The future's greatest sales challenges

Challenge One

Worldwide companies spend billions annually on training salespeople (US$7.1 billion in US companies alone), so that their average salesperson can spend more than 33 hours per year in training. In technical markets, the costs associated with the development of just one salesperson are often in excess of US$100 000 (US), and it may take as long as two years before any profit is realised from that new sales hire.

Challenge Two

Thirty-nine percent of the customer's selection of a supplier is based on the added value the salesperson brings to the relationship. Unfortunately, customers could not care less about salespeople with the “traditionally trained sales skills” and they very much do care about a salesperson's:

• General management skills and ability to understand their business
  
• Effectiveness at customer advocacy to protect their interests within the vendor
  
• Ability to diagnose and design applications
  
• Accessibility and responsiveness
  
• Problem solving and innovativeness

The Solution

University-trained sales professionals who are both educated and trained in competencies such as:

• Business acumen and P&L analysis
  
• Computer literacy and information technology
  
• Account management and process disciplines, eg, supply chain management
  
• Interpersonal and relationship building skills
  
• Market analysis, and product/service promotion and distribution

The Benefits

Companies who hire university-trained sales graduates find that they:

• Ramp up 50% faster and are 35% less likely to turn over
  
• Already have demonstrated the aptitude and desire for sales
  
• Are more focused and in tune with the numbers and with navigating the sales process.