You need to fix territory overlaps and gaps, but reps resist changes. They’ve built relationships and don’t want to lose accounts. This resistance prevents you from optimizing territories and improving sales performance.
Trust-based territory redesign solves this by managing changes carefully. It redraws territories while maintaining rep trust, which enables optimization without losing rep buy-in. This approach is essential for successful territory changes.
This guide provides change-management strategies for reassigning accounts and regions, helping you redraw territories effectively while maintaining rep trust and minimizing disruption.
We’ll explore why trust matters in territory changes, communication strategies, change management approaches, compensation protection, and implementation tactics. By the end, you’ll understand how to redraw territories without losing rep trust.
Key Takeaways
- Communicate early—explain changes and reasons before implementing
- Involve reps—get rep input on territory changes
- Protect compensation—ensure reps don't lose income from changes
- Manage transitions—support reps through account transfers
- Build trust—demonstrate that changes benefit everyone
Table of Contents
Why Trust Matters
Territory changes without trust create resistance. When reps don’t trust the process, they resist changes and performance suffers. This resistance prevents optimization.
Trust matters because it enables change. When reps trust the process, they accept changes and work to make them successful. This trust enables successful territory optimization.
The reality: Most territory changes fail because reps don’t trust the process. Trust-based change management enables successful territory optimization while maintaining rep buy-in.
Communication Strategies
Communication strategies build trust and reduce resistance. When you communicate effectively, reps understand and accept changes.
Early Communication
Communicate changes early:
- Announce changes before implementing
- Explain reasons for changes
- Share territory redesign goals
- Build understanding early
- Create early communication
Why this matters: Early communication reduces surprise. If you communicate early, reps have time to understand. This communication reduces resistance.
Transparent Reasoning
Explain why changes are needed:
- Share data on overlaps and gaps
- Explain optimization benefits
- Show how changes help everyone
- Build transparent communication
- Create understanding
Why this matters: Transparent reasoning builds trust. If you explain reasons clearly, reps understand necessity. This transparency builds acceptance.
Regular Updates
Keep reps informed:
- Provide regular updates on progress
- Share timeline information
- Update on implementation status
- Maintain communication
- Build ongoing communication
Why this matters: Regular updates maintain trust. If you keep reps informed, they feel included. This communication maintains engagement.
Two-Way Communication
Listen to rep concerns:
- Solicit rep feedback
- Address rep concerns
- Respond to questions
- Build two-way communication
- Create dialogue
Why this matters: Two-way communication builds trust. If you listen to reps, they feel heard. This communication builds buy-in.
Pro tip: Use our Sales Territory Optimization Tool to show reps data-driven reasons for territory changes. Share analysis of overlaps, gaps, and inefficiencies to build understanding and trust in the redesign process.
Change Management Approaches
Change management approaches guide territory redesign. When you manage changes effectively, transitions are smooth and trust is maintained.
Phased Implementation
Implement changes gradually:
- Roll out changes in phases
- Start with least disruptive changes
- Implement gradually
- Allow time for adjustment
- Build phased approach
Why this matters: Phased implementation reduces disruption. If you implement gradually, changes are less disruptive. This approach maintains stability.
Rep Involvement
Involve reps in redesign:
- Get rep input on territory design
- Include reps in decision-making
- Consider rep preferences
- Build rep involvement
- Create collaborative process
Why this matters: Rep involvement builds buy-in. If you involve reps, they support changes. This involvement enables acceptance.
Account Transition Support
Support account transfers:
- Provide transition support
- Help with account handoffs
- Facilitate relationship transfers
- Support transitions
- Build transition support
Why this matters: Transition support ensures success. If you support transfers, accounts transition smoothly. This support maintains relationships.
Performance Protection
Protect rep performance:
- Ensure reps don’t lose accounts unfairly
- Protect existing relationships
- Maintain performance opportunities
- Build performance protection
- Create fair transitions
Why this matters: Performance protection maintains trust. If you protect performance, reps trust the process. This protection enables acceptance.
