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Future Of Sales Management.
Posted By: Brainiac* on 12/19/2004 12:03 PM (CST) 650 Points
I just went to a seminar on "Future of Sales Management". Heard a lot about how palm pilots, highly customized information about the target customer etc. will redefine the future of sales management. Many seemed to suggest that the Salesman shall take a backseat. That got me thinking about whether sales can be really done without a salesman. I realize how internet is changing the way we sell, but I still dont think that it will make the salesman obsolete. Internet does not really sell, it is just a place to buy.
So all the experts here, I have a question. What according to you is teh future of sales management. Things that shall change the way we sell. Mind you, I am not talking about the entire marketing operation. Just the selling part. Bestow your infinite wisdom on me, oh lords of marketing and selling!!!

Posted by: Pepper Blue Accepted Answer
12/19/2004 1:59 PM (CST)
Hi Braniac,

I see sales management shifting from one of looking at hard sales reports on a macro and micro level and in-person training, to one of measuring, analyzing, interpreting and increasing the effectiveness of the sales function through the measurable digital data, in real-time and other, constantly flowing back and forth across the sales chain in the enterprise.

The increased adoption and integration of Internet-based tools like RSS feeds, webinars for customers and salesforce training, & dynamic content delivery will allow a more targeted and insured means of delivery than email and websites currently do.

Another example is sales management will include being responsible for specifically designed landing pages (many times containing dynamically rendered content) whose purpose is directly to sell, or lead the prospect further along the path to conversion (as compared to more general home and product/service information) pages.

Although one could argue that this is a marketing function, because the goal is to convert to a sale, it will certainly become (and already has in many companies) a hybrid position.

It won't make the salesperson obsolete, but like all things Internet it will (and has already) led to disintermediation of some % of sales, with these freed resources shifting to other sales support areas.

It will free the salesperson's time up to more effectively close the sale or insure customer satisfaction post-sale, and spend less time chasing prospects and leading them down the conversion trail in the traditional sales model.

I also argue that the Internet can absolutely sell. I see it in action everyday selling with no human intervention, and quite successfully!

Just a few quick thoughts on an interesting question, I hope that helps!
 
Posted by: pradeepsg* Accepted Answer
12/20/2004 1:34 AM (CST)
Just to add a bit more to what PepperBlue has just explained in detail, I feel that the internet can only be a facilitator and not the actual sales instrument. People buy because of 2 reasons-
1) A personal/organisational need
2) Sales reps(good ones) sell them the need and the solution for the need.
The internet can only open up an avenue to prospective buyers but in order to clinch the deal, a person to person approach is required. Keeping in mind the fact that up-selling is something that can happen because of THE person who is the sales guy, these rare breed of people will hold the fort inspite of other advances in technology.

Of course, I feel that sales and marketing are increasingly becoming one without many factors differentiating them.
 
Posted by: jong Member Response
12/20/2004 4:12 PM (CST)
While there may be a combination of both, the salesperson will continue to play a key role in generating sales. One of the biggest reasons is because of relationships. The Internet cannot build relationships and service like a salesperson can. People buy from people they like and feel comfortable with. It also depends on the types of products that are being sold. Products that require more explanation, demonstration, more investment, etc. have a greater need to be represented by a salesperson. Commodity, easy to understand products that require little investment can be sold through other venues besides a salesperson.
 
Posted by: ASVP/ChrisB Accepted Answer
12/20/2004 6:18 PM (CST)
I think so far everyone is missing the point.

The role of the sales person is to create, manage, deepen and entrench the relationship between the company and the customer.

The role of the sales manager is NOT (as so many companies think) that of the big gun/heavy hitter brought in at a crucial point to close deals the poor territory rep is incapable of doing alone.

The sales manager is there to coach and mentor the sales person to help them reach their goals and stretch targets.

Not by doing it for them while they watch, but by critiquing and improving their performance and helping them stay focused, committed, on-target, well-planned, clear and articulate.

The role of coach and mentor far outweighs the role of "rain maker".

Great sales people often do not make even modestly good sales managers.

Great trainers and coaches have different competencies to sales people.

So, yes, the sales manager has a future. So does the sales person.

Each star fits in a special place in the constellation.

Hope this helps.

ChrisB
 
Posted by: jose04 Accepted Answer
12/22/2004 1:41 AM (CST)
Hi Brainiac

Something to add ...

1. What according to you is the future of sales management?

The future holds many more opportunities for the sales manager and his/her team. All the world's salesmen won't digitize and therefore they work with not just technology, but appropriate technology. THat is they will work with what suits their environment and the type and level of customers.

Even in a hi-tech environment, the salespersons role will be to shift operations and time usage into any/other kinds of work which enhances relationship building. Such relationships which are built by efficient web marketing techniques too by using conventional sales management technologies and metrics, just enough to get them the results (the cheques).

The website developer, leads generators, shipping and logistics divisions, all of them work in tandem with the sales team to bring about a system which is simple, and workable. The onus lie in how well they connect the customers with the firm.

2. Things that shall change the way we sell?

The internet is the one which is moving and changing us.
Globally the pace of growth in education and reduction of illhealth will be directly proportional to the volume of sales in different sectors. I see the future of sales management to be more and more bothered and concerned about building and maintaining global products. The challenge will be in working with differences in language, culture, learning etc. With currently available technologies, the sales persons could expand operations much more easily than earlier.

Hope these thoughts help!!
 
