BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - August 2, 2007) - The pressures of longer sales cycles and
declining sales productivity are forcing companies to streamline and
automate how sales information is processed and the mechanics by which
deals get done. Specifically, sales teams that miss quotas and face
stalled opportunities are under mounting pressure to remain competitive in
their respective industries and provide service to increasingly discerning
customers. In a recent survey conducted by Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks
Company (
NYSE:
HHS), 96% of Best-in-Class companies reported year over year
improvements in Bid-to-Win performance due in large part to the
implementation of several key process, performance and organizational
capabilities. The Best-in-Class deploy a number of different strategies to
improve sales effectiveness, but they generally focus on a two-pronged
approach that increases sales representatives' use of information by
improving knowledge of products and customers (26%) and deploying sales
processes to help sales representatives leverage that information, such as
increasing the quality of leads (33%) and sales win rates (30%).
Best-in-Class companies are able to maximize their sales effectiveness by
implementing a structured approach to competitive, market and sales
intelligence (91%), creating a central repository of account, contact and
opportunity information (96%) and utilizing formal and documented sales
processes (95%).
Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Best-in-Class companies cite longer sales
cycles as the top challenge they face in regards to sales effectiveness.
Although the BIC differ from the Industry Average (55%) and Laggards (56%)
who cite low sales productivity as a top pressure, a consistent theme that
emerged throughout the research is the propensity for companies to do more
with existing resources to alleviate business pressures. Sales Managers
are focusing on lead quality (33%), not solely the number of leads coming
down the pipeline. In fact, increasing the quantity of leads is rated
among the lowest strategic priorities (7%). This need for sales teams to
develop a knowledge-based sales culture has caused 83% of the BIC to
implement sales knowledge management solutions.
"In an ever-changing business environment, it is important for sales
management to use all of the tools at their disposal to create a learning
organization and knowledge-based culture," says Andrew Boyd, SVP and
Research Director at Aberdeen Group. "The research reveals that
organizations are developing knowledge-based cultures through the
combination of process and information enablers. Historically, these two
different types of enablers have been mutually exclusive; however, the
research also suggests that there is currently a convergence of the two
underway."
The research shows companies that improving the customer and product
knowledge of their sales representatives and implementing sales processes
to help sales representatives leverage that information will ultimately
have a positive affect on overall sales effectiveness. By creating both
investing in standardized sales process and developing a knowledge-based
culture within the sales, companies are able to increase sales
effectiveness.
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the
following underwriters: Dow Jones Corporate and Media Solutions, Dovarri,
Firepond, GoldMine, Pragmatech Software, and Sage Software. To obtain a
complimentary copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=4115
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen
http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to
http://www.harte-hanks.com.
© 2007 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
260 Franklin Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02110-3112
Telephone: (617) 723-7890
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Andrew Boyd
Aberdeen Harte-Hanks
(617) 854-5320
Andrew.Boyd@aberdeen.com