A sales culture is not the answer

by: Ron Shevlin

What is it with banks’ and (in particular) credit unions’ obsessions with developing, or instilling, a sales culture?

Every so often, I run across articles that purport to teach bank and credit union execs  how to create a sales culture in their organization. Interestingly, the articles always presume that the reasons why an FI should have a sales culture is understood and accepted.

My take: You don’t need a sales culture. Why not?

1) It will take more time and money than you have. Are you so delusional to believe that, after a few training sessions, your employees will magically become, not just good sales people, but sales-driven? Are you so delusional to believe that you can turn a 50-something year-old person into something he or she is not and doesn’t want to be?

If you’re committed to instilling a sales culture in your organization, the process will take years as you will need–not might need, but will need–to replace much of your staff. You’re going to have to come to grips with the fact that Betty and Sally who have been with your organization for 30 years now (and who are known and loved by many of the members) are simply never going to adopt nor endorse a sales culture.

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