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  • Slide 1
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive December 2012 SALES SKILLS GAP STUDY
  • Slide 2
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Methodology / Objectives 3 Executive Summary 6 Snapshot Comparison Sales Reps, Sales Leaders, & Sales Buyers 11 Detailed Findings Sales Reps21 Sales Leaders41 Sales Buyers64 Demographics / Firmographics75 2 Table of Contents
  • Slide 3
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 3 Methodology / Objectives
  • Slide 4
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive The survey was conducted online between November 20 and December 12, 2012, and consists of 1,201 qualified respondents: 600 Sales Representatives; 301 Sales Leaders; and 300 Sales Buyers. To qualify for the survey, all respondents met the following criteria: Adult (age 18+); Reside of the United States; Employed full-time and not self-employed; and Do not work from home if working for a business with 10 or fewer employees. Further, to qualify for one of the three segments, they had to meet the following: Sales Representatives: Identified themselves as a Sales Representative and engaged primarily in Business to Business sales. Sales Leaders: Identified themselves as a Sales Leader or Sales Manager (i.e. have direct responsibility for one or more Sales Reps) and engaged primarily in Business to Business sales. Sales Buyers: Identified themselves as a Sales Buyer (i.e. purchasing from Sales Reps) and does not work in Procurement. 4 Methodology
  • Slide 5
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive The objectives of this study were to: Better understand the gaps in skills demonstrated by Sales Reps, and the skills desired among sales professionals and their managers, and sales professionals and their buyers. Validate that the way companies currently look at sales professionals and their skills is inherently flawed. Sales needs to catch up in terms of core competencies that are on the needs/wants list of both managers and buyers. Better understand how the way people have learned has changed (especially sales professionals), and better understand the potential need for more e-Learning and self- paced learning opportunities. Better understand current gaps in sales training and methods, especially in formal sales training programs generally used by employers. 5 Objectives
  • Slide 6
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 6 Executive Summary Harris Interacti ve
  • Slide 7
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive There is a fairly high level of agreement among Sales Reps, Sales Leaders, and Sales Buyers about the skills that sales professionals need to be successful. Ability to identify customer needs and ability to generate trust are high on the list for all three groups. Some attributes are not as high on the list for Sales Buyers because they are more internal issues such as using sales tools/technology, managing resources, monitoring performance, etc. These attributes do not have a direct impact on solving the Sales Buyers business problem, thus it makes sense that they would not be as relevant to that group. Sales Reps and Sales Leaders agree that understanding strengths and weaknesses and encouraging development are the hallmarks of an effective Sales Leader. It is critical that the sales development for Sales Reps is focused on the areas that are important to Sales Buyers who are making purchase decisions, so that Sales Reps can be as effective as possible in these key areas. 7 Executive Summary
  • Slide 8
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Sales Reps are familiar with formal sales training and they receive it often, and most feel it is beneficial. About 75% of Sales Reps say they have received formal sales training and about 40% say they receive formal training on a daily or weekly basis (14% daily, 26% weekly), and a similar percentage agree that this is about the right frequency for training. Given this fairly high frequency, it may be useful to understand exactly what Sales Reps consider to be formal sales training. Most Sales Reps feel they benefit from training, while those that do not generally feel that sales success is largely based on personality traits / characteristics that cannot be taught. There is a disconnect between Sales Reps and Sales Leaders / Sales Buyers on identification of customer needs. Both Sales Leaders / Sales Buyers feel that Sales Reps have room for improvement on identification of customer needs. However only 11% of Sales Reps think this is an area for improvement. This may be a training need that is currently not being recognized, and at minimum, a clearer definition of this concept should be established. 8 Executive Summary
  • Slide 9
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Sales Reps, Sales Leaders, and Sales Buyers all agree that identifying needs and generating trust are key attributes for Sales Rep success as well as important factors in the sales purchase decision. However, how the groups define trust may vary. Reps put more emphasis on being persuasive and building a quick rapport than both Sales Leaders and Sales Buyers. Sales Buyers place their emphasis on areas that dont sound salesy on the surface, but instead, will help Sales Reps help Sales Buyers solve their business problems. Identifying win/win scenarios Identifying customer needs Critical thinking Presenting information effectively Value creation Identifying (and presumably understanding) problems Consequently, from the Sales Buyer perspective, trust probably has less to do with rapport and more to do with seeing evidence that the Sales Rep can provide value in the ways listed above. This evidence leads to trust, and presumably, would lead to rapport as well. 9 Executive Summary
