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NAVIGATION

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Customer Expectations of Vendor Salespeople

Infoteam has interviewed 800 customer executives to understand what really matters in complex selling. We have incorporated the findings into our programs to help customers differentiate themselves through a more professional sales approach.

Market Research

  • First, we asked 500 sales leaders what behaviours they think customers expect from their salespeople
  • Each interviewee was then asked to suggest the names of customer executives from recent wins or losses
  • The 800 customer executives were asked questions on the same topics covered in the vendor interviews
  • Customer responses either validated or refuted what their vendors thought was important

Key Findings

  • Customer dissatisfaction with sales professionalism has nearly trebled since 2004
  • 78% of vendors believe they differentiate themselves effectively through their sales approach, while only 25% of customers agree
  • Only 11% of vendors make the effort to learn from losses, 10% from wins
  • Vendor recuitment and sales process content is rarely based on what matters to customers

Recommendations

  • Integrate customer expectations of vendor salespeople into your definition of «sales excellence»
  • Invest in building sales competencies in the areas that matter most to your customers
  • Interview customers after every win and loss to replicate success and minimise mistakes
  • Adapt interviews to identify sales candidates’ professionalism in their customer interface

Benefits

  • Customers buy from you because your sales team's professionalism sets them apart from the competition
  • Easier access to and faster trust and credibility with customer executives
  • Existing contacts are more willing to become coaches and introduce you to other decision makers

Infoteam Sales Process Consulting AG

Chamerstrasse 56
CH-6300 Zug
Switzerland
Tel: +41 44 804 11 77
Fax: +41 44 804 11 70
Email: info(at)infoteam-consulting.com

© 2017 Infoteam Sales Process Consulting