Sales Organizations Must Address Four Pressure Points
From Forum Corp., Boston

Organizations that want to achieve and sustain higher sales should pay greater attention to four make-or-break “pressure points,” according to a study by The Forum Corp., an organizational learning consultancy.

The survey of 111 executives from 96 of the world's leading companies found that four strategically-integrated areas can dictate a sales organization's success in today's highly competitive sales environment. They are:

• Sales managers' skills: Forum's research determined that sales managers at higher-performing sales organizations are significantly stronger in each of three critical management roles -- strategy executor, motivator and coach-- than their colleagues at lower-performing organizations. The implication: high-performing organizations will equip sales managers with the skills needed to become the versatile leaders they must be.
• Internal sales climate: Forum's research shows that higher-performing sales organizations are significantly stronger on four of six important climate factors: clarity, commitment, responsibility and recognition. (Both higher- and lower-performing organizations rate equally well on the two remaining factors of standards and teamwork.) The implication: high-performing organizations will equip sales managers with the skills to model expected behaviors, establish a tone of cooperation, teamwork and excellence, and enable salespeople to accomplish their goals while stretching their abilities.
• Sales organization processes: Forum's research reveals that higher-performing organizations rate higher on four important processes: opportunity management, performance management, strategic account management, and reward and recognition systems. The implication: high-performing organizations will adopt systems for managing both the opportunities in their pipelines and the performance of their people to ensure new leads are qualified and closed.\
• Salespeople's skills: Forum's research found that high-performing organizations are stronger at identifying qualified prospects and landing them as clients. The implication: organizations that regroup around the basics will improve their chances for the competitive challenges ahead.

“Our research clearly shows that an organization's people and the way in which they are managed distinguish successful sales organizations from the also-rans in this increasingly challenging sales environment,” said Ron Koprowski, who heads Forum's sales and service practice. “Paying attention to the four pressure points can create positive effects, unleashing potential that translates into more effective sales teams and managers, deeper customer relationships and – most importantly – more sales.”

To obtain a copy of Forum's point of view paper on the topic, entitled “The Pressure Paradox,” or to obtain its research report “How Sales Forces Sustain Competitive Advantage,” visit Forum's library at www.forum.com. Registration, which is free, is required.

The Forum Corp. is a leading, global organizational learning consultant serving medium-sized and large companies, including 130 members of the Fortune 1000. Visit Forum at www.forum.com.