Willie Loman wouldn't recognize the place . . . would he?

Imagine Willie (it's Death of a Salesman; Arthur Miller; 1949. You're welcome.) out with one of your sales reps today.

His sample bag has been replaced by multimedia presentations, his little black book with contact management software, telephone message slips with an e-mail in box list. Cell phones, pagers, faxes, and laptops . . . he wouldn't recognize the tools of the trade.

You could be in serious trouble if he would recognize the job.

Since NCR developed the concept of the commercial sales professional close to 100 years ago, the basic job function hasn't changed very much.

Take a prospect, find the buyer, relate to them, present your features and benefits persuasively, get your terms, and bring in the orders. Then continually run interference between them and you, so that they remain a customer (this is called "servicing the account").

(A gag I use speaking to sales groups: "the first part is the easy part . . . the hard part is then convincing your own company to actually deliver what you've sold". Brings the house down every time.)

As organizations seek to establish 'strategic relationships' with fewer suppliers, those suppliers need to re-examine the role they need their sales team to play. Particularly with customers that represent their future success.

If we look at what sales people do in 3 sets of competencies, we can crystallize the shifts taking place.

Core competencies are the foundation building blocks to success.

Were: - finding the buyer
- conversational selling skills

Are: - knowledge of their strategic business issues
- understanding their decision making process
- knowledge of all your corporate resources

Today's organizations of cross-functional work groups, internal customers, and project teams often make it impossible to identify the person who can say yes. There is usually a person who can say no, but getting to yes involves the interplay between a host of influencers. The buyer is dead.

Selling skills are still essential, but not a key differentiator.

Differentiators set one supplier apart from others.

Were: - better features and benefits (or lowest price)
- personal relationship, between the buyer and the sales rep.

Are: - integrated, bundled solutions.
- every aspect customized (for every influencer).
- a team of best-in-class experts.
- company to company relationships.

Despite what the brochure says, the speed of innovation today means that you can't bank on always having a clearly superior product.

Genuine business solutions beat price. A higher level understanding of the client allows creative solution building (is cash flow more important than ROI?). Today's competitive advantage is not features and benefits, but an organization's internal processes, ability to customize, and the speed with which they can deliver.
Sales pro's who introduce and co-ordinate teams of experts begin to build multi-faceted company to company relationships. These are stronger, and more stable, than those based on two individuals.

Enhancers build the business.

Were: - how much of 'this' will you buy next year?
- who else do you know who needs 'this'?

Are: - what else do we know how to do/find/create that would be of value to you now?
- how can our expertise help up and down your supply and distribution chain?

The former worked well in a static world. The latter is the stuff of which strategic alliances are made.

The lone-wolf sales rep who 'owns' the client relationship is giving way to those who identify opportunities, and then quarterback transferring the relationship to numerous handlers inside. Servicing clients moves from 'protecting' the relationship to 'nurturing and co-ordinating' multiple relationships.

Winning organizations are those structured to harness all their resources to invent more unique and valuable solutions for clients, and then create so many relationship ties into that client, in so many places, at so many levels, that it is extremely difficult for that client to get that supplier out.

The sales rep becomes business advisor, teacher, catalyst, introducer, and chief innovator.

That's a role Willie wouldn't recognize.
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Warren Evans is one of North America's leading authorities in the field of Service Management. He can be reached at
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(c) Canlink Interactive Technologies and Words of Mouth.

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