A PROFITABLE SELLING SUCCESS STORY

Retooling sales managers with just-in-time coaching

Reps at this international manufacturing firm can better address revenue opportunities using the sales coaching tools on their mobile device.

A comprehensive learning journey was designed to address 2 key questions: 

  • What factors would indicate coaching success within the organization? 
  • What skills and knowledge would the ideal development solution require to achieve success? 

Challenge

Recognizing that sales coaching is a critical driver of revenue growth, a global manufacturing company with a highly tenured sales organization identified a need to up-skill its leaders’ ability to coach their sales teams. Research had determined that leaders were performing some coaching, but there was little consistency in how the methodologies were being applied and the client lacked the tools to sustain results.

Solution

The company initially explored working with traditional sales training partners to implement a coaching training solution for its sales managers. However, after assessing these options, they decided to engage with Profitable Selling because they wanted access to greater depth and breadth of capabilities and a more comprehensive solution that would ensure long-term impact.

Profitable Selling approached the project with a results-based philosophy, focusing first on the client’s needs and the results desired and then on identifying the ideal solution to address those needs. They began the process by conducting an analysis designed to answer 2 specific questions:

  • What factors would indicate coaching success within this organization?
  • What skills and knowledge would the ideal development solution required in order to be successful?

From the initial consulting project, Profitable Selling devised a development solution centered around a robust, clearly structured learning journey. Revenue Partner then aligned the content of the learning journey with the analysis to develop capabilities that would produce measurable outcomes. The solution they created for the client included:

  • An assessment that provided data-driven metrics and insights to identify developmental priorities and track progress
  • Custom coaching content that reflected the participants’ industry and culture
  • Multiple modalities of learning, including assessments, e-learning, classroom workshops, measurement, and reinforcement.
  • Localization, including translating the materials into several languages and using local facilitation resources with deep understanding of the business culture in each geographic region.

Impact

An extensive communication campaign successfully engaged sales managers at every level to participate in the learning journey. Senior managers also communicated the importance of the program and helped ensure buy-in by kicking off the workshop sessions. Because the coaching tools are available for use on mobile devices, they are now consistently applied and integrated into the day-to-day activities of the managers.

“We saw immediate results in the effectiveness of the new coaching skills because of the insights from the assessments and the customization of the training approach. There was immediate buy-in and a laser focus to improve.” -VP Sales

Next, the company will conduct an evaluation to measure the program’s impact on sales results.

Profitable Selling
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