Johnson Controls boot camps graduate elite territory managers
Norman, Okla. — In December 2003, the Unitary Products division of Johnson Controls Inc. graduated its first class of territory managers from Basic Training boot camp. Since then, 768 tms representing Johnson Controls York®, Coleman® and Luxaire® brands have completed this first part of a three-step training program that includes Special Operations and Advanced Intelligence boot camps.
“The goal is to continually turn out the most talented, dedicated and successful sales force in the hvac industry,” said Natalie DeRousse, training manager, Johnson Controls-Unitary Products. “The three camps provide tms with the knowledge they need to guide the business success of hvac dealers. Tms leave the camp equipped to help dealers implement programs that will ensure sales improvement and consistency in marketing efforts while supporting dealer independence.”
Basic Training boot camp is a week-long program offered every spring and fall at the company’s Norman, Okla., facility. An average of 20 to 25 tms attend each Basic Training program, which focuses on consultative selling and features a combination classroom/role-playing format.
“Consultative selling makes the territory manager a sales consultant — a professional resource or someone a contractor regards as a partner in the success of their business,” DeRousse explained. “A contractor looks forward to a tm’s visit, because the tm brings information, tools and techniques that will help the contractor successfully grow his or her business.”
Johnson Controls relies on a number of its York, Coleman and Luxaire employees to provide training in the boot camps. Important instruction, especially in the area of consultative selling, is also provided by Gary Elekes, professional business trainer and faculty member with Unitary Products Business Training University.
“Gary owns four successful hvac businesses, is himself a successful contractor and has worked for both hvac manufacturers and distributors in sales management and territory management positions,” said DeRousse. “He brings extensive experience to the classroom and can speak to important contractor issues from a variety of angles.
“Gary is especially effective engaging camp participants in role-playing activities. In this first camp, he helps tms learn to ask the right questions in the right way so contractors eventually feel comfortable sharing very specific information about their businesses. This helps tms identify the resources that will best address challenges contractors face and help them better manage their businesses.”
The Basic Training boot camp also describes the Liberties™ and Liberties Plus programs available to York, Coleman and Luxaire contractors. These programs provide a host of cost-effective services, including financial programs, professionally designed sales and marketing tools and training programs to help participating dealers manage their businesses.
Basic Training attendees also learn about brand strategy and positioning and become familiar with the marketing tools available to contractors. As their knowledge base increases, so does their ability to be an effective resource to the contractor.
At the end of each day during the camp, participants take a quiz that covers the material introduced that day. Tms who complete Basic Training, score at least 85% for their final grade and spend six months in the field following completion of the first boot camp are eligible to attend the second boot camp — Special Ops Training.
“The week-long Special Ops Training program typically attracts 15 to 18 territory managers and continues the education of the tm, with a focus on understanding the contractor’s business in greater detail.
“Tms actually come into this program with two assignments,” said DeRousse. “One is a reading assignment. In addition, several weeks before the start of camp, I assign each tm a program within the Liberties program. They are required to prepare a 10- to 15-minute presentation on their program and present it to a contractor (me), explaining the program and its importance to a contractor.”
In addition, the Special Ops Training program reviews brand strategy and consultative selling. It also discusses personality social styles, call planning, the importance of dealer acquisition calls and Elekes’ “Big Ten of Contracting.”
“These are the top 10 things about an hvac contractor’s business that are critical for a territory manager to understand,” explained DeRousse.
During Special Ops Training, tms also work on a case study that is assigned the second day of camp. During role-playing sessions throughout the week, tms have the opportunity to ask questions of their contractor, played by Elekes, to gain information that will be helpful in their final presentation.
They present their case study at the end of the camp, in front of classmates and a video camera. Their goal is to offer their contractor a solution or solutions that will convince him or her to take on the brand represented by the tm.
“A brand has no value if it cannot deliver solutions to a business, and solutions can only be delivered after a problem or challenge has been correctly identified,” said DeRousse.
Graduates of Special Ops Training must score at least 85% for their final grade and spend six months in the field following completion of the camp before they are eligible for the third and final camp — Advanced Intelligence. This camp focuses on assessing and developing a contractor operating plan.
“Most contractors are technicians who are experts in the field, but often know little about accounting or marketing,” noted DeRousse. “We help them by training our tms to assist contractors in departmentalizing profit and loss statements, evaluating benchmarks, developing detailed budgets, creating marketing plans, growing service agreements and implementing retail selling and labor control systems. Once again, case studies are an important part of the training process.”
Ed Zednik, territory manager with Virginia Air Distributors Inc. and a graduate of all three boot camps, added, “Role-playing was quite an intense experience, because Gary played the role so well and could be very intimidating. In fact, all the camps were pretty intense. Gary knew we had to achieve a certain level of expertise in each camp, so he did not make any of them easy for us.
“We worked very hard and learned many useful things. In fact, many of the role-playing situations have presented themselves in my working life, and I’ve been properly prepared to successfully handle each of them. As a result, I’m very comfortable in my role as advisor to the hvac community and enjoy the opportunity to help my customers overcome their challenges.”
Johnson Controls also offers a two-and-a-half-day residential product training program. “In addition to a half-day program on indoor air quality products, we spend one full day on indoor products and one full day on outdoor products, identifying the features and benefits of the York, Coleman and Luxaire products, recent changes to the products and how they compare to competitors’ equipment,” explained DeRousse. “Then, I separate the class into groups, hand out tools and give each group a checklist of things they need to do, like taking out an ignitor or blower motor, just to give them an idea of what the installer and service tech go through.”
After that exercise, groups repeat the process using a competitor’s product, critiquing and evaluating the product as they tear it down. If time permits, groups have the opportunity to work on other competitors’ products. At the end of the day, each group shares the findings from their original teardown with the entire class.
A more recent addition to territory manager training opportunities is the webcast program. Developed to overcome the inconvenience and expense of travel, this new program offers tms, inside salespeople and new employees webcasts that cover five subjects: residential products, Liberties program, In Home Selling Tool and Pricing Pro, presentation book and the sales process.
According to DeRousse, the free, hour-long, customizable webcasts are live and provide participants the opportunity to ask questions. The webcasts are recorded so contractors can view them at a later date.
“We used this program recently with a new Luxaire distributor who wanted to introduce the Liberties program to the contractors in their distributorship,” DeRousse recalled. “It was a great way to reach a number of new contractors at one time, assisting the tm responsible for these contractors and reinforcing his knowledge at the same time.
Zednik added, “I’m not required to attend this training, but the best way to help my customers attain their goals is to do my part, assisting them with finding new and different ways to conduct their day-to-day business and improve their profitability. Through increased profitability they achieve success, and their success leads to my success.”
Would Zednik recommend the training to other territory managers? “Absolutely!” he said. “I think any tm that doesn’t take advantage of the boot camps and other training opportunities Johnson Controls offers is doing him or herself a great disservice. This training enabled me to engage in meaningful dialog with contractors and, as a result, my customers trust me — not as an order taker but as someone who genuinely cares about their businesses and their challenges and is equipped to deliver solutions to ensure their success.”
For additional information, visit www.johnsoncontrols.com.