The B2B purchasing process has fundamentally shifted. What ...€¦ · The B2B purchasing process...
Transcript of The B2B purchasing process has fundamentally shifted. What ...€¦ · The B2B purchasing process...
The B2B purchasing process has fundamentally shifted.
What’s next? Rapid changes in the B2B purchasing journey demand evolution in sales processes and
skill sets. Educated, empowered prospects are turning their backs on traditional, outdated
sales models that don’t serve their needs. A customer-centric selling experience has taken
over. Is your organization adapting to this major shift, or stagnating?
Read on to discover how adopting a modern inside sales solution focused on customer
experience will deliver the growth your organization needs.
The virtual sales takeover
The B2B sales industry has reached an
inflection point. Prospects have forced sales
teams to cater to their tech-first preferences.
Not only are virtual sales teams accepted by
customers these days, they are quickly
becoming expected.
Rumors of “the death of the B2B salesperson”
have been exaggerated. But it’s true that a
new breed of salesperson, with superior
training and fresh skills, has taken his seat.
And that seat can be anywhere in the world.
Internal managers have recognized the
expense to maintain inside sales teams in
high-cost markets where many B2B
companies are headquartered. San Francisco,
Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, and London are
great for global logistics, but there are more
profitable locations to house sales talent.
A virtual sales team allows leaders to fund
expansion into new markets and segments
while more e�ciently capitalizing on active
demand. Strategic sales solutions can now be
Respondents say that gathering
information online on their own is
superior to interacting with a sales
representative by a margin of 53% to
17%. In fact, they explicitly indicate that
they do not want to interact with a
sales representative as their primary
source of research by a margin of 59%
to 19%.—Forrester
provided in record speed at a fraction of the
cost—and risk.
The new customer journey
Today’s buyers aren’t waiting to be cold
called. Virtual sales teams must now engage
with prospects wherever they are in their
customer journey.
For most B2B companies, the realignment of
the inside sales roles amid this new reality has
been slow and painful, if it’s been undertaken
at all. As a result, revenue is left on the table,
benchmark and performance tracking is
nowhere to be found, and sales reps’ skills
are dated and aging fast. On the other hand,
leaders who can adapt to the shift by
designing journeys that attract prospects
and add value are seeing exponential growth.
For example, solar company Sungevity
realigned its sales process around a
personalized digital customer journey based
on innovative data management. The journey
is so customized and compelling few
prospects consider a competitor once they’re
engaged. The result of this shift? Sales have
doubled in the past year to more than
$65 million, exceeding growth targets and
making Sungevity the fastest-growing player
in the residential solar business.1
Advances in AI technology platforms and
cross-channel reporting have enabled savvy
sales leaders to track customers throughout
their journey. These advancements create
new value for customers when informed
sales reps reach out knowing exactly where
a prospect is in the buying process and
providing the information they need to
make a smart decision.
Take the right road to ROI
With all of these major shifts, growth-oriented
sales leaders are smart to look at the ROI of
updating their selling models and personnel.
There are three primary drivers—people,
processes, and platforms.
Whether goals are focused on more e�ective
customer acquisition or additional client
revenue, the people should be the same: a
sales team with ambitious, tech-savvy reps
fluent in all aspects of the buying journey.
Additionally, your internal processes factor
heavily into the ROI equation. Growing
revenue requires a proven, margin-focused
sales process. That process must also be
paired with e�ective training, so reps can
understand how to use it to their full
advantage. Many businesses make the mistake
of contracting with virtual sales teams using
outdated processes that don’t mesh well with
their own sales work streams. Intelligent
leaders know to look for teams that can
seamlessly integrate with their own processes.
High-performing salespeople and frictionless
processes are powered by the same energy
source: data. In-house reporting solutions
often lack context and consistency, rendering
the data useless in guiding decision making.
On the other hand, accurate, multi-source, and
integrated views of key metrics are a critical
cornerstone of modern sales models.
