The sales function in most companies can be described in one of two ways. Either they are organized or they are not, and sadly, there often isn’t much in between these two extremes.
Sales Gang
In some companies there is a pool of salespeople where territories aren’t defined, there are no documented processes and no standard protocol on what happens when a lead comes in or how a sales person manages an account once it becomes a customer. Key accounts aren’t defined, nor are qualified leads so the team chases what it can. In some cases, the sales leader manages the team and also sells, so there may even be a degree of competition between team and leader for certain opportunities.
While this may sound like a chaotic disaster, there are times when this can actually work. Many startup companies, for instance, organize this way out of necessity. There simply isn’t enough volume or history to justify more structure, but for more mature companies a lack of structure is usually a risky proposition.
This configuration may appeal to those who like to be able to react to all situations, but a lack of structure seldom results in superior performance. Some members of the team may not be filling roles they are ideally suited to perform (ie. farmers required to hunt and vice versa), while others may not be clear on their role on the team in the first place. at all and it is certainly hard to incent a certain behavior when the desired behavior is unknown.
Sales Group
In companies that value structure you will often find a clear hierarchy, with defined roles sales, territories and processes. There isn’t confusion about who does what and with a little sales leadership, the pieces work well together. In B2B sales organizations, you will often see inside reps chase and close smaller deals and handoff larger deals to the outside team, or simply generate leads. Reps have assigned territory, goals and expectations are measured down to the activity level.
The upside of organization usually manifests itself in superior results, particularly if the company has taken the time to properly select and train its team members. An organization that works like a team can still be highly reactive if the team members are conditioned to react. This takes proactive leadership and processes defined for handling various sales situations.
What do you have?
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