  • Slide 10
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Sales Reps, Sales Leaders, and Sales Buyers all generally agree that formal sales training is most effective when it is continually taking place, and when it is conducted in person. However, the majority also agree that most sales training is just somewhat effective. So there is room for improvement. Most sales training is conducted in person, however the top preference for Sales Reps would be a blend of in-person sales training and online training. A smaller, but still sizeable, group of Sales Reps would prefer self-paced online training over the other options. This is an area of potential expansion which Careerbuilder can explore. Sales training should focus on the skills that would allow Sales Reps to deliver what clients want the ability to partner with them by understanding their business, identifying both problems and solutions, and finding win/win scenarios. 10 Executive Summary
  • Slide 11
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive SNAPSHOT COMPARISON SALES REPS, SALES LEADERS, & SALES BUYERS 11
  • Slide 12
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 12 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Sales Buyers (n=300) Q700 Indicate how important you feel each one is in order to have success as a sales rep. ? Q900 Thinking about the sales staff you manage and your own experiences, indicate how important you feel each attribute is in order to have success as a sales rep. Q1100 Thinking about the Sales Reps you interact with in your position, indicate how important you feel each attribute is for a sales rep to be considered successful. Sales RepsSales LeadersSales Buyers Identifying customer needs 92%84%85% Reaching the decision-maker 90%81%73% Generating trust 90%84%85% Identifying problems 84%74%73% Building rapport quickly 83%77%69% Judgment and decision making 83%77%76% Time management 83%75%73% Service orientation 82%74%78% Negotiation skills 81%77%67% Making effective presentations 80%76%71% Critical thinking 80%75%72% Handling stress 80%70%69% Identifying win-win alternatives 79%75%72% Setting clear expectations 79%77%67% Focus on value creation 78%72%65% Being persuasive 78%69%58% Being able to quickly determine whether a potential customer is serious 78%71%62% There is general agreement among the three groups, with some notable exceptions circled below. In general, Sales Leaders and Sales Buyers tended to agree with each other more than either group agrees with the Sales Reps. Attributes Extremely/Very Important In Order To Have Success As A Sales Rep
  • Slide 13
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 13 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Sales Buyers (n=300) Q700 Indicate how important you feel each one is in order to have success as a sales rep. ? Q900 Thinking about the sales staff you manage and your own experiences, indicate how important you feel each attribute is in order to have success as a sales rep. Q1100 Thinking about the Sales Reps you interact with in your position, indicate how important you feel each attribute is for a sales rep to be considered successful. Sales RepsSales LeadersSales Buyers Setting appropriate goals 78%76%67% Articulating value propositions 77%76%70% Complex problem solving abilities 76%72%67% Active learning 75%69%63% Developing meaningful alternatives 74%71%69% Emotional intelligence 72%66%62% Identifying development needs 71%70%60% Identifying measurable results 70%74%67% Using sales tools 70%65%53% Using sales processes 69%67%47% Using technology 69%67%56% Monitoring performance 69%71%59% Focus on behavior 68%62%60% Managing people resources 67%72%57% Identifying performance gaps 67%64%58% Management of financial resources 66%61%56% As may be expected, Sales Buyers are less interested in the use of sales tools or processes or technology, and instead tend to focus on issues that get closer to solving their business problem (previous slide). Attributes Extremely/Very Important In Order To Have Success As A Sales Rep (contd)
  • Slide 14
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 14 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Sales Buyers (n=300) Q705 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on a customers decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. Q910 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on a customers decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. Q1110 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on your decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. Sales RepsSales LeadersSales Buyers Generating trust 49%43%45% Identifying customer needs 45%39%47% Reaching the decision-maker 28%29%11% Building rapport quickly 25%22%23% Service orientation 23%19%25% Identifying problems 21%17%18% Making effective presentations 20%16%18% Focus on value creation 20% 18% Articulating value propositions 18% 19% Negotiation skills 17%25%19% Identifying win-win alternatives 16%15%21% Being persuasive 15%17%12% Critical thinking 13%16%19% Time management 12%15%14% Emotional intelligence 11% Being able to quickly determine whether a potential customer is serious 11%10%11% All three groups see trust and identification of needs as the key factors in deciding to purchase. After that, the relative ranking of the other attributes is similar across the three groups (with the exception of some attributes that logically would be less meaningful to Sales Buyers). Attributes Most Influential On Customers Decision To Buy Product Top Five
