East.
"In April 2000, the Sales Competency Framework was initiated in Shell's MESA Oil Products Cluster Commercial Sales Division. It was adapted to meet the particular needs of the region and the various training programmes came under the name 'Project Pupil'. The countries which are implementing this are Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Central Asia, Pakistan and India.
"The objectives of Project Pupil are threefold. The first is to develop sales professionalism and competency within MESA in order to outperform the competition. The second is to offer sales staff in the region a rewarding career and to raise their status. The final goal is to provide an objective, transparent and consistent approach to the development of staff throughout the region.
"Good progress has been made and all the main processes and procedures for the Sales Ladder concept are now in place within MESA. At the end of 2001, feedback from sales staff throughout MESA indicated many positive reactions, including improved motivation, increased field visibility and an increased focus on giving customers value.
"The feedback from sales staff also raised some concerns. One in particular was a concern about the quality of coaching being given by Sales Managers, and the need for a more structured approach to coaching. From this feedback was born the idea of the Sales Managers' Academy as a way of developing coaching excellence in the region.
"It is absolutely vital," emphasises Doug, "that Sales Managers realise that the big prize for them personally is to take control of their own competencies and development and thus enhance their marketability and improve their performance.
"The Sales Managers' Academy is different from anything that Shell has done in the past. Previous sales programmes have been open but the Sales Managers' Academy is by invitation only. It is not a one-off workshop but rather a development journey with distinct phases. Delegates must perform at a required level at each phase in order to graduate.
"The objectives of the programme are to sharpen Sales Managers' coaching skills and provide them with the tools to coach others. The first phase of the course is pre-work, which involves the completion of work contained in eight Sales Ladder CDs, with a minimum pass rate of 80 percent. This pre-work is designed to ensure that delegates arrive thoroughly prepared before taking part in the second phase, which is a five-day residential course.
"On the last day of the course at the Academy, delegates are required to present individual action plans of how they intend to implement coaching in their own operating units. These plans are critically examined by the other delegates. Participants are expected to use this input to refine their own action plans over the course of the following two weeks, before submitting them to their Line Managers and to the Sales Managers' Academy Board.
"Three months after this, delegates are invited to regroup and participate in a review of the progress of their action plans and receive further guidance and feedback from both the Academy's Managers and other delegates.
"After a further three months, the final assessment takes place and successful delegates graduate from the Academy. The attainment of this graduation is recognition of the Sales Managers' coaching excellence at the highest level in the organisation.
"I believe that Shell has great products to sell, the best in the world, in fact. I also believe that here in the Middle East we have a really good multinational sales team in place. But we don't intend to rest on our laurels and become complacent, so the aim is for continuous improvement in a continuously changing market.
"A recent Sales Managers' Academy held in Dubai was attended by Sales Managers from Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Pakistan and India, and it seemed to go down very well indeed," concludes Doug. "But the true value of Shell's Sales Competency Framework and Project Pupil will, of course, be seen when we can quantify positive results, in terms of both sales and increased customer satisfaction, to show that theory really has yielded measurable benefits in practice."
Anber Al Balushi, Sales Manager Commercial Road Transport (CRT) for Shell in Oman and the UAE, said, "The Sales Managers' Academy in Dubai was excellent. It was very detailed and I was able to learn a lot. It has been described as 'part of an ongoing journey' which will continue over the next few months and, indeed, years.
"Of particular interest to me was the number of training tools to which we have been introduced. I thought the session on building rapport between sales staff and customers was very good.
"We were supplied with a 'Sales Tool Kit', consisting of CDs and instructions. We were also provided with an Assessment Guide for both ourselves and our staff.
"We learned about setting goals and how to achieve them. I also found the session on telephone sales techniques particularly useful as some of my staff are situated 1,100 kilometres away. I can't get to see them very often so telephone techniques are important for me.
"We have started learning to improve our own skills and I hope to be able to use these skills to improve the performance of my staff and to help assess their abilities and fill in the gaps. A good course."
Tariq Zaman, Sales Manager Industry, for SASLUBCO (Saudi Arabian Markets and Shell Lubricants Company Ltd), a Shell joint venture in Jeddah, said, "What I liked most about the course at the Sales Managers' Academy was that it was very practical and that the skills I have learned can really be applied in the field. My concept of coaching has changed completely as a result of attending the course. It has also shown me how one's beliefs can be changed and how to use different values while talking to customers.
"I now have a clearer understanding of the sales process and will be able to use the new techniques I have learned to get better results.
"Overall, it was a good experience as we have been able to meet other MESA Sales Managers and swap experiences. The programme was very interactive and the role playing was helpful in enabling us to understand different concepts."
Quentin D'Silva, Commercial Sales Manager for Shell in Pakistan, said, "When I first went to the Sales Managers' Academy I was very sceptical, thinking that it would be of little value to me. However, after just the first few hours during which we received demonstrations on some of the tools which we could use to improve our performance, I knew I was wrong.
"The course challenged me and changed my beliefs, and the way I work. In fact, I am already thinking about ways to change things when I get back to the office in Karachi."
© Shell in the Middle East 2002
