Embracing Change

Habitual behaviors might make life easier, but they sure can create some boring moments.

Salespeople, for example, like to keep calling on those same accounts, meeting those same people and knowing there will always be that spot available to park their cars.

But working and selling in our industry comes with facing those interesting obstacles in the road. No day will ever duplicate the previous one, nor will one referral source ever be like the last. Social workers and case managers frequently change positions, and referral sources' sense of loyalty is often questionable.

If you are looking for stability in the workplace, you need to move on to someplace more predictable: a place where management writes its own reimbursement rules, a place where the government shows little interest in monitoring the process by which your products are sold or delivered.

But at least for now, you and I are forced to embrace change in every aspect of our work lives.

What my crystal ball tells me (in spite of needing some dusting off) is that some change is good. True, some of us work to avoid it. Others will learn new habits, gain new information, talk to new people or understand new technology. We all will find changes imposed upon us over which we have no control. Change is often unpredictable and imposed simply because someone thinks it's time for a change!

Sales and marketing staff need to be experts at dealing with change. Customers frequently change work locations, sales documentation forms keep getting revised, new managers make new rules, the government keeps developing new guidelines and new products keep showing up in the store. Will it ever stop? The answer is NO.

While most of us understand the causes, here are some strategies for dealing with the process. Begin by realizing that most change is good. It may save time to drive a different way to see a referral source. And who knows? You may just see a building or clinic you didn't know was there before.

Think about changing your approach to customers. Think about the relationship you are trying to build and not just the products you want to sell. Don't get concerned about the changes in staff or new additions to the team. Meet them, get to know them and understand how together you can create an even more effective sales operation.

Handle change by enhancing the frequency of communications. Gain a better understanding of new reimbursement rules, and ask questions about issues you don't understand.