Strategy agility in Sales

Strategy agility in sales

Agility is about understanding the selling firm`s strategy, capabilities, and structure, and being nimble enough to mould the selling organisation to fit the customers changing needs and preferences.

Clearly knowledge is power when I look at this statement that was written Cravens et el, 2011:350. A salesperson must be able to demonstrate extensive knowledge about the products they want to sell to would be customers as well as understand the selling firm`s ability to meet the customer’s needs. Salespeople are in the business of persuading customers to purchase the firms products, therefore it is imperative to understand the changing needs of customers. He or she must believe in the products they want to sell to enable the ability of persuasion.

Sales people are compelled to be agile due to external and internal factors that influence purchasing decisions. The external factors is the economic, technological, political, social and cultural, and regulatory environment, and these can all influence the decision making of customers. The internal factors would be the firms’ infrastructure, organisational culture, regulations and policies of the firm. Salespeople need to influence management to align the strategy of the firm with the external environments that influence customer’s decisions.

In a world where the customer is king and brings all the money it is imperative that salespeople be up to date with competitor’s products to enable forecast properly in terms of changing products in the market. Customers prefer products that will exceed their expectations and they are aware of such instances. They are more knowledgeable about products as well as competitor products therefore, they go after better prices.

Change proficiency is a salesperson`s competency that can be hindered or supported by the firm`s culture as manifested through the agility providers. Salespeople today must anticipate customer`s wants and needs by focusing more on their customers` strategies, and the impact of changes in agility drivers on their customers.

New value propositions are a must. Current value proposition is still provides advantages to the customer and the sales person recognises this. At the same time, salespeople need to create and employ new agility-driven value propositions by utilising the organisation`s agility providers, which include, organisation, technology, product, people and information. Salespeople than align this with the agility drivers which include, the market place, competition, customer requirements, technology, social factors, suppliers and internal complexity.

All in all firms need to be flexible to support the tasks that salespeople must complete because ultimately the salespeople are the ones who bring the money in. To be able to do this they must be allowed a certain freedom to “bend the rules” to accommodate customer needs. This freedom though has to be regulated because of integrity issues that might hamper the future of the firm. A salesperson operates effectively and efficiently given the support of the firm. Firms have therefore no choice but to invest in their sales force by giving them relevant training in order to enhance their effectiveness to make more money for the firm.