Kamal AhluwaliaWhen’s the last time you took a long lunch during the work week? Or sat down at a restaurant, mid-day? If you needed a moment or two to think about this question, well, that may be answer enough.
I understand, believe me. There’s just not enough time in the day for most of the responsibilities that have been given to each of us. If you’re involved in the sales cycle, there’s simply too much to worry about. Pushing a customer discount through approval processes, or getting every detail right of a complex order, can consume entire cycles. And for those of us with a vested interest in seeing the deal succeed, babysitting every aspect is often the only option.
This is an issue that crosses industries, affects every member of the revenue team, and has for too long been without a practical solution. Far too long: it’s time to look around and ask, “Hasn’t something been developed that will give me time to eat a guilt-free sandwich? What can I use that will both preserve my long-term deals and allow me to put my phone down while I eat a slice of pizza?”
You have two choices. Eat lunch from your desk the rest of your life, or start asking the right questions. Answer a few questions like these, and you’re well on your way to re-arranging your daily schedule.
What are your pain points? Is it taking too long to generate a quote? Are customers abandoning their shopping carts, overwhelmed with e-options? Learn what’s holding up your deals first, then look for the best practices and solutions that can assist them.
Consider the domino effect of drastically improving just one aspect of your sales process: quoting, configuration, pricing, contracts, revenue management – the investment required to reinvigorate these silos not only pays off in future efficiency and profitability, but also in time saved for the day-to-day manager. That’s you. The resulting relief is exponential.
Aesynt’s implementation of a CPQ solution has them reporting a 30% increase in engagement time with their customers, drastically reducing the time spent on paperwork and deal set-up — that’s a benefit that can be directly traced to automation. Without the enormous amount of time required to the dirty work, they are free to get in front of their clients and focus on the much more important aspect of sales: connecting directly with their customers, face-to-face. Maybe even taking them to lunch! Granted, that might not be as soothing as a chance to escape on your own, but it’s inarguably more rewarding for the organization as a whole: they’ve simultaneously reported a 45% increase in total deal size.
What’s the bottom line? It’s 2015. The time has come to take a close look at the old ways and realize they are not practical, not sustainable. A revenue team that has a few minutes to relax, to breathe easier – that’s a happy team. And that leads to happy customers, healthier profits, and ultimately, a more successful business in every respect. So go ahead and sit down with that burger, or lay out a picnic. Consider it a long-term investment.
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