3 Tips to Keep SDRs Productive While Hybrid Working

We’re never going back to five days a week in the office, so let Michael Willox from Salesloft explain how SDR Managers can solve the challenges of hybrid working & help your team be more productive.

In March 2022, we staged another Sales Confidence online event specifically for SDR managers. Again, we had a brilliant line-up of top-performing SDR managers sharing unique insights. We’ve put together some articles, so you can still get inspired even if you couldn’t be in the (virtual) room.

 

Michael Willox

Michael is EMEA SDR Manager at Salesloft – the leading sales engagement platform and long-time Sales Confidence partner.

Salesloft and companies like it have seen the benefits of hybrid working. There’s no way we’re going back to the old five days a week in the office model. At SalesLoft, 85% of SDRs work part of the week in the office and part of it at home. But how does Michael run a successful team of SDRs without being in the same room as them?

In his 7-minute talk, Michael told us about the challenges that SDR managers face right now – and offered some solutions.

‘In an office, you can literally walk up to someone’s desk and ask them a question, whether it’s your manager or a peer. Now everything’s done over Slack and you have to ask them for five minutes when they’re free. It would take 30 seconds before!’

 

Challenges of running a hybrid working SDR team (including productivity)

SDR managers are trying to overcome five significant challenges at the moment:

  • Visibility – Are you doing enough to support your reps?
  • Motivation – How do you keep your team motivated to keep making those calls?
  • Communication – How do you even ask someone a simple question if you can’t walk up to their desk anymore?
  • Culture – Building and maintaining a team culture is hard enough, but when everyone is remote, it’s an even bigger ask
  • Engagement – When you have to run team meetings over Zoom rather than in person, how do you know if they’ve even heard what you said?

Michael offered three solutions that he is using to address these challenges at Salesloft.

 

1. Create a buddy system

Buddy new reps up with more experienced SDRs or AEs. It’s a great way to hold your new SDRs accountable and get them some one-to-one coaching and mentorship. The buddy system helps with their development and keeps them motivated. 

 

2. Communicate your team goals and your wider vision

Part of your role is to set expectations of your SDRs, such as remaining engaged on Zoom. An effective way to do this is to give them a complete picture of not only their targets but their team and business targets. You should also get them to understand why the targets are where they are. 

When they know the vision and how they can impact achieving that vision, they are more motivated to perform and reach your expectations.

 

3. Healthy competition

A great way to keep your reps motivated is to create a competitive environment. For example, get everyone in on a cold calling session and offer prizes for the best performers.

 

Over to you 

I hope Michael’s tips will help you if you’re an SDR manager trying to navigate the new normal. Now, we want to know what you think.

If you’re an SDR manager, what challenges are you facing right now? What are you doing to overcome them? If you’re an SDR, what more could your managers do to support you as you work flexibly? Share your tips with the Sales Confidence community by leaving a comment below.