IMGCAP(1)]
Much sales-agent training within independent sales organizations emphasizes products but lacks in basic sales skills, contends Marc Beauchamp, CEO of Bankcard Boot Camp, a Houston-based provider of agent training. "Where I see a gap today is on some of the intangible skills or softer skills, such as teaching them to communicate, to develop a sales strategy," says Beauchamp. Without a training emphasis on sales basics and strategy, newer agents may find it difficult to compete effectively with sales veterans. "Some employers don't want someone without a base level of training," notes Rori Ferensic, director of education and professional development at the Electronic Transactions Association, a Washington, D.C.-based industry group. "Employers do want people to obtain" base sales and industry knowledge, she says.