Posted by: Stokefire* Accepted Answer
12/24/2004 11:16 AM (CST)
The future of sales management is CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT.

While it has become apparent that some classes of products and services can be sold through direct marketing and online, most still cannot. Something holds people back from buying a car without seeing, feeling and driving it. The same cannot be said for buying the latest CD or iTunes track. I have spent more than $300 in the last year on music without a single salesperson talking to me about my purchase or trying to shorten the sales cycle. I buy on marketing.

I think we'll see a gradual moving of the line for large ticket items toward reduced sales contact, but I doubt that we'll see the salesperson completely vanish. I'll part with my $.99 to get a song downloaded that I may or may not like, but I won't part with my $56K for a new Lexus, or $550K for a new house without someone trying to sell it to me directly first.

The difference between sales and marketing has been talked about many times here, and there will be a continued need to talk to the market and the direct customer far into the future. Just don't be surprised when you find yourself making more and more costly purchases without ever talking to a salesperson.

Happy holidays!

Tate
 
Posted by: Bill Moore* Accepted Answer
1/2/2005 10:43 AM (CST)
This is an excellent question. I am of the opinion that the sales person is of even more importance in today’s information overload society. The mission is what role and how does the sales person of today manage, operate and communicate. The sales stars of tomorrow will be the ones that focus on and excel at mastering the basics of sales. The time tested and proven basics of sales which are: Preparation, presentation, overcoming objectives, closing and follow up.

With the overabundance of information available we are dealing with much better educated buyers than in years gone by. A buyer can sit at their screen and in 60 minutes literally gain an understanding of product, prices, features, benefits, et al. The internet is the ultimate source of information, that’s it.

I am of the opinion that today’s sales professional needs to be much more disciplined then in years gone by. Disciplined specifically in the areas of time management, fundamental skills development (pitching/closing/follow up) and goal orientation (selling, selling, selling).

I am continually amazed, particularly by young sales people, when I ask them to describe their positions and their priorities. Companies today, with all our technology, have taken steps backwards in maximizing the sales persons time. Thirty years ago reps would spend their time 80% selling, 20% follow up or a similar model. Today the sales rep is lucky to be spending 50% of their time selling.

By nature sales is relationship based. To develop a relationship you need to see people (face time) and talk with them regularly (telephone) and keep them abreast of what’s happening (email, letters, newsletters, etc.). The single most important element FACE TIME is 70 - 80% of the mission.

I find sales reps today for the most part terrible at developing a relationship and do not understand the value of follow up. 60% of all sales are lost due to improper follow up, this hasn't changed much in the last 30 years, nor will it change in the future. Also buyers biggest single complaint with sales reps is "They didn't do what they said they would" i.e.: see follow up.

I find that companies of today’s are looking for more complex solutions to very simple problems. Lets give them a note book, a cell phone, a pager, a palm pilot ... you get my point. For the most part the above have nothing to do with sales I mean 0 zilch .... Sales is all about understanding your product/service, your buyers needs (which they will tell you if you ask ... IF you ask), presenting your product in manner that the buyer understands, overcoming any objections, qualifying the sale, closing (writing the order) and keeping in touch.

How many of you, us, we ... sales people are spending all their time doing this?

I would really enjoy a good debate on this subject.
 
Posted by: et3dotcom Member Response
1/12/2005 1:59 PM (CST)
Regardless of how sales are generated (direct, internet, showroom, etc.) sales management will continue to be a key to marketing success. Sales managing functions include: training, division of labor, policy compliance, and technique development. Sales management is the master key to the success of any product.
 
Posted by: leskennedy Accepted Answer
1/17/2005 8:52 AM (CST)
Good morning Brainiac, I am in ardent agreement with ChrisB, the role of the sales manager is a people developer, and his/her future is secure. Where organizations choose to compete on "customer intimacy" with a specific market, the primary distribution channel is a face to face salesforce, probably operating at a high level of competency. The sales manager is the insurance for the organization that the sales people are continuing to deliver value and over deliver on customer expectations. Whereas more and more transactional business will continue to be transitioned to lower cost channels, ie. internet, call centers, for those target customers who are the "can't do without" the people element will be hard to surrender. So, salesforces may become more specialized, and some will become smaller. The span of control of the sales manager will actually become smaller, so that he/she will have more focused attention on the few that differentiate the organization - the sales people, and a larger portion of his/her time will be allocated to coaching (where the focus is on the rep, not the customer). Coaching will move to approximately 60 - 70% of time - and the skill of the effective sales manager will be understanding the unique developmental needs of each employee (sales person) to lead them to creating more value for the customer, and ultimately for the organization.

Regards, Les
 
Posted by: Sanjeev Kumar Vyas Member Response
1/20/2005 1:51 AM (CST)
Well I feel that all the technology will and can only help the sales person to close the sales. The technology is just a medium and cannot make the sales person obsolete. These mediums help the sales person make better sales calls with beter timing and more facts but these technologies are not capable of becoming the salesperson. It is like saying that a Hi tech shoe can run fast, hit the ball hard, or jump high.
A high quality show can only make you run faster but cannot run on its own.
Regards
Sanjeev
 
Posted by: Val (Moderator)* Moderator Response
1/22/2005 4:40 AM (CST)
Hello all. I am closing this question, since its more than two weeks old. We do this to make sure members' contributions are rewarded in a timely manner and to improve the visibility of newer questions.

Thanks, so much, for participating!
Val (Moderator)
 


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