Richardson, a leading global sales training and performance improvement firm, today announced the launch of TalentGauge(TM). TalentGauge(TM) is an online assessment tool that enables sales leaders to identify the behavior and talent necessary to improve candidate selection, employee and organization development, and to profitably increase sales performance.

Richardson's TalentGauge(TM) is powered by HR Chally, the industry leader in the talent assessment market. A study by HR Chally identified that a Sales Professional's competence accounts for nearly 40% of a customer's buying decision -- it supersedes the company's ability to offer a total solution, the quality of the product/service, and price. With so much weight in the buying decision dependent on a Sales Professional's competence, the right Salespeople need to be in the right roles.

TalentGauge(TM) is a talent assessment tool that predicts a Sales Professional's potential to be successful. By evaluating each Sales Professional's behaviors and competencies, it predicts how well a Sales Professional will perform in a specific role. Richardson's TalentGauge(TM) is available in two forms:

  --  TalentAudit -- An assessment in which Sales Leaders can predict who in their current salesforce is most likely to successfully execute each
component of the organization's sales strategy

  --  TalentSelection -- An assessment that can be used as part of a selection process to improve hiring decisions, bringing the right
talent into the sales organization

"Richardson is extremely excited to announce the expansion of our Sales Performance System, which has three primary components: 'Sales Readiness,' 'Sales Performance,' and 'Performance Sustainment.' In connection with this expansion, we have partnered with The HR Chally Group, the leader in sales personnel assessment and research, to bolster our 'Sales Readiness' capabilities. Richardson and Chally have each operated for 30-plus years with a commitment to improving the performance of sales organizations," says David DiStefano, President and CEO of Richardson. "More than ever before, our clients seek ways to improve candidate selection and employee and organization development. The TalentGauge(TM) assessment tool is an ideal addition to Richardson's comprehensive Sales Performance System. The recent economic challenges have exposed gaps in companies' revenue-generating abilities and the winning sales organizations are making significant investments in getting the right Sales Professionals and Sales Managers in the right roles and doing the right things."

About Richardson

Richardson (http://www.richardson.com/) is a global sales performance company that helps leading organizations improve sales results. We do this in three ways. We analyze the structure and talent of your salesforce; we train and develop your sales team; and we continue that development through coaching and reinforcement. We equip your sales leaders and salesforce with the skills and strategies they need to win in today's complex selling environment. What is unique about Richardson is how we create truly customized solutions that change behavior and provide measureable results.

About Chally

Chally is a leading Sales Research/Talent Management Firm delivering measurable ROI to our clients associated with selecting-aligning-developing World Class Sales Forces via our Predictive Assessment and Talent Analytics, which leverages actuarial science and a Six Sigma/Lean/Total Quality Management performance management methodology. Beginning with a thorough understanding of each job, Chally validates highly-specific, non-generic competencies customized for clients' languages (corporate/multicultural) versus just looking at personality characteristics. The result: an intuitive, accurate, customized approach for the Sales lifecycle -- selection, on-boarding, development, performance improvement, succession management, exit interviews, and potential versus actual performance measurement. How good? Chally is the ONLY provider in the talent management space that guarantees our work. We will refund up to 100% of our fees associated with missed performance expectations.

Source: Richardson