The New York Enterprise Report

One of the most challenging and critical responsibilities of a sales team leader is knowing when and how to fire a salesperson. While terminating any employee is always somewhat painful and stressful, letting go of someone who has direct contact with a company�s clients and prospects can be a potential minefield if not managed correctly. Disgruntled former salespeople can do a lot of damage to a company�s reputation and can very well take existing clients with them when they move to a new position.

That said, sometimes a company may be better off firing a salesperson than keeping him or her on board. There can be several reasons to get rid of a salesperson. Perhaps his performance is poor. Other salespeople are negative forces to be reckoned with and alienate other employees. Even star performers can present a problem: They might ask for too much and believe that they can hold you hostage because they have good sales numbers. A �diva� salesperson is never good for an organization. The unfortunate reality is that a truly problematic salesperson can have destructive effects on a sales team and a company as a whole and needs to be removed promptly and efficiently.

If such a situation is managed effectively, the potential for anger, retaliation or litigation can be minimized, and the outcome after a termination can be positive for both the company and the salesperson.

Before You Make the Decision to Fire

Before you entertain any thought of firing a salesperson, it�s crucial to review whether or not you and the company as a whole have provided the necessary training and support for the employee to succeed. Too often, companies pull the plug on a salesperson without giving him the adequate tools for success. Ask yourself this question: With time and training, could this person become valuable to my business? Even the most competent professional needs ramp-up time unless he or she is coming to the organization with an established book of business. If the problem stems from a lack of training, it will be far more cost-efficient to provide a comprehensive training program than to simply terminate.