  • Slide 15
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 15 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Sales Buyers (n=300) Q705 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on a customers decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. Q910 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on a customers decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. Q1110 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on your decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. Sales RepsSales LeadersSales Buyers Complex problem solving abilities 11%10%17% Identifying development needs 11%8%9% Setting clear expectations 10%11%17% Identifying measurable results 10%7%11% Judgment and decision making 10%15%13% Using sales tools 10%9%4% Handling stress 9%8%5% Developing meaningful alternatives 9%11%7% Using technology 9%11% Active learning 8% 7% Using sales processes 8%10%5% Managing people resources 8%5%6% Management of financial resources 6%5%12% Identifying performance gaps 6%4%5% Focus on behavior 6%7%6% Setting appropriate goals 5%9%7% Monitoring performance 5% 7% Attributes Most Influential On Customers Decision To Buy Product Top Five (contd)
  • Slide 16
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 16 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Sales Buyers (n=300) Q715 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to yourself and your customers, which attributes, if any, do you feel you need to improve on? Q915 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to yourself and your customers, which attributes, if any, do you feel your Sales Reps nee to improve on? Q1120 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to you, which attributes do you feel the Sales Reps you work with need to improve on? Sales RepsSales LeadersSales Buyers Time management 27%33%31% Handling stress 21%20%15% Negotiation skills 18%20% Being persuasive 17%16% Using technology 17%18%17% Reaching the decision-maker 17%22%13% Being able to quickly determine whether a potential customer is serious 16%20%18% Using sales tools 15%19%12% Managing people resources 14%11% Using sales processes 14% 10% Emotional intelligence 13%11%18% Identifying development needs 13%10%17% Identifying performance gaps 13%10%11% Identifying win-win alternatives 13%17%18% Making effective presentations 13%19% Identifying measurable results 12%10%15% All three groups see time management as an area that Sales Reps need to improve, and making effective presentations and identifying win/win scenarios are areas that both Sales Leaders and Sales Buyers see room for improvement. After that, the relative ranking of the other attributes is similar across the three groups, with some exceptions (including some attributes that logically would be less meaningful to Sales Buyers). Attributes That Need To Be Improved On By Sales Reps
  • Slide 17
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 17 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Sales Buyers (n=300) Q715 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to yourself and your customers, which attributes, if any, do you feel you need to improve on? Q915 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to yourself and your customers, which attributes, if any, do you feel your Sales Reps nee to improve on? Q1120 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to you, which attributes do you feel the Sales Reps you work with need to improve on? Sales RepsSales LeadersSales Buyers Critical thinking 12%19% Setting appropriate goals 12%14% Articulating value propositions 11%13% Focus on value creation 11%17%18% Identifying problems 11%17%23% Identifying customer needs 11%28%29% Active learning 11%15% Setting clear expectations 11%16%19% Complex problem solving abilities 10%14%17% Building rapport quickly 10%16% Service orientation 10%14%19% Developing meaningful alternatives 10%14%18% Monitoring performance 10%12%14% Management of financial resources 10%9% Focus on behavior 10%8%12% Judgment and decision making 9%16%19% Generating trust 8%19%25% Sales Reps seem to be less focused on several areas that both Sales Leaders and Sales Buyers see as potential areas for improvement. Attributes That Need To Be Improved On By Sales Reps (contd)
  • Slide 18
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 18 Base: All Qualified Respondents: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Q775 In your opinion, what qualities/skills make an effective sales leader/manager? Q1012 In your opinion, what qualities/skills make an effective sales leader/manager? Sales RepsSales Leaders Understanding strengths and weaknesses 71%75% Encouraging development 70%71% Coaching 55%64% Not micro-managing 49% Being hands-off 29%24% Other 3%4% Both Sales Reps and Sales Leaders are in general agreement about the qualities and skills of an effective Sales Leader. Qualities/Skills That Make An Effective Sales Leader/Manager
