The upshot will be a sales force where the reps who need the additional help will get it, and the quota-busting sales stars will be eager to take advantage of the technology, because it will demonstrably put more money into their pockets. Perhaps implementation was based on cost-cutting or gathering market data, rather than focusing on supercharging the selling effort. Whatever the reason, successful SFA cannot occur unless the art and methodology of selling are married to the science of technology. These reps work well with other people, quickly gaining the confidence of prospects and earning a chance to make their case. They manage their customer relationships in an efficient, professional manner, keeping discussions on track and clearing hurdles to a sale before they inconvenience the customer.
Top salespeople can discuss their products or services in the context of the prospect's needs.
They can convince a customer of the value of what they are selling. The less gifted reps are the ones who can benefit most from technology-enabled selling, primarily in the form of contact managers, opportunity management systems, marketing encyclopedia systems, and sales configuration. Contact managers track everything from prior discussions with customers to ongoing needs to birthdays and other important events, making it possible for a rep to keep vital information front and center of mind from appointment to appointment. This is indirect support, to be sure, but it can be significant when a rep's interpersonal skills are weak. Indeed, the OMS is the backbone of the SFA of the future.