The first step
It’s time to move on from obsolete sales
models. At ServiceSource, we apply 20 years
of inside sales experience to the modern sales
landscape. Our highly-trained teams operate
at the intersection of technology and personal
connection. From growing an existing client
base to breaking into new markets,
ServiceSource's inside sales solution is
dedicated to growth throughout the
customer journey.
Wondering how to get started? Reach out to
one of our inside sales experts now to discuss
how you can achieve exponential growth.
The virtual sales takeover
The B2B sales industry has reached an
inflection point. Prospects have forced sales
teams to cater to their tech-first preferences.
Not only are virtual sales teams accepted by
customers these days, they are quickly
becoming expected.
Rumors of “the death of the B2B salesperson”
have been exaggerated. But it’s true that a
new breed of salesperson, with superior
training and fresh skills, has taken his seat.
And that seat can be anywhere in the world.
Internal managers have recognized the
expense to maintain inside sales teams in
high-cost markets where many B2B
companies are headquartered. San Francisco,
Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, and London are
great for global logistics, but there are more
profitable locations to house sales talent.
A virtual sales team allows leaders to fund
expansion into new markets and segments
while more e�ciently capitalizing on active
demand. Strategic sales solutions can now be
provided in record speed at a fraction of the
cost—and risk.
The new customer journey
Today’s buyers aren’t waiting to be cold
called. Virtual sales teams must now engage
with prospects wherever they are in their
customer journey.
For most B2B companies, the realignment of
the inside sales roles amid this new reality has
been slow and painful, if it’s been undertaken
at all. As a result, revenue is left on the table,
benchmark and performance tracking is
nowhere to be found, and sales reps’ skills
are dated and aging fast. On the other hand,
leaders who can adapt to the shift by
designing journeys that attract prospects
and add value are seeing exponential growth.
For example, solar company Sungevity
realigned its sales process around a
personalized digital customer journey based
on innovative data management. The journey
is so customized and compelling few
prospects consider a competitor once they’re
engaged. The result of this shift? Sales have
doubled in the past year to more than
$65 million, exceeding growth targets and
making Sungevity the fastest-growing player
in the residential solar business.1
Advances in AI technology platforms and
cross-channel reporting have enabled savvy
sales leaders to track customers throughout
their journey. These advancements create
new value for customers when informed
sales reps reach out knowing exactly where
a prospect is in the buying process and
providing the information they need to
make a smart decision.
Companies that align sales processes with customer
journeys report quota attainment rates of up to 14%
greater than the average.
Miller Heiman Group—CSO Insights
Take the right road to ROI
With all of these major shifts, growth-oriented
sales leaders are smart to look at the ROI of
updating their selling models and personnel.
There are three primary drivers—people,
processes, and platforms.
Whether goals are focused on more e�ective
customer acquisition or additional client
revenue, the people should be the same: a
sales team with ambitious, tech-savvy reps
fluent in all aspects of the buying journey.
Additionally, your internal processes factor
heavily into the ROI equation. Growing
revenue requires a proven, margin-focused
sales process. That process must also be
paired with e�ective training, so reps can
understand how to use it to their full
advantage. Many businesses make the mistake
of contracting with virtual sales teams using
outdated processes that don’t mesh well with
their own sales work streams. Intelligent
leaders know to look for teams that can
seamlessly integrate with their own processes.
High-performing salespeople and frictionless
processes are powered by the same energy
source: data. In-house reporting solutions
often lack context and consistency, rendering
the data useless in guiding decision making.
On the other hand, accurate, multi-source, and
integrated views of key metrics are a critical
cornerstone of modern sales models.
The first step
It’s time to move on from obsolete sales
models. At ServiceSource, we apply 20 years
of inside sales experience to the modern sales
landscape. Our highly-trained teams operate
at the intersection of technology and personal
connection. From growing an existing client
base to breaking into new markets,
ServiceSource's inside sales solution is
dedicated to growth throughout the
customer journey.