  • Slide 19
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 19 Base: All Qualified Sales Reps/Leaders: Sales Reps (n=600), Sales Leaders (n=301), Q2005 Please describe the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about sales training. Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales training is a continual process 91%89% Sales training is most effective when conducted in person 81%80% Sales training needs to be conducted with multiple people that can engage in group discussions, role playing, etc. 71%69% Sales training is most effective when it combines online and in-person training 61%52% Online sales training is an effective way to learn sales methods 58%44% Sales Reps learn better in an individual setting, rather than in a group 50%43% Sales training is best accomplished in intensive day- long session(s) 48%43% Both Sales Reps and Sales Leaders are in general agreement about these aspects of sales training, especially that it is a continual process and learned most effectively in person. Agreement With Statements About Sales Training
  • Slide 20
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 20 Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q745 In general, how effective do you think your formal sales training has been to you during your career? Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Offered Formal Sales Training (n=232) Q945 In general, how effective do you think your formal sales training has been to your sales staff? Sales RepsSales Leaders Effective (net) 81%84% Very effective 28%20% Somewhat effective 53%64% Neither effective nor ineffective 8%6% Ineffective (net) 10% Somewhat ineffective 8% Not at all effective 2% Sales Reps and Sales Leaders both feel that Sales Training is effective, but most feel it is only somewhat effective - so there appears to be room for improvement. Effectiveness Of Formal Sales Training On Sales Staff
  • Slide 21
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Detailed Findings Sales Representatives 21
  • Slide 22
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 22 Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q700 Indicate how important you feel each one is in order to have success as a sales rep. ? Identifying customer needs, reaching the decision-maker and generating trust are considered extremely/very important in having success as a sales rep by at least nine-in-ten Sales Reps, although many attributes are seen as important. Top 2 Box SALES REPS Attributes Extremely/Very Important In Order To Have Success As A Sales Rep
  • Slide 23
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 23 When Sales Reps were asked to cite the five attributes they believed would be most influential on a customers decision to buy a product/service from them, generating trust, identifying customer needs, reaching decision makers, building rapport quickly and service orientation topped the list. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q710 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on a customers decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. SALES REPS Attributes Most Influential On Customers Decision To Buy Product Top Five
  • Slide 24
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 24 Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q715 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to yourself and your customers, which attributes, if any, do you feel you need to improve on? Time management is the top attribute Sales Reps feel they need to improve on. Handling stress follows. Identification of customer needs is well down the list, although both Sales Leaders and Sales Buyers feel that Sales Reps need improvement in this area. SALES REPS Attributes That Sales Reps Feel They Need To Improve On
  • Slide 25
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 25 Approximately 3 in 4 Sales Reps have had formal sales training with the bulk of them having internal training by someone at their company. 74% Yes (net) Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q720 Have you had any formal sales training (this does not include any HR or new hire training) during your time as a sales rep with your current employer? (multiple response) SALES REPS Had Formal Sales Training
  • Slide 26
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 26 Four in ten Sales Reps who have had formal sales training report being trained on a daily or weekly basis 14% report being trained on a daily basis, while 26% on a weekly basis. This is more prevalent at large companies than small. Further research, formal or informal, might help clarify the definition of formal sales training to understand these relatively high frequencies. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q725 How often have you had formal sales training during your time as a sales rep? SALES REPS Frequency They Have Had Formal Sales Training As A Sales Rep
  • Slide 27