Compensation Protection
Compensation protection ensures reps don’t lose income. When you protect compensation, reps accept changes more readily.
Grandfathering Existing Accounts
Protect existing account commissions:
- Grandfather existing accounts
- Maintain commissions on current accounts
- Protect rep income
- Build compensation protection
- Create income security
Why this matters: Grandfathering protects income. If you protect existing commissions, reps don’t lose income. This protection enables acceptance.
Transition Period Compensation
Provide transition compensation:
- Offer transition period bonuses
- Compensate for account transfers
- Provide income protection during transition
- Build transition compensation
- Create income stability
Why this matters: Transition compensation reduces risk. If you provide transition pay, reps feel secure. This compensation enables acceptance.
New Account Opportunities
Provide new account opportunities:
- Assign new accounts to compensate for losses
- Ensure opportunity balance
- Provide growth opportunities
- Build opportunity balance
- Create fair compensation
Why this matters: New opportunities balance losses. If you provide new accounts, reps see benefits. This balance enables acceptance.
Performance-Based Protection
Protect based on performance:
- Protect high performers
- Ensure top performers aren’t penalized
- Reward performance in transitions
- Build performance protection
- Create performance rewards
Why this matters: Performance protection rewards excellence. If you protect high performers, you maintain motivation. This protection enables retention.
Implementation Tactics
Implementation tactics execute territory redesign successfully. When you implement effectively, changes are smooth and trust is maintained.
Data-Driven Justification
Use data to justify changes:
- Show overlap and gap data
- Demonstrate inefficiency problems
- Use data to build consensus
- Build data-driven justification
- Create objective basis
Why this matters: Data-driven justification builds trust. If you use data, changes feel objective. This justification enables acceptance.
Win-Win Territory Design
Design territories that benefit everyone:
- Create territories that improve for all
- Ensure no one loses unfairly
- Design win-win outcomes
- Build beneficial design
- Create mutual benefit
Why this matters: Win-win design builds acceptance. If everyone benefits, changes are accepted. This design enables buy-in.
Clear Implementation Timeline
Provide clear timeline:
- Share implementation schedule
- Set clear deadlines
- Provide timeline visibility
- Build clear timeline
- Create schedule clarity
Why this matters: Clear timeline reduces uncertainty. If you provide timeline, reps know what to expect. This clarity reduces anxiety.
Ongoing Support
Provide continuous support:
- Support reps through transition
- Provide ongoing assistance
- Monitor transition success
- Build ongoing support
- Create continuous help
Why this matters: Ongoing support ensures success. If you support continuously, transitions succeed. This support maintains trust.
Pro tip: Use our Sales Territory Optimization Tool to design new territories that address overlaps and gaps. Share the tool’s analysis with reps to demonstrate data-driven reasons for changes and build trust in the redesign process.
Your Next Steps
Trust-based territory redesign enables optimization without losing rep buy-in. Communicate early, involve reps, protect compensation, then implement changes carefully.
This Week:
- Analyze current territory overlaps and gaps using our Sales Territory Optimization Tool
- Develop communication plan for territory changes
- Design compensation protection plan
- Plan phased implementation approach
This Month:
- Communicate territory redesign plans to reps
- Get rep input on territory changes
- Implement compensation protection measures
- Begin phased territory redesign
Going Forward:
- Support reps through territory transitions
- Monitor transition success and rep satisfaction
- Adjust territory design based on feedback
- Maintain trust through ongoing communication
Need help? Check out our Sales Territory Optimization Tool for territory analysis, our territory design guide for structuring territories, our territory scorecard guide for evaluating territories, and our new market territory guide for expanding territories.
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Sources & Additional Information
This guide provides general information about territory redesign. Your specific situation may require different considerations.
For territory optimization calculations, see our Sales Territory Optimization Tool.
Consult with professionals for advice specific to your situation.
