Sales Leadership Transformation for a Luxury Bathroom Retailer

Crisis Management and Sales Leadership Transformation for a Luxury Bathroom Retailer

Client Overview

Our client, a London-based retailer of luxury bathrooms, holds a unique edge with proprietary design software that offers unmatched speed, quality, and VR previews. Despite their competitive advantages, recent operational issues and declining sales team performance had led to a critical breakdown in leadership trust, prompting the owner to seek Belucidity’s support for a crisis management intervention in sales leadership.

The Challenge

The Sales Team, under a Managing Director who had led them for just a year, was facing low morale and inconsistent performance across three showrooms. The reliance on verbal, scattered training material led to vast disparities in team knowledge, sales execution, and product use. , and the team’s ability to communicate key differentiators—especially regarding the company’s unique design technology—was underutilized.

The owner’s trust in the Managing Director had waned and with no suitable replacement immediately available our client needed assistance.

Belucidity’s relationship with the Sales Team through Marketing enhancement projects and our prior successes in Customer Experience improvement positioned us to re-engage and re-invigorate the team by tackling the underlying operational and motivational challenges.

Our Solution

Belucidity implemented a comprehensive crisis management plan to stabilize and optimize the Sales Team. Our approach centred on rebuilding confidence, standardizing processes, and creating clear, actionable development plans. Working alongside the company owner and management team, we established a foundation for sustainable performance improvements.

Here’s How We Revitalized the Sales Team:

1. Team Engagement and Problem Resolution

   
   

   We created a structured environment for team members to voice individual challenges and worked quickly with management to address immediate operational issues. Leveraging our insights, we helped resolve longstanding supply chain and product content challenges, reinforcing the team’s faith in leadership and Belucidity’s commitment to supporting their growth.

   
   

2. Vision for Growth and Performance Optimization

   
   

   Working with the client, we crafted a clear vision for stability and personal growth within the company, outlining new career pathways through a Sales Support function. This new role allowed junior team members to grow into Sales Designers, reducing dependency on external recruitment.

   
   

3. Standardized Training and Process Documentation

   
   

   To address gaps in product and sales training, we centralized scattered resources into a single, indexed repository. Our newly developed onboarding process and SOPs established a standardized, replicable approach to high-performance sales. Additionally, we implemented regular performance reviews and team-wide training on underutilized tools, leading to immediate improvements.

   
   

4. Enhanced CRM Utilization and KPI Tracking

   
   

   We analyzed the CRM system to optimize data tracking, setting up custom fields to link each sale to marketing performance. We also updated the commission structure, incentivizing adherence to best practices alongside sales results. By incorporating KPIs for engagement with new features (like the CRM and system functionality), we created a robust performance-tracking framework.

   
   

5. Personal Development, Team Building and Revised Commission Structure

   
   

   Belucidity developed individual personal development plans, focusing on core competencies and sales progression. We paired team members proficient in specific areas with those needing support and conducted group training to uplift all salespeople in crucial skill areas.

   
   

   To provide the motivation for the behaviours and practises that would lead to responsible selling and better customer expectation management, we targeted key customer satisfaction metrics as being required to achieve full commission rates.

   
   

6. Strengthening Trade Relationships and Lead Generation

   Recognizing that relationships with trade professionals drove sales success, we provided the Sales Team with new online collateral tailored for trade partners. We also engaged a third-party call centre to generate qualified leads, allowing salespeople to focus on nurturing relationships rather than cold outreach.

   
   

7. Seamless Handover to Customer Service

   To prevent salespeople from becoming embroiled in post-sale customer service, we redefined the customer journey to include a handover brochure and updated customer checklists. This clarified the aftersales process, reinforcing that the Customer Service Team was best equipped to manage post-sale needs and mandatory checklists ensured that the Sales Team properly explained the process and managed the customer expectations.

   
   

8. Preparation for Growth and Leadership Transition

   Once we established the SOPs, onboarding programs, and a consistent sales framework, we supported the client in recruiting for a new Head of Sales, to ensure continuity and long-term resilience.

Key Outcomes

Over 22 months, Belucidity’s initial Full-Time and then ongoing Fractional Sales interventions led to substantial performance improvements:

• Sales Uplift: 43.5% increase in sales in the first 12 months; 10.2% in the second year

• Gross Margin Stability: Gross Margin held steady in year one, with a 2% increase in year two

• Individual Performance: 55% increase in average sales value per salesperson

• Customer Satisfaction: 5-star reviews rose from an average of 2 per month to 17 per month.

• Strengthened Relationship with Customer Service Team: The emphasis on 'responsible' selling greatly improved the customer journey and led to positive feedback from the Customer Service team.

• Resilient Onboarding Program: SOPs and a robust onboarding program now support future growth and team resilience.

  
  

Conclusion

Belucidity’s crisis management and leadership support for this luxury bathroom retailer transformed a struggling Sales Team into a high-performing, motivated group with clear, achievable goals. By establishing a consistent, growth-oriented sales framework and empowering each team member with development opportunities, we secured sustainable sales gains and solidified the client’s position in a competitive market.

Belucidity – Transforming Teams, Driving Growth, Building Resilience