For sales leaders in Atlanta, riding along on sales calls with your team can be one of the most powerful ways to improve performance—if done correctly. Like most management activities, curb-side coaching comes with both pros and cons.
The Benefits of Joining Your Sales Team in the Field
When you join a sales call in person, you’re witnessing the process in real time.
Instead of relying on a salesperson’s post-call recap—which might be influenced by optimism or selective memory—you get to experience the interaction first-hand. This allows you to see:
How well your team follows the sales process
How prospects respond to key questions
Where skill gaps or training needs may exist
The Pitfalls to Avoid
The biggest mistake sales managers make during ride-alongs is turning them into “watch how I do it” demonstrations. This can unintentionally undermine the salesperson’s credibility with the prospect.
Another risk? Using the meeting as a chance to overly critique the rep’s performance in front of the client. This can cause the prospect to lose confidence in the salesperson’s ability to handle their business independently.
Setting the Stage for Successful Curb-Side Coaching
For curb-side coaching to work, both the Atlanta sales manager and the salesperson must:
Establish clear expectations and accountabilities
Agree on roles for the meeting (who leads, who supports)
Understand that the ultimate goal is to make the salesperson more effective
When done right, field coaching should:
Observe how the salesperson implements your company’s sales development process.
Identify areas where additional training is needed.
Reinforce the importance of consistent new business development.
The 5 Steps to Effective Curb-Side Coaching
Preparation – Never wing it. Set specific objectives for each call and complete a call sheet in advance.
Observation – Use a meeting checklist and take notes for review after the call.
Evaluation – Compare the intended outcome to the actual results in a collaborative debrief.
Modification – Identify what strategies, behaviors, or tactics should be adjusted moving forward.
Assimilation – Create an action plan to apply what was learned, which may include role-playing or targeted training.
Questions to Ask Before Scheduling Field Calls
Which sales reps will you accompany?
Why are you choosing them now?
What specific outcomes do you want to achieve?
When will you schedule these calls?
How will you reinforce the lessons learned afterward?
Make Curb-Side Coaching Part of Your Atlanta Sales Strategy
The primary role of every sales manager is to help their team succeed. Curb-side coaching—when structured and executed effectively—can be one of the most impactful tools in your Atlanta sales leadership toolkit.
Plan your approach, set clear goals, and transform your next field call into a dynamic, results-driven coaching opportunity.
Curious to learn more about Sandler? Schedule a stress-free phone call with us.
Amy Sulka is a certified Sandler sales trainer, leadership coach, and business growth consultant based in Atlanta, Georgia. As founder of Sales Sellutions360, she brings 25+ years of B2B and enterprise sales experience to helping teams improve win rates, shorten sales cycles, and build accountable cultures. Connect with Amy at amy.sulka@sandler.com or on LinkedIn.