Wondering how to get started? Reach out to
one of our inside sales experts now to discuss
how you can achieve exponential growth.
The virtual sales takeover
The B2B sales industry has reached an
inflection point. Prospects have forced sales
teams to cater to their tech-first preferences.
Not only are virtual sales teams accepted by
customers these days, they are quickly
becoming expected.
Rumors of “the death of the B2B salesperson”
have been exaggerated. But it’s true that a
new breed of salesperson, with superior
training and fresh skills, has taken his seat.
And that seat can be anywhere in the world.
Internal managers have recognized the
expense to maintain inside sales teams in
high-cost markets where many B2B
companies are headquartered. San Francisco,
Boston, Chicago, Tokyo, and London are
great for global logistics, but there are more
profitable locations to house sales talent.
A virtual sales team allows leaders to fund
expansion into new markets and segments
while more e�ciently capitalizing on active
demand. Strategic sales solutions can now be
Smart growth starts now.
Contact a ServiceSource revenue expert today.
LET’S TALK
provided in record speed at a fraction of the
cost—and risk.
The new customer journey
Today’s buyers aren’t waiting to be cold
called. Virtual sales teams must now engage
with prospects wherever they are in their
customer journey.
For most B2B companies, the realignment of
the inside sales roles amid this new reality has
been slow and painful, if it’s been undertaken
at all. As a result, revenue is left on the table,
benchmark and performance tracking is
nowhere to be found, and sales reps’ skills
are dated and aging fast. On the other hand,
leaders who can adapt to the shift by
designing journeys that attract prospects
and add value are seeing exponential growth.
For example, solar company Sungevity
realigned its sales process around a
personalized digital customer journey based
on innovative data management. The journey
is so customized and compelling few
prospects consider a competitor once they’re
engaged. The result of this shift? Sales have
doubled in the past year to more than
$65 million, exceeding growth targets and
making Sungevity the fastest-growing player
in the residential solar business.1
Advances in AI technology platforms and
cross-channel reporting have enabled savvy
sales leaders to track customers throughout
their journey. These advancements create
new value for customers when informed
sales reps reach out knowing exactly where
a prospect is in the buying process and
providing the information they need to
make a smart decision.
Take the right road to ROI
With all of these major shifts, growth-oriented
sales leaders are smart to look at the ROI of
updating their selling models and personnel.
There are three primary drivers—people,
processes, and platforms.
Whether goals are focused on more e�ective
customer acquisition or additional client
revenue, the people should be the same: a
sales team with ambitious, tech-savvy reps
fluent in all aspects of the buying journey.
Additionally, your internal processes factor
heavily into the ROI equation. Growing
revenue requires a proven, margin-focused
sales process. That process must also be
paired with e�ective training, so reps can
understand how to use it to their full
advantage. Many businesses make the mistake
of contracting with virtual sales teams using
outdated processes that don’t mesh well with
their own sales work streams. Intelligent
leaders know to look for teams that can
seamlessly integrate with their own processes.
High-performing salespeople and frictionless
processes are powered by the same energy
source: data. In-house reporting solutions
often lack context and consistency, rendering
the data useless in guiding decision making.
On the other hand, accurate, multi-source, and
integrated views of key metrics are a critical
cornerstone of modern sales models.
The first step
It’s time to move on from obsolete sales
models. At ServiceSource, we apply 20 years
of inside sales experience to the modern sales
landscape. Our highly-trained teams operate
at the intersection of technology and personal
connection. From growing an existing client
base to breaking into new markets,
ServiceSource's inside sales solution is
dedicated to growth throughout the
customer journey.
Wondering how to get started? Reach out to
one of our inside sales experts now to discuss
how you can achieve exponential growth.
1. https://hbr.org/2015/11/competing-on-customer-journeys