Managed Services Provider (MSP) 90-Day Sales Training Plan

Let's assume you're a managed services provider (MSP) that hires a new sales team member. Instead of sending that new sales hire out into the field to pursue revenue, CharTec CEO Alex Rogers recommends a 90-day plan to train that new hire -- with zero revenue responsibility during that window. And every 14 days or so within that plan, you decide whether to keep or fire the hire. Is Rogers on the mark or missing the mark? Here's his 90-day plan.

First, a little background. Rogers is one of the most outspoken voices in the managed services market. CharTec focuses on several areas, including hardware as a service (HaaS) and MSP training. ConnectWise Capital made some sort of funding investment in CharTec in January 2010, though I don't have a feel for the specific terms.

CharTec has a sister company, called ARRC Technology, that ranks among the top MSPs in California. Rogers certainly understands technology but his energy typically kicks into overdrive when he starts talking about sales strategy -- including hiring and training new sales employees.

His 90-day plan for training a new sales hire includes ZERO revenue engagements and regular feedback. The milestones include...

• Teach the hire about company culture
• Have the hire master the company intranet/internal systems
• Offer line of business training and testing in such systems as PSA software.
• Department shadowing, where the hire follows and learns from key employees.
• Early failure decision: Decide whether to keep or fire the employee on day 14.

• Product education
• Company tools education
• Managed service education
• Competition
• Books and tests
• Demonstration of LOBs
• Early failure decision: Decide whether to keep or fire the employee on day 30.

Days 31-45:

• Sales process studying
• Sales presentation studying
• Sales shadowing
• Books and tests
• First role play on all offering presentation
• Early failure decision: Decide whether to keep or fire the employee on day 45.

• Creating sales proposals
• Sales shadowing
• CharTec Academy -- admittedly this is self-promotional for CharTec, which offers a two-day training event to MSPs.
• Books and tests
• Role play proposal presentation
• Early failure decision: Decide whether to keep or fire the employee on day 60.

• Study the QBR process
• Role play the QBR
• Books and tests
• Update social media
• Sales shadowing
• Create own sales track
• Identify a leads group
• Early failure decision: Decide whether to keep or fire the employee on day 75.

• Role play to officers
• Managed services
• BDR offering
• Telco offering
• Network offering
• QBR offering

That's a pretty intriguing list. How many MSPs are willing to hire sales folks who generate NO revenue during their first three months on the job? How many MSPs are willing to really offer a training program  that empowers sales team members? I'm all ears....