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 27 Frequency of actual training closely reflects how often Sales Reps feel they should be getting training as nearly 40% also feel they should trained on a daily or weekly basis. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q730 How often do you feel formal sales training should be conducted at your company? SALES REPS Frequency They Feel Formal Sales Training Should Be Conducted At Company
  • Slide 28
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 28 Training in person at their company location is the most popular location for sales training, followed by a blend of online and in-person training. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q735 How was the formal sales training conducted? SALES REPS Way Most Recent Formal Sales Training Was Conducted
  • Slide 29
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 29 Most Sales Reps who have had formal sales training prefer instructor involvement either a blended form of training (between online and in-person) or an in-person training from an instructor. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q770 What would be your preferred format for formal sales training? SALES REPS Preferred Format For Formal Sales Training
  • Slide 30
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 30 Roughly one-quarter of formal sales training sessions dedicated 1-3 hours. Training for 1-2 business days is also fairly common, as about 20% reported sales training for one business day and a similar percentage said two business days. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q740 How many work hours / days were dedicated to the formal sales training? SALES REPS Time Dedicated To Most Recent Formal Sales Training
  • Slide 31
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 31 The vast majority of those who were trained feel the training was effective, and very few say it was ineffective. However, about half feel it was somewhat effective as opposed to very effective. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Had Formal Sales Training (n=459) Q745 In general, how effective do you think your formal sales training has been to you during your career? 81% Effective (net) 10% Ineffective (net) SALES REPS Effectiveness Of Formal Sales Training On Career
  • Slide 32
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q755 Which of the following attributes do you think formal sales training could have the most positive impact on? 32 Roughly one-third of Sales Reps feel that formal sales training could have the most positive impact on their ability to make effective presentations, negotiate, use sales processes and sales tools, and manage their time. SALES REPS Sales Attributes On Which Formal Sales Training Could Have The Most Positive Impact
  • Slide 33
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 33 Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Not Had Formal Sales Training (n=141) Q760 Do you feel that you could benefit from formal sales training? Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Who Have Not Had Formal Sales Training And Feel Would Not Benefit From Formal Sales Training (n=33) Q765 Why do you feel that you would not benefit from formal sales training? Reasons Why They Feel They Would Not Benefit Sales success depends largely on personality characteristics that cant be taught 54% I think it is better to learn from experience 48% Other24% Of those who have not had formal sales training, nearly one-half feel they could benefit from it. Of the 21% (n = 33) who do not feel they would benefit from it, more than one-half feel that sales success depends largely on personality characteristics that cant be taught. Could Benefit From Formal Sales Training SALES REPS
  • Slide 34
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 34 Seven-in-ten Sales Reps say that understanding strengths and weaknesses and encouraging development are what make an effective sales leader/manager. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q775 In your opinion, what qualities/skills make an effective sales leader/manager? SALES REPS Qualities/Skills That Make An Effective Sales Leader/Manager
  • Slide 35
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 35 When Sales Reps were asked the qualities/skills that they personally need help with, encouraging development and understanding strengths and weaknesses top the list. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q778 Which of the following qualities/skills do you personally need help with? SALES REPS Qualities/Skills That They Personally Need Help With
  • Slide 36
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 36 Four-in-ten Sales Reps do not have a formal degree in Sales. Of those who do, degrees in Business Administration and Sales / Marketing are the most commonly acquired degrees. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q780 What type of formal degree in sales, if any, do you have? Undergraduate DegreeGraduate Degree Business Administration25%20% Sales Marketing23%18% Sales18%14% None52%61% 39% do not have a formal degree SALES REPS Have Formal Degree In Sales
  • Slide 37
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 37 Nearly all of those without a formal degree in Sales have never considered pursuing a formal degree in sales. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Without A Formal Degree (n=215) Q785 Have you ever considered pursuing a formal degree in sales? SALES REPS Have Considered Pursuing A Formal Degree In Sales
  • Slide 38
