Business Development Representatives typically do not last long in their job. According to recent statistics compiled by Zippia, 66% of BDRs remain in the position for two years or less, with 33% leaving within the first year.
Given the nature of the job, this is not all that surprising. Cold-calling strangers on the phone day after day and constantly dealing with brush-offs and rejections can quickly grow wearisome, especially in the complex world of B2B sales. Even the most experienced BDRs hear “no” far more often than they hear “yes.”
Despite these challenges, VSA is committed to retaining our top-performing BDRs—and we’re succeeding. The average tenure of our agents exceeds the industry average of 1.8 years, and more significantly, there is only a 3% turnover rate among our most productive BDRs. This continuity has a direct impact on delivering ROI-positive results for our clients.
“The fact that we have attracted a group of talented people who have chosen to make VSA their home is pretty amazing. You can’t take it for granted,” says Founder and CEO Valerie Schlitt. “We pride ourselves on keeping the best of the best.”
What are the keys to retaining top talent in a profession known for its frequent turnover? We asked members of VSA’s leadership team, as well as three of our most-productive and longest-tenured BDRs, to share their thoughts on this industry-defying longevity and the reason so many talented employees choose to stay. Here are four of the most important factors:
1. A positive workplace culture
Dawn Stolte, VSA’s Senior VP of Operations, directly credits the culture that Valerie has created within the company for why employees have chosen to stay.
“Valerie has created an environment where people want to do well for her,” Dawn says. “I’ve heard people say exactly that: ‘I want to make Valerie proud. I love what she’s done here.’ ”
This “family” atmosphere (a word that has become somewhat taboo in the business world, but nonetheless was mentioned by multiple respondents for this article) was established early in VSA’s history, back when the company was much smaller and all employees worked out of the same South Jersey office. As VSA has grown and our services and clients have become more sophisticated, we have maintained this sense of family, even with a mostly remote workforce. Regular virtual team meetings, a weekly in-house newsletter, and a recently implemented bonus program (more on that later), are a few of the things that have helped employees feel appreciated and connected with their co-workers.
“I really appreciate the supportive work environment,” says five-year VSA BDR Tinez Grady, who recently joined our Quality & Training team. “Program Managers, Quality & Training, and fellow BDRs are always willing to help.”
2. Individualized coaching and training
Even the most experienced BDRs can benefit from regular coaching. VSA’s Quality & Training team is adept at identifying individual needs and working directly to address them, helping BDRs grow in confidence and ability.
“Because we strive to be exceptional with each other, we’re always looking at the different ways people learn, the different resources people need, and stockpiling them with as much information and training as they need to be successful,” says Manager of BDR Development & Quality Assurance Harley Myers. “It’s important to let them know we’re here for them, and here for their mistakes, too.”
At the same time, the name of the game is producing results for our clients—whether that’s scheduled appointments for outbound programs, flawless customer service for inbound programs, or whatever else clients count on us to deliver. Our hands-on QA allows us to quickly identify BDRs who, for whatever reason, are simply not suited for the job.
“If someone is not a good fit, it’s better for everybody if we let them go,” Dawn says. “But if they show that they’re coachable and willing to work to improve, we’re going to stick with them.”
3. Flexibility
All VSA BDRs are expected to work a certain number of hours each week to satisfy each client’s allotted calling time. But, within reason, they still have the option to choose their own schedules. This flexibility dates to the early years of VSA, when many of our employees were mothers with young children looking for part-time work. A growing number of clients and increasingly complex programs since those days have necessitated far more overall hours and full-time employees, but BDRs have retained a level of control over their schedules.
This flexibility also includes the option to work from home or in the office. While most of our staff now work remotely, providing new opportunities for out-of-the-area talent, a few VSA employees still come into the office most days.
“The pleasant working conditions, my co-workers and leadership at VSA, the flexibility with my work schedule, and the choice to work in the office or remote are some of the reasons for my longevity at VSA,” says longtime BDR Bernadette Pizzuto.
Senior Program Manager Lisa Doyle, who started at VSA as a BDR more than 10 years ago, believes retaining some level of flexibility has been key to keeping so many talented workers.
“It really benefits employees to have that flexibility,” she says. “It’s been an adjustment as we’ve gotten so much bigger, but it still works for us.”
4. Bonuses
Few people are going to stay in a job if they don’t feel appreciated, and one of the ways to make people feel appreciated is to reward them for their successes.
VSA has done just that with a recently implemented bonus program, and many BDRs are taking full advantage.
In the first three months of the program, VSA gave out more than $11,000 in bonuses, with five BDRs earning more than $1,000 each. Since the launch of the program, the average monthly bonus has been $125, with six BDRs receiving more than $500 in bonuses in a single month.
VSA had previously steered away from bonusing for scheduled meetings because we didn’t want to risk the BDRs setting unqualified appointments. We have measured this closely, and are happy that the bonus plan has increased overall production, while appointments have remained qualified.
“I like working on the bonuses myself because I get to see how much people are progressing,” Dawn says. “People who were not getting bonuses the first months are starting to receive them, and people who have been getting bonuses all along are seeing their amount increase. It’s a testament to their hard work and dedication for our clients.”
*****
We end this article with a comment from Debbie Grear, who has consistently been one of our top-performing BDRs during her four-and-a-half years at VSA. Debbie perfectly summed up the reasons so many employees have chosen to stay with the company.
“The company’s values and culture align with my own, and the flexibility and compensation are also good benefits,” Debbie says. “And a very supportive leadership team and colleagues make it easy to succeed—I feel like I’m part of a family. I feel so lucky to have found this job; it really doesn’t feel like a job to me.”
If you’d like to learn how VSA can help grow your business, give us a call or drop us a note. We’re always excited for new opportunities to put our team to work for our clients.