Recruiting sales agents is very different to recruiting employees. How? Why?

The agent ‘recruitment’ process can be tricky. For a start, technically you are not ‘recruiting’ them as agents are self-employed. Instead you are forging more of a partnership with them. And the whole process needs to be handled in a particular way.

Firstly you need to respond to their initial enquiry in a highly timely manner – delays can be fatal. Next you need to provide them with specific information (the agent information pack) before you can expect them to tell you much about themselves or attend an ‘interview’. And then the ‘interview’ stage is fraught with pitfalls.

To give you a flavour, for a start it is not wise to use the word ‘interview’. Lets call it a meeting instead. Agents are businesses, like you, and so you are entering into a kind of partnership with them. Often the agent is risking a lot more than you are in this arrangement: remember you are asking this other business to sell for you with no fixed fee and no guarantee of success. Many agents are wary of being taken advantage of. And then there is the matter of where to conduct the ‘meeting’? Your place? Theirs? Somewhere neutral? Should you offer expenses? What sort of questions to ask? What questions is the agent likely to ask you? What about commission? Or territory? Or exclusivity? Targets? And so on.

  • Key Points:
  • Agents aren’t looking for ‘jobs’
  • Agents generally don’t have CVs.
  • Agents will want specific information from you (via an ‘agent information pack’)
  • Agents will want to see that you are prepared and understand their way of working
  • Agents will want to vet you as much as you want to vet them
  • Agents will want a ‘meeting’ as opposed to being ‘interviewed’

We can expertly handle this process for you. At AgentBase, we have been working with sales agents since 1993. We have recruited teams of sales agents on dozens of occasions. Let us bring our extensive experience to bear to help you through this crucial stage of agent recruitment.

  • Our Service
  • Discuss and advise on general recruitment strategy. Preparation is key.
  • Advise and assist with advert wording to generate best possible response
  • Advise and assist on preparation of agent information pack (literature and materials explaining agency opportunity in detail)
  • Handle advertising response
  • Profile all applicants, screen and shortlist for initial interview
  • Send out agent information packs
  • Conduct initial interviews (includes presentation to agents on your company, products / services, and the agency package on offer)
  • Report to company management on all contacts made, with recommendations
  • Provide ongoing advice, guidance and assistance with all aspects of agent strategy, as required
  • Help with ongoing management of agents, if required

All our recruitment consultants are highly experienced SALES AGENTS themselves. This gives them a unique ability to build rapport, break down barriers, and get an incisive insight into the calibre, motivation and circumstances of all your candidates. They will advise you on which are the very best candidates to progress with.

Furthermore, you avoid distracting yourself or senior management from other important tasks, and our involvement injects a formal professionalism to the agent recruitment process, where psychology is so important.

The service is tailored to your budget and requirements and provided on an hourly rate, so you only pay for what you need.

Cost

£POA

Enquire

Call us now to discuss your requirements, and for a full explanation of our services. One of our experienced consultants will be happy to help:
01926 864200