Seminar with Elisa’s corporate sales team (+ 60 persons) - some findings and key recommendations
On August 23rd I had the opportunity to attend a seminar arranged by Elisa Communication’s corporate sales team. See: http://www.elisa.fi/
Elisa’s corporate sales team consists of + 60 sales reps and is divided into regional sales teams, each with their own sales manager and regional sales objectives. After delivering Cisco’s vision of SMB sales I had the opportunity to engage in an open and frank dialogue about the partnership between Cisco and Elisa.
Feedback from Elisa:
1. Cisco needs to take a proactive role in ”feeding” sales leads to Elisa’s regional sales force
2. Cisco needs to train Elisa’s regional sales force in
· how to sell Cisco’s devices
· technical training how Cisco’s solutions ”fit in a typical SMB environment”
· Cisco Incentive Programs
3. Cisco needs to train Elisa’s inside sales support
· technical training of products
· technical training how Cisco’s solutions ”fit in a typical SMB environment”
· Cisco Incentive Programs
Furthermore, there is a clear lack of transparency between the two companies regarding sales cycles, sales objectives and an even greater lack of sales coordination between the two companies.
It also became clear that Elisa’s own internal processes are acting as a roadblock for Cisco’s business. By embracing rigid internal processes, Elisa’s corporate sales team is hindered from including Cisco’s solutions into their offering; or as one of their sales reps told me: “I would love to drive a marketing campaign, but finding a budget and getting it approved internally will take 6 months”.
The message to Cisco was clear – enable Elisa’s reps and they will increase their sales.
Next steps and action points
I am spending the next weeks working on ways to enable Elisa's sales team. Most of it is fairly straight forward - but I would love if you guys have any interesting case you could share with me.
On August 23rd I had the opportunity to attend a seminar arranged by Elisa Communication’s corporate sales team. See: http://www.elisa.fi/
Elisa’s corporate sales team consists of + 60 sales reps and is divided into regional sales teams, each with their own sales manager and regional sales objectives. After delivering Cisco’s vision of SMB sales I had the opportunity to engage in an open and frank dialogue about the partnership between Cisco and Elisa.
Feedback from Elisa:
1. Cisco needs to take a proactive role in ”feeding” sales leads to Elisa’s regional sales force
2. Cisco needs to train Elisa’s regional sales force in
· how to sell Cisco’s devices
· technical training how Cisco’s solutions ”fit in a typical SMB environment”
· Cisco Incentive Programs
3. Cisco needs to train Elisa’s inside sales support
· technical training of products
· technical training how Cisco’s solutions ”fit in a typical SMB environment”
· Cisco Incentive Programs
Furthermore, there is a clear lack of transparency between the two companies regarding sales cycles, sales objectives and an even greater lack of sales coordination between the two companies.
It also became clear that Elisa’s own internal processes are acting as a roadblock for Cisco’s business. By embracing rigid internal processes, Elisa’s corporate sales team is hindered from including Cisco’s solutions into their offering; or as one of their sales reps told me: “I would love to drive a marketing campaign, but finding a budget and getting it approved internally will take 6 months”.
The message to Cisco was clear – enable Elisa’s reps and they will increase their sales.
Next steps and action points
I am spending the next weeks working on ways to enable Elisa's sales team. Most of it is fairly straight forward - but I would love if you guys have any interesting case you could share with me.
1 comment:
Hello,
When I joined Cisco in feb, I decieded to run a SMB Select Survey to find out where we where with regards to our partners. I will send this ppt to you, but at the same time point out our key findings as far as improving ourselves towards the partner community as it corralates much with your article here.
Here is the Top4 improvement areas our partners voted:
1. Cheaper products (At the same time 75% of the respondees confirmed they did not use, nor knew our programs such as OIP, FastTrack, etc)
2. Leads (We need to improve our utilization of Harte-Hanks as Call Canter
3. Partner Training (We arrange SUT and other partner seminars all the time, but we communicate this in a low-scale... the need to grow our subscriber base who recieves our monthly newsletter to the partners is very important)
4. Relationship (Consistency with regards to WHOM will be responsible for the Select Partners, ICAM's, CAM's, RAM's and now even TMM's.... For Norway the Select Partners will be run by the ICAM's - as in FY'07)
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