Improve Sales Effectiveness-101

The Situation:

HVAC manufacturer found itself losing market share in a growing market environment.  The Highland Group was asked to assist the client in determining the root cause and reversing the trend.

The Driver Goal:

Increase sales 10% over the current field plan for the current year.  Double sales over the next 5 years while maintaining profitability rates within +/- 2 points of the long range plan. 

Actions Taken:

• Interviewed more than 300 dealers to obtain the customer’s view of the company, analyzed and summarized findings, and developed a strategy for change
• Developed and implemented new sales office structure that included territory and staffing models for optimal territory management and a system for managing the offices that included a continuous improvement process
• Developed roles and responsibilities for sales professionals and new procedure for sales calls to existing dealers as well as potential dealers
• Designed and implemented a training program for sales professionals
• Developed tools for the gathering of continual dealer feedback and competitive intelligence
• Created closed loop feedback mechanism to respond to pertinent dealer issues

• Increased sales over current year field plan by 15% and on target to double sales over the next five years
• Moved sales professionals from “order taking” to one of developing existing dealers’ businesses and obtaining new dealers
• Created sales management structure that focused on selling as opposed to administrative tasks
• Trained all sales office personnel in their new roles as well as all the sales professionals in the new sales process.
• New dealers added to network exceeded plan objective.