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Selling Technology Has Become a Team Sport
or Why Management Should Attend Sales Training with their Salespeople
by Bill VanSickle, Senior Training Consultant, NEC Academy
Selling, like technology, has changed. The days of one on one selling are over. This may be effectivein retail type sales. However, complex, technology sales require a team approach. The salespersonmay take the lead, but everyone from the company’s president to the service dispatcher can play a vitalrole in making the sale.Communications technology impacts everybody in the customer’s organization. Decision makers mustseek input from individuals throughout the organization. Customers can no longer make unilateraldecisions.
Selling Technology has become a team sport - your team and the customer’s team.
What’s the Benefit of Team Selling?
For the customer it means the best solution. Getting the right people involved in the sales processproduces better information. Better information leads to better solutions and consensus for thosesolutions.For the selling company it means larger sales at higher margins. The more the seller knows about thecustomer, the more likely unobvious needs will be uncovered. The seller creates value by identifyingareas of improvement that are not apparent to the customer or the competition. The team approachalso helps the customer get to know the selling company. Relationships are formed leading trust.Customers viewed the seller as a resource, rather than a company simply attempting to “make a sale.”Greater involvement and planning throughout the sales process increases the odds of a smoothimplementation. Smooth installations not only make customers happy, but also increase profit margins.
What’s Required for Team Selling to Work?
The team approach to selling requires that companies adopt a sales strategy that includes everyone inthe company. This strategy must be driven top down. Everyone must understand the strategy; theirrole in implementing it; and how their involvement benefits them personally.
Team Selling Roles and Responsibilities
Sales People
– are front line players; they are the quarterback of the sales process, with their salesmanager assistance they call the shots as to who is involved and when; the key to their role is to sellthe customer on the team approach and the process.
President/Owners
– reinforce the strategy throughout the company; make peer-to-peer contacts asneeded; thank customer when they come in for demonstrations and presentations.
Sales Managers
– teach and reinforce the strategy; coach sales people, helping them develop the skillsrequired to implement the strategy; make joint sale calls as required; assist sales people inimplementing the strategy.
Sales Engineers
– work with sales people and customers to develop solutions; assist in demos andpresentations.
Receptionist and Administrative staff
– greet customers when they come in for demos andpresentations; if required, talk with their peers in the customer’s organization; help sales people withproposals and presentation materials.
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