Consumer Goods and Services

Elevating sales workforce to win in the new normal

November 09, 2021

2-MINUTE READ

In brief

Many CG&S companies have shifted to e-commerce and omnichannel sales; but transforming their sales organization has not been a priority so far.
While 61% of B2B transactions start online, only 1/3 of CSOs are confident that customers experience positive interactions across all channels.
As the sales workforce shapes the customer experience, people need to be at the center of change.
CPG leaders must focus on upskilling their sales workforce and equipping them with modern tools and data-driven methods to master the channel shift.

For many customers, digital channels are now at the center of their sales journey. While CG&S companies have invested heavily in new sales technologies and expanded their omnichannel capabilities, they still lack truly disruptive digital selling approaches. In order to transform their sales operations broadly and accelerate the speed of change, CG&S companies will need to focus on three strategic steps: 1. Realigning traditional sales roles and resources, 2. Upskilling the sales workforce, and 3. Enabling them to utilize data analytics and leverage technologies.

"Current skills of the Sales workforce are not fully ready to operate in a digital world. A differentiated B2B sales strategy refocusing on new sales journeys differentiates market leaders from laggards; it impacts your P&L in terms of sales and cost."

— DAVID HOLTMANN, Managing Director – Consumer Goods & Service Strategy

The next generation of sales organizations will ultimately be driven by digital capabilities, clean & comprehensive data, connected insights, automation & AI, and agile and adaptive workforces to use resources as effectively as possible. At every stage of their sales transformation, companies need to focus on mastering new customer demands and creating outstanding customer experiences throughout the digital sales journey. This does not only require new sales processes and equipping sales staff with new digital tools; behavioral changes among the sales workforce are just as important. Working together collaboratively across the whole organization and sharing insights are important pillars of future success.