RELATIONSHIP WITH SANDLER
We started off this study by explaining how relationship building is pivotal to sales. What makes us successful with Sonitrol is the relationship we have with Jim. He’s been with Sandler for 18 years, and he has become much more than just a client; he’s a close friend and confidant. As we’ve gone through our coaching program, Jim has reciprocated our mentorship by teaching us a lot in return. “[Sandler] and I have developed a relationship. I’m more comfortable discussing with [Sandler], and I’ve been blessed with great mentors in my life.” He’s a personification of our methods and is a master at applying the concept of uncovering pain. According to Jim, he does it because he enjoys the Sandler selling process. “I do a lot of internal teaching on it,” he says. Accountability, sounding boards, challenges, training, and resources are all concepts Jim credits as huge influences. And when asked what he says about Sandler to other people, Jim responds, “Sign up. Invest in the training, and you’ll get the return multiple- fold with the practical tools you can take to market.” We’re blessed to have wonderful people like Jim in our lives, and we can’t wait for many more years of Sonitrol and Secure Pacific success.
We can all learn from how Sonitrol goes about acquisitions. “We need to stay true to who we are while respecting who they were. We bring them as quickly as possible into our culture and core values, but tactfully,” Jim says. “It’s important to treat them well. Make them feel like part of the family and not second-class citizens.” When these moments become difficult, it becomes even more important to have the right mindset. Jim’s view on the difficulties with mergers shows why he’s such a valued asset in the company. “It comes with its challenges, but it’s a fun challenge.” Bringing in a whole new culture and merging it with yours shouldn’t be a reconditioning process. When you go through acquisitions, it’s more like selling your product, service, and way of life to the new people you’re bringing on. If you believe wholeheartedly in your culture, then selling that to a new employee is a walk in the park compared to selling to a cold prospect. But even the best cultures have their challenges. Especially when they grow.
sees a cohesiveness within his growing company. “I think family is a great description for our culture. Sonitrol and Secure Pacific, we’re one team, one goal, but two companies. We operate the same way.” Words like “family” and “culture” can certainly feel like buzzwords within the modern framework of internal business operations. But when you’ve forged irreplaceable bonds with people, it’s hard to find better terms to express the closeness you feel. “Throughout the nationwide Sonitrol network, I’ve developed the best relationships of my life,” Jim says. Every culture has its unique twist on how it approaches competition. It may not be a core value up on the wall at the Sonitrol headquarters, but Jim quotes the wisdom of Ricky Bobby from “Talladega Nights”: “If you ain’t first, you’re last,” he says. The comment encapsulates Jim’s sense of humor and lightheartedness because he doesn’t foster a dog-eat-dog mentality. “It’s not an ‘at all costs’ thing.” His next comment displays the heart of a man dedicated to doing the right thing: “If you give [up] your integrity, you have nothing. You have to figure out a way to get it done the right way.”
CULTURE IS KING
“Culture is more of a challenge as you get larger and more
spread out,” Jim says. Luckily, Jim
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