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 38 Of those without a formal degree that have never considered pursuing a formal degree in sales, approximately six-in-ten were unaware that these types of degrees were even available. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives Without A Formal Degree Who Have Not Considered A Formal Degree In Sales (n=186) Q789 Did you know that there were formal degrees in sales available? SALES REPS Aware Of Formal Degrees In Sales
  • Slide 39
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 39 Approximately one-half of Sales Reps are interested in additional training outside of the type of training they currently receive. Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q787 Do you want additional training outside of the type of training you are currently receiving? SALES REPS Want Additional Training Outside Of The Type Of Training Currently Receiving
  • Slide 40
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Nearly all agree that sales training is a continual process. Agreement that sales training is most effective when conducted in person is also high at 81%. % Agree 40 Base: All Qualified Sales Representatives (n=600) Q2005 Please describe the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about sales training. SALES REPS Agreement With Statements About Sales Training
  • Slide 41
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Detailed Findings Sales Leaders 41
  • Slide 42
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 42 Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q900 Thinking about the sales staff you manage and your own experiences, indicate how important you feel each attribute is in order to have success as a sales rep. From the Sales Leaders perspective, generating trust, identifying customer needs, and reaching decision makers are cited as the top attributes needed to be a successful sales rep (these were also the top three from the sales rep perspective). Top 2 Box SALES LEADERS Attributes Extremely/Very Important In Order To Have Success As A Sales Rep
  • Slide 43
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 43 When Sales Leaders were asked to cite the five attributes they believed would be most influential on a customers decision to buy a product/service from Sales Reps, generating trust, identifying customer needs, reaching decision makers are among those on top of the list the same identified by Sales Reps themselves and topping the list of attributes that would make successful Sales Reps. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q910 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on a customers decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. SALES LEADERS Attributes Most Influential On Customers Decision To Buy Product Top Five
  • Slide 44
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 44 Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q915 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to yourself and your customers, which attributes, if any, do you feel your Sales Reps nee to improve on? One-third of Sales Leaders feel Sales Reps need to improve on time management the top attribute. Identifying customer needs follows, although only 11% of Sales Reps feel they need to improve in this area (see Sales Rep section). SALES LEADERS Attributes That Need To Be Improved On By Sales Reps
  • Slide 45
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 45 When asked about their own sales training, one-quarter of Sales Leaders say they have received formal sales training every few months. Approximately three-in-ten have received formal sales training weekly/monthly. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q928 How often have you received formal sales training during your career in Sales? SALES LEADERS Frequency They Received Formal Sales Training During Career In Sales
  • Slide 46
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 46 The vast majority of Sales Leaders have offered formal sales training to their staff most of this training was internal training by someone at their company. 75% Yes (net) Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q920 Have you ever offered formal sales training to your staff during your time as a sales leader? Offer Formal Sales Training
  • Slide 47
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 47 Sales Leaders say that budget-related issues are the main obstacle to offering formal sales training even more often to their staff. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Offered Formal Sales Training (n=232) Q955 Which of the following, if any, are obstacles in providing formal sales training to your staff more often? SALES LEADERS Obstacles In Providing Formal Sales Training To Staff More Often
  • Slide 48
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 48 Sales Leaders who have not offered formal sales training consider budget-related issues the main obstacle. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Not Offered Formal Sales Training (n=69) Q930 Which of the following, if any, are obstacles in providing formal sales training to your staff? SALES LEADERS Obstacles In Providing Any Formal Sales Training To Staff
  • Slide 49
