1. Drive Revenue and Profits
Through Well Aligned Sales &
Professional Services Processes
George Balint
GB & Associates Management Consulting
2. George Balint
George Balint is an entrepreneurial Professional & Consulting
Services executive with extensive leadership and hands-on
organizational development experience in implementing and
managing IT systems sales, analysis, design, delivery and support
competencies, aligning and streamlining business processes
organization-wide, building and leading nationwide cross-functional
teams and instituting profitable business practices in a variety of
industries and markets.
George Balint
803/802-5971
gbalint@comporium.com
Copyright 2008. George Balint 2
3. Key Objectives of the Sales Process
What are some key objectives of your
Sales process?
Copyright 2008. George Balint 3
4. Key Objectives of the Sales Process
Let Sales do what it does best - SELL
Ensure Sales costs are commensurate with the
opportunity – Reduce Sales Costs
Shorten Sales Life-Cycle and increase Closure
Rate
Provide seamless and professional transition
(hand-off) to the Implementation Team
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5. Key Objectives of the Sales Process
Consistent utilization of tools and methodology
Establish long-term profitable Customer Relationships
Realistic solutions and implementation plans
Competitive and profitable pricing – ROI for the
customer
Differentiated sales process
Positive sales experience for your customer and your
company
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6. Engagement Life Cycle
Marketing
Sales
Implementation
Customer Care
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7. Sales Life Cycle Stages
The Sales Life-Cycle can be divided into 3 major
Stages:
1. Qualification
2. Discovery – Technical Assessment
3. Analysis, Design, Presentation & Close
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8. Sales Life Cycle Stages
Stage Qualification Discovery - Technical Assessment Analysis - Design - Close
T
Sales Initialization Analysis & Design
r
A Discovery Kick-off
a
C n
T Logistics
I Qualification s
Discovery Process
V Proposal i
I Preparation t
T Engage Pre- i
Sales Evaluation Presentation &
Y o
Close
n
Owner Sales Sales & Pre-Sales Team Sales, Pre-Sales & PM Team
t
o
Qualification Stage Discovery - Technical Assessment Stage Analysis - Design - Close Stage D
Identify Business e
Objectives l
Identify Analyze/Design Solution
Stakeholders
Conduct Discovery Kick-off
Align Solution w/ Business Objectives i
Gather Project Requirements
Identify Budget
Refine Business Problems & Objectives
Determine Logistics Requirements v
and Time-frame Formulate Business Value
Identify
Complete Site Survey
Determine Pricing
e
Evaluate Business Opportunity r
Competitors Develop the Proposal
Establish Reasons for Going to Next
Establish Present & Close on Proposal y
Phase
Reasons for Transition to the Project Delivery Team
Going to Next
Phase
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9. What’s Happening in the Sales Process
Qualification Discovery Analysis/Close
Low Technical Complexity High
The major elements in each of these 3 Stages are:
Deliverables – what is completed or accomplished
Tools – what tools are used for the deliverables and by the resources
Processes – what processes, procedures, methodologies are used in completing
the deliverables
Skill Sets – are the major skill sets, expertise and knowledge areas required in
each stage
>>>Technical complexity increases as Sales Life-cycles
progresses
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10. Consequences of Un-Aligned Sales/Services Teams
Sales is bogged down with non-sales activities
Sales is not equipped to handle technical complexities
Sales doesn’t have time to focus on building pipeline
Sales includes opportunities with low closure possibilities
Just another sales team – no different than the competition
Proposed (technical) solution doesn’t fully address the
business problem – and – Pricing is non-competitive
(Too) Optimistic implementation timeframes
Failed Implementation
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11. Professional Services Organizational Chart
Professional
Services
Organization
Sales Support Implementation Customer Care
Marketing &
Managed
Pre-Sales Delivery
Services
Support
Pre-Sales Project Technical
Support Management Support
Sales Implementation Training &
Engineering Engineering Documentation
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12. Professional Services (PS)
What is Professional Services – How can it help?
Manage technical complexity - Technical and Process support &
Facilitation
Delivery, Deployment, Implementation, Continuity,
Consistency, Scalability
Management oversight
Budgetary Oversight
Free Sales staff from non-sales activities
Training, management and assignment of staff and resources
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13. Roles & Responsibilities – Alignment
Pursuit Team Qualification Discovery Analysis/Close
Qualify Customer Account Management Account Management
Account Management Client Relationship Client Relationship
Sales
Client Relationship Business Interviews Pricing
Proposal Presentation
Sales Process Lead Sales Process Lead
Sales Schedule Interviews Pricing
Engineering Technical Interviews Proposal/SOW
Business Interviews Proposal Presentation
Business Interviews Implementation time &
Site Surveys cost estimates
Project
Implementation Plan
Management
Resource Scheduling –
Allocation
Technical Interviews Technical Analysis
Technical Technical Design
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14. Payoff of Alignment
Build a healthier sales pipeline
Shorten sales life-cycle and increase closure rate
Seamless transition from Sales to
Implementation
Meet profitability and margin targets
Solution fully addresses business
challenges/problems
Copyright 2008. George Balint
15. Payoff of Alignment
Lower Sales costs
Increased Add-on sales potential
Competitive edge in the Sales process
Competitive and profitable pricing
Copyright 2008. George Balint
16. Summary
Sales is also about critical “soft” objectives
Sales Life-cycle requires “other” skills
Professional Services provides infrastructure to
increase your sales potential and effectiveness
Increase your sales revenue, margins, and
customer satisfaction
Copyright 2008. George Balint