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Boardroom Selling
Thornbury were awarded a contract with a leading telecommunications
company for the design and delivery of a training module entitled
Boardroom Selling. The purpose of this training investment was to
improve the capabilities of their Key Account Managers by giving them
the confidence to engage with Board-level Management in a meaningful way.
The design concept was to adapt existing material from Thornbury's
own Major Account training portfolio with client-specific input such
as role plays and account plans.
The course was an intensive and participative event over 2 full days
plus the previous evening, with action planning and follow-up being
important features. Participants were given an understanding of, and
practice in, selling to top level decision makers. Formal input
sessions and practical exercises, including real-world role plays,
for individuals and teams were provided. Participants developed
specific actions for managing their key customer relationships within
their existing corporate account plan format, and also their own
personal development plans resulting from the course.
Thornbury's commitment to post-event follow-up showed that real
progress with account plans and associated actions was achieved.
Outcomes
By the end of this workshop, delegates :
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Understood the different roles and structures within top teams
- Recognised the range of needs and wants at this level of
the organisation
- Understood how to develop their sales case for this level
of decision maker
- Were able to present their case in the most appropriate
influencing style and language for this group
- Felt more confident when approaching, and presenting to,
top level decision makers
- Developed an action plan to progress a current
prospect/client account
Sales success grows from firm foundations
The Client
A successful financial services company, following a joint venture
partnership with a leading European organisation in the same sector,
were trying to establish a common cultural style and sales approach.
The Business Problem
An enhanced product range from the joint venture was not giving the
expected sales results. The client recognised that better market
segmentation and a revised sales methodology were required. They
decided that outside help was the best option to identify and embed
the solutions.
The Solution
We worked with the client to understand the segmentation model for
this sector and also spent some time observing how sales were being
made in the existing structure. Once this base was established, work
was carried out developing a sales model and sales process that would
move them to a more relationship-based, consultative selling style. A
number of sales management measures were developed and deployed to
support this. A training programme was designed and delivered to
selected sellers. There was an initial surge of success, but this
slipped back because the process was not being managed firmly enough.
After several months while the client tried to address these issues
we became more directly involved again, this time starting with the
sales team leaders, and then a more thorough sales training programme
combining the selling skills with product training. This was an
assessed programme and the participants had to pass to continue in
their role.
The Benefits
Three months after the training, the managers were making more
regular visits to their sellers, coaching them, and monitoring plans
and reports. Results were 20% higher and growing. The sellers had a
better sense of pride in their job having had to "pass" the
training - and customer retention was increasing with order
cancellations decreasing by over 60%.
Contact us to find out how we can help
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Restructuring of the Sales Force
The client
The client is a subsidiary of a multi-national corporation in the IT
services industry
Purpose of assignment
In the light of a failing sales force, who were having difficulty in
adapting to a services-led business environment with new offerings
and imposed HQ processes, we were asked to assist with a strategic
recovery plan, with particular emphasis on restructuring the sales
organisation and introducing new sales disciplines.
The outcomes
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Sales team rationalisation and reprofiling :-
The original sales group was assessed, reprofiled and then split into
2 streams :-
- Account Managers to focus on Key Customer development by
prospecting for large strategic offerings, based on agreed account
plans; headed by a new Sales Director
- Service Managers for service quality, P, contract retention and
renewals, extension selling; headed by a new Service Director.
-
Key account focus :-
A top 40 customer list was created; Account and Service Managers were
focused exclusively on these customers. The list included all the
current top customers according to their revenue contribution, and
some others who were believed to have good potential. Other customers
were to be managed by a small team within the Service group.
-
New incentive schemes and territory targets :-
New schemes were devised and implemented to reflect the key account
focus, and to incentivise margin improvement. Challenging orders and
revenue targets were set based on the top 40 only.
-
Sales planning tools - Account planning and opportunity
planning (corporate standards) :-
- Opportunity planning :-
The sales people were trained to use the corporate standard planning
tools. Mangement were trained to review the plans effectively.
