Sales Competency Survey and Report

In our previous article, we spoke about sales aptitude and the SAT-Pro test developed by The Psychometric World. In this article, we discuss sales competencies and our test on the same.

To flourish in a career in sales, there are some core competencies a person must possess. In The Psychometric World, we have developed a test, the Sales Competency Survey (SCS), which measures these competencies in a candidate and ultimately gives an insight into their proficiency as a salesperson. The SCS measures 7 sales competencies – one for each level of the sales cycle – as well as the level of behavioral competency associated with each stage of the sales cycle. The 7 sales competencies are prospecting, need analysis, proposing, handling concerns, negotiating, closing, and referrals.

Prospecting is the first step in the sales cycle. It gives an indication of the ability to identify the potential market and customers. The second factor, need analysis, reflects the person’s competence in understanding the needs of the client. It looks at how well the salesperson is able to build a rapport with the customer.

Proposing then measures how well the salesperson is able to present the product/service, keeping in mind the client’s needs. It reflects the person’s persuasion skills. The next factor, handling concerns, assesses the salesperson’s ability to deal with the client’s objections and indecisiveness to the sales presentation.

Negotiating, as the name suggests, evaluates how well the salesperson is able to come up with an agreement that benefits both parties. Closing refers to how effectively the salesperson can close the sale; lastly, referrals measure the candidate’s ability to get further leads from closed deals and make long-term relationships with the clients.

The Sales Competency Survey also measures a person’s 7 behavioral competencies, which are self-confidence, active listening, organizing skills, learning orientation, achievement orientation, follow-up, and relationship building. These measures characteristics such as time-management, perseverance, empathy, etc., and possessing these qualities helps a person excel in a career in sales. The questions in SCS are tailored to be best suited to those who have more than 2 years of experience in the field. The test can be used to assess pre-and post-assessment of the sales training workshops, performance appraisals of sales professionals, competency modeling and mapping for sales professionals, and training need analysis.

There are 40 questions in the survey, and it takes 20 minutes to complete. The survey has been tested for reliability and validity. The Psychometric World also provides a detailed report based on the candidate’s responses to the survey.

The report is divided into two sections, with the first one evaluating the person’s competency in the sales cycle and the second one looking at their behavioral characteristics. In both the sections, the test-taker is scored out of 10 in each competencies – the higher the score, the more strength they have in the particular area. The report also mentions the score interpretation – whether the person is at a low, average, or high level in the characteristic. The detailed information provided in the report can be used to identify competency gaps, conduct performance counseling, and create developmental plans.