How is CSR impacting the sales function?
Publié le 01 February 2024A year ago we opened a discussion among Halifax consultants about how we should position ourselves to accompany our customers with regard to this topic. Over and above a clear C level and shareholder commitment to CSR policy we perceived in many commercial executives the scepticism deriving from some customers’ reactions which could be summarized in: “What does your CSR do for me?” In fact many CSR initiatives are what we call “inside out”.. unlike most business initiatives they do not take origin downstream (ie meeting customer needs) but are upstream and related to supply chain and governance issues. The main exceptions being of course in the energy or construction […]
How about a return to high standards and emulation at the heart of the sales management game?
Publié le 18 January 2024The results of PISA 2022, published last December, show France’s continued downgrading in terms of learning and academic attainment, where we are now just at the OECD average, and in particular a weakening of excellence, with fewer and fewer very good students. What’s more, preparatory classes, once the royal road to a Grande Ecole, are now being increasingly questioned by parents and students alike, who fail to see the point of devoting 2 years of one’s life to cramming mathematics, philosophy or literature, in a context of high academic pressure, rather than moving on to immediately professionalizing, potentially international, courses such as a Bachelor’s degree. Last but not least, in […]
The Path to Authentic Leadership: Bridging the Gap between Investment and Impact
Publié le 11 January 2024In today’s business landscape, there is a growing trend in the investment of millions of dollars by companies in organizational leadership training programs. According to a December 13, 2023 Fortune Business Insights™ report on the “Corporate Leadership Training Market,” 2023 is expected to close at about $35.5 billion and the global market projection to 2030 is estimated at $63.2 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.58% during the period from 2023 to 2027. This monetary expansion reflects the widespread recognition of the importance of strong leadership in the success and financial health of organizations. However, this monumental investment does not seem to translate directly into effective leadership, as […]
Did you say TCO?
Publié le 14 December 2023Purchasing departments, and buyers in general, have become relatively unavoidable in most large companies. Often feared (or avoided) by salespeople, it’s actually useful to understand them so as to approach them more effectively. What are their specific concerns? How can we turn them into allies? The 3 main concerns or “levers” of a buyer can be stated simply: Of course, it’s always in the supplier’s best interest to lead his purchasing customer into the Buy Less and Buy Better arena and find an objective alliance with the purchasing department, rather than sticking with Buy cheaper and getting …fleeced! In all cases, it’s a good idea to rationalize decisions across the […]
Fax or text? Is this still a debate? In training it is!
Publié le 30 November 2023The forgetting curve is like a headwind for us trainers. When the memory is already saturated with all the obligations of daily life, we need to find effective solutions to perfect our skills. Distance learning offers a completely different pedagogy to face-to-face training. It has been tried and tested for over twenty years, and is all too often reduced to boring elearning or repetitive web classes. On the contrary, truly hybrid training – distance learning in small groups, accompanied by eLearning modules, asynchronous and individual exercises, tutored classes – enables participants to go deeper into each stage of their learning. Take Halifax Consulting’s DEAL Method® negotiation training, for example. This […]
Value creation in the B2B pharma market
Publié le 23 November 2023Generating Value in the B2B Pharmaceutical Industry’s Market Access: A Multidisciplinary Approach The B2B pharmaceutical industry is constantly evolving and undergoing significant changes at different levels, such as the economy, demographics, globalization, technology, healthcare reforms, and advances in research and development. The introduction of a new drug or medical device into the B2B pharmaceutical industry is a very complex process, ranging from the identification of a new active molecule to its prescription by doctors and its availability to patients. This market faces other challenges that are increasingly complex compared to other sectors. For example: In this highly dynamic environment, market access has become a fundamental pillar for the success of […]
Focusing on the customer experience pays off!
Publié le 26 October 2023Can you name one department in your company that has no impact on customer satisfaction? No ? In fact, every department has an impact on customers, since that’s your raison d’être. Every employee in an organization works to satisfy the customer, or to enable someone else to satisfy the customer. However, in the companies we work for, we regularly find that two major currents are clashing internally: customer culture and operational culture. These two trends are very different, since the former focuses on customer satisfaction, while the latter ensures that deadlines and quality standards are met. When we focus on customer satisfaction, we make sure that everything we do meets […]
A team strategy: aligning the planets
Publié le 12 October 2023Labour shortages are forcing many organizations to do more with less… until they can find the resources they need to complete their teams. In sales, this situation can become critical. This is why perfect sales team productivity is essential. To achieve this, it’s essential to develop a team strategy based on alignment between business vision and sales objectives. If everyone pursues their own vision and works alone in their own corner, they won’t benefit from the support and efficiency of the mobilized team. In other words, it’s better to row in the same direction than to paddle alone. Sharing the same business vision is essential, but so are sharing the […]
How to respond to the scarcity of manpower in the sales world?
Publié le 28 September 2023Act on 3 key aspects of sales optimization Labour shortages affect companies at all levels, and can significantly slow down operations and the achievement of growth objectives. Like everything else, the sales function is also affected. How can sales react to this particular situation without losing feathers? It’s time to optimize: resources, assets and strategies. Optimizing the sales function involves three key factors: the customer portfolio, salespeople’s activities and their skills. For these three important cogs, external factors (market, competition, economy, weather, etc.) must be well considered, while internal factors (pricing, marketing, training, support, etc.) must be judiciously managed. In times of limited sales resources, it’s important for the manager […]
Winning business at the sales conference
Publié le 14 September 2023For Key Account Managers, Account Executives, Business Developers and Consultants working with major accounts, good upstream work on the customer’s premises and a professional written offer are often not enough to win the business. However, these steps only allow you to move from first selection to the shortlist… in the famous bidding process. A good business deal can be lost during the pitching ritual (also known as a “pitch” in some sectors) ….or, on the other hand, it can end up being a bad deal! The challenges of the sales presentation – the pitch It is during this “oral” that the decision-making group, or jury, will make up its mind, […]
