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Report: Sales Needs to Embrace Data Services


A new research report from BIA/Kelsey suggests there's a need for sales leadership to embrace data services in response to the continuing transition to management-intensive sales organizations. Sponsored by SalesFuel, the free report, "Investing in the Sales Process - Coaching and Metrics for Success", examines today's changing sales team and the types of tools now needed to improve sales engagement and success.

"Data is the catalyst of dramatic changes for businesses, yet fewer people collect and correctly process data," said Mitch Ratcliffe, digital analyst, BIA/Kelsey. "Today, the sales process can be examined and fine-tuned by managers with the help of smarter data tools. They wield an incredible advantage for sales leaders who can then use the information to develop internal sales methodologies that put the customer at the center of all activity while keeping revenue goals at the forefront. Several companies, like SalesFuel, are leading the way in creating software to accomplish these goals."

The report profiles today's sales environment where it is critical salespeople are motivated, on-task and experts in their product/service category. This requirement is supported by BIA/Kelsey's recent advertiser survey, Local Commerce Monitor™ (LCM), that reveals that 44.5 percent of advertisers say it's "extremely important" to meet in-person with a "knowledgeable" sales rep before making a decision.

As the requirement for highly-trained sales reps grows, significant challenges are facing today's sales environment. The report explores how the number of sales managers will rise faster than salespeople, yet the number of people supporting those managers has dropped across the board. In particular, the report reveals administrative assistant positions have fallen by 25.43 percent in the sales-intensive insurance industry. Similarly, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, insurance accounting staffing (-15.25 percent), direct sales supervisors and support workers (-9.71 percent), and underwriters with actuarial skills (-13.99 percent) are all part of a diminishing workforce.

Data will be the driving force in the future to turn around sales team performance, reduce churn, increase team engagement and achieve ambitious sales goals.

The report has clear conclusions about how to unlock new kinds of analysis and insight into sales performance. Key highlights include:

  • Provide specific information to sales management about the performance of individuals and the whole sales team
  • Deliver contextually relevant content, research, training and other learning and industry expertise
  • Allow sales management to engage a prospective hire, screen and assess their fit with the organization, as well as help track their progress toward sales and skills goals
  • Integrate with the growing flood of data, providing sales managers the ability to select and use the right data with machine learning-assisted insights
  • Coach sales staff each day, keeping them abreast of company news, industry news and customer-specific events

Key findings from the report during a free webinar on January 18, 2017, titled, "Sales Enablement - Data-driven Coaching to Improve Revenue and Retention."

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