Why Are Sales Reps Spending Only 30% of Their Time Selling
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced sales environment, the challenges faced by sales teams are more pronounced than ever. According to the Salesforce State of Sales, Sixth Edition report, sales representatives spend only 30% of their time on actual selling activities.
The remaining 70% is consumed by non-selling tasks such as data entry, administrative duties, and internal meetings. This imbalance underscores a significant productivity challenge that sales teams must address.
Over 70% of a sales rep time is spent 'not selling'.
Defining core selling activities
In most companies, “selling” encompasses activities directly tied to engaging with customers and driving revenue. This includes meeting with prospects, building relationships, presenting solutions, negotiating terms, and closing deals.
Effective selling also involves prospecting for new leads and nurturing existing relationships to uncover upsell or cross-sell opportunities.
Non-core activities is everything else. That’s the mountain salespeople are trying to escape form under.
Sellers Prefer Admin Tasks Over Selling
Recent trends indicate that many sales professionals are gravitating towards administrative tasks rather than direct selling. This preference can be linked to several factors.
Reflecting on my own sales journey in large enterprise sales, I often found myself caught in a cycle of "planning to plan." This involved extensive engagement with internal teams to consider every detail that might need to be considered.
While this thoroughness is important, it can lead to significant time away from the customer. The customer may hear about these efforts, but it's akin to hearing about a run versus actually experiencing it together—one is merely a concept, while the other is a shared reality.
This inclination can be attributed to several factors:
Familiarity: Administrative tasks are often more straightforward and less stressful than navigating complex sales conversations.
Fear of Rejection: The fear of rejection in selling can make administrative work seem more appealing.
Lack of Training: Many sales reps receive extensive training on administrative tools but less on effective selling techniques.
Instant Gratification: Administrative tasks offer immediate accomplishment, providing a quick dopamine hit compared to uncertain sales calls.
Perceived Productivity: Administrative work can feel productive, serving as a comforting alternative to the challenges of direct selling.
To address the issue of sales professionals spending too much time away from selling, companies can implement standardized sales procedures—not at the micro level, but as a series of best practices that teams commit to throughout the year. Additionally, we are in an era of AI and automation, which holds great potential for relieving the administrative burden on sales teams.
Pressure from Executives for Reporting
This one deserves its’ own standalone section. Sales teams are under increasing pressure from executives for detailed reporting on performance metrics. This pressure can lead to:
Increased Administrative Burden: Reps may spend more time compiling reports than engaging with clients.
Focus on Metrics Over Relationships: The emphasis on reporting can detract from building meaningful customer relationships, which are crucial for long-term success.
Salesforce’s findings show that nearly 70% of sales reps feel overwhelmed by the number of tools they use, leading to plans for tech stack consolidation (3). It’s not uncommon for organizations to use a powerful CRM tool like Salesforce, but then have line managers requesting a spreadsheet, Powerpoint or email update on opportunities, because an ‘exec’ needs it.
Sales leaders must find a balance between necessary reporting, making the standard known to all and allow their teams the freedom to focus on selling. Only when a salesperson diverts from the standard should the extra reporting engine kick in.
Rise in Meetings Due to Remote Work
The shift to remote work has resulted in an increase in meetings, further burdening them with ‘busy’' work. Casual desk drop ins and water cooler convos, have turned into 30-minute TEAMS meetings. Sales reps often find themselves:
Spending More Time in Meetings: With remote work becoming the norm, the number of virtual meetings has surged, leaving less time for actual selling.
Experiencing Meeting Fatigue: Constantly switching between meetings can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. In the moment the person may believe they are being productive, but how can you truly be productive bouncing from meeting to meeting, what’s more, how can you even truly show up to add max value if you’re bouncing?
Forrester's research indicates that losing face-to-face interactions has negatively impacted 54% of sales reps’ ability to meet quotas (1)
To mitigate these effects, organizations should evaluate the necessity of each meeting and consider alternative communication methods when possible. At my prior employer I spent a lot of time with the leadership team building standing operating procedures to build out purposeful meetings throughout the week, that ensures the right conversations are being had.
Gaps in Role Clarity
Another significant challenge is the lack of clarity regarding roles within sales teams. Many reps report confusion about their responsibilities, which can lead to:
Inefficiencies: When roles are not clearly defined, tasks may be duplicated or overlooked.
Decreased Morale: Ambiguity can lead to frustration among team members who feel unsure about their contributions.
A lack of alignment between sales and marketing teams often exacerbates these gaps. Fostering collaboration between departments is crucial for bridging this divide (6).
The Unique Nature of Sales Roles
Sales is one of the few functions that cannot escape from customer interaction. Unlike other departments that may delegate tasks or work behind the scenes, sales professionals must engage directly with clients.
This presents unique challenges:
No Delegation: Sales reps struggle to delegate customer interactions, which means they bear the full weight of the customers’ demands and targets. If something is missing in your ecosystem, the salesperson will inevitably need to plug the gap. Taking them away from their core role once more.
Constant Pressure: The need to maintain relationships while achieving quotas creates significant stress.
Sales leaders emphasize that deep relationships with customers are vital in challenging environments (4). Organizations must support their sales teams by providing resources and tools that enable them to manage these pressures effectively.
Conclusion
The findings from the Salesforce State of Sales report highlight critical areas where sales teams must improve. By addressing technology overwhelm, clarifying roles, managing reporting pressures, and optimizing meeting times, organizations can empower their sales reps to focus more on selling rather than administrative tasks.
As we move forward, it will be essential for sales leaders to cultivate an environment that prioritizes effective selling practices while leveraging technology as an ally rather than a burden.
By doing so, they can enhance productivity and drive greater success for their teams.This report serves as a foundation for understanding the current landscape of sales operations. By focusing on practical solutions and fostering a culture of support and clarity, organizations can significantly improve their sales outcomes.