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 49 Sales Leaders generally offer formal sales training on a monthly basis or every few months. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Offered Formal Sales Training (n=232) Q935 How often have you offered formal sales training to your staff during your time as a sales leader at your current company? SALES LEADERS Frequency Formal Sales Training Was Offered To Staff
  • Slide 50
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 50 More than one-half of Sales Leaders who have offered formal sales training say that the training was conducted in person at their company location. Other locations are less popular. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Offered Formal Sales Training (n=232) Q940 How was the formal sales training conducted? SALES LEADERS Way Most Recent Formal Sales Training Was Conducted
  • Slide 51
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 51 About 2/3 of Sales Leaders who have offered formal sales training say it was somewhat effective but only 20% said it was very effective. These percentages were similar to Sales Rep opinions. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Offered Formal Sales Training (n=232) Q945 In general, how effective do you think your formal sales training has been to your sales staff? 84% Effective (net) 10% Ineffective (net) SALES LEADERS Effectiveness Of Formal Sales Training On Sales Staff
  • Slide 52
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 52 More than half (55%) of Sales Leaders say their company spends $10,000 or less on training each year, and about 2/3 of that expenditure is on internal training. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q960 Annually, how much does your company invest in training? Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Spend Money On Training (n=263) Q965 Of the amount your company invests in sales training, what percentage goes toward internal training vs. external training? Of the money invested: 62% is invested in internal training 38% is invested in external training 55% SALES LEADERS Annual Company Investments In Training
  • Slide 53
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 53 About 50% of Sales Leaders say that 16 hours or less is spent on informal training in an average quarter. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q970 In an average quarter, how much time is spent on informal training? 49% SALES LEADERS Time Spent On Informal Training In An Average Quarter
  • Slide 54
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 54 Approximately 3 in 10 sales leader say a sales rep having a sales certification is extremely or very important in their decision to hire that sales rep. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q975 Please indicate how important you feel a sales certification is when you are evaluating Sales Reps during the hiring process? 31% Extremely / Very Important (net) SALES LEADERS Importance Of A Sales Certification When Evaluating Sales Reps
  • Slide 55
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 55 One in four Sales Leaders feel that entry-level candidates for sales rep positions are extremely or very prepared to be successful in a sales career; however, fully 50% feel that entry-level candidates are either not at all prepared or somewhat prepared. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q980 When hiring for a entry-level sales position, how prepared do you think most Sales Reps are to be successful in a sales career? 25% Extremely / Very Important (net) 50% Not at all Prepared / Somewhat Prepared (net) SALES LEADERS How Prepared Sales Reps Are When Hiring For Entry-Level Sales Positions
  • Slide 56
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 56 Fifty-three percent of Sales Leaders say that at least some of their staff has a formal degree in sales with the majority of them saying that all of their employees have a formal degree in sales. 53% Yes (net) Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q985 Do you have anyone on your staff that has a formal degree in sales? SALES LEADERS Staff Have Formal Sales Degrees In Sales
  • Slide 57
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 57 Approximately three-in-four Sales Leaders who have staff with a formal degree in sales feel that these employees perform at a higher level than those who do not have one. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders Who Have Staff With A Formal Degree In Sales (n=164) Q990 Do you feel that those employees you have with formal degrees in sales perform at a higher level than those who do not? SALES LEADERS Feel Those With Formal Degrees In Sales Perform At A Higher Level Than Others
  • Slide 58
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 58 When Sales Leaders were asked whether the highest performer was the one with a formal education versus one with experience but no formal education, about 2/3 chose the latter. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q995 In your opinion, which Sales Reps are the highest performers - those with a formal sales education, or those with sales experience but no formal training? SALES LEADERS Highest Performers: Formal Education vs. Sales Experience
  • Slide 59
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 59 Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q1005 In which areas do your Sales Reps not have enough training on? Roughly one in four Sales Leaders feel their Sales Reps do