-
Account planning :
Account Plans and review schedules were created for the 40 key
customers through a combination of Thornbury-run workshops and local
management-run events.
Thornbury worked with the client, coordinating all the above,
providing one focal point for the Managing Director. At the
conclusion of the assignment all the main activities had been
completed. After 12 months the local management team reported that
the prime systems were still in place with early indications that the
revenues were holding with some encouraging signs for the
regeneration of the business. The investment was therefore considered
a success.
Sales Management Team Lead from the Front
The client
The client is a leading UK distributor of structured cabling
solutions and networking products
Purpose of assignment
The client needed to develop sales management skills throughout the
business after a period of rapid growth. The client initially asked
Thornbury to propose a range of options from which a customised
programme could be developed.
Thornbury Approach
Thornbury’s consultants worked closely with the
client’s senior management to understand the business operation,
the training and development history of the participants, and the
strategic aims of the client, which included aggressive growth
budgets. This close analysis led to a mutually agreed
programme, covering the fundamental principles of selling and sales
management, finance, marketing and planning, and the principles of
leadership and team management. The Thornbury ‘action
learning’ approach also actively encouraged the direct and
immediate application of new ideas to active business issues with
live examples from the participants’ own business operations and
the setting of short term post-training objectives.
Outcomes
The participants each developed a personal programme for their
continuing learning and self-development in the form of written
objectives. These were reviewed on a 1:1 basis with Thornbury to
facilitate their successful implementation. They also engaged
as a team to set both 100-day and 6 month development objectives for
the whole sales operation. As individuals, and as a group, they
identified a key benefit from the training programme as being a
broader understanding of their role in and potential contribution to
the longer term aims and objectives of the business as a whole.
The MD’s concluding observation was that his Sales Managers now
had “a belief that they could – and will – improve
their own performance and that of their teams as a direct result of
the topics covered”.
Wide Ranging Business Development
The client and purpose of the assignment
An international communications company initially asked for our help to support its Procurement Team with solid Principled Negotiating Skills.
Thornbury Approach
As always, these workshop programmes were delivered in bite-sized (one-day) chunks to minimise the impact on the working week and to allow the participants to practice the skills learned on one day before attending the next part of the programme.
Of particular value to all the audience groups has been our commitment to post-programme follow up to ensure that the skills and behaviours are fully transferred from the “classroom” to the workplace and embedded in normal working practice.
Outcomes
On the strength of their (and our) success with this critical assignment, we were asked to repeat the work from the other side of the equation with the various channel teams in the sales force (Field Sales, Account Managers, Telesales).
Developing and delivering a Product Management Workshop for the marketing department in this fast-moving company was an enthralling challenge, but the benefits confirmed by the attendees were overwhelming.
Making the Numbers Add Up for an Accounting Firm
The client
A highly successful regional accounting firm needed bespoke support to develop the skills of partners and senior managers to enable them to meet the challenges associated with their aggressive growth plans.
The Solution
An initial cadre of partners and managers was selected to attend a tailored programme of Business Development Skills and the participants were ken to act as promoters of the programme to their colleagues. A key feature of the programme was the 1:1 follow up with each attendee to reinforce key points and to facilitate the transfer of skills back into the workplace.
The Objectives
The objectives of this first phase were to:
- Reduce the costs of winning business, thereby improving margins
- Position the firm positively against their competition
- Develop flexible behaviours to take account of client’s personalities
- Strengthen client relationships
- Develop a process and matching skills to manage and grow business from key clients.
The Follow-up
In addition to repeating the initial programme for other cadres of partners and managers, further programmes are already planned to cover the key areas of:
- Account Management & Development
- Marketing Skills
- Negotiating Skills
- Leadership and Management Development
In line with the initial phase which was conducted over 3 separate days, the other programme elements are similarly divided into 1-day slots to minimise the impact on the business whilst optimising the impact of the learning.
Contact us for more information on our
capabilities or to arrange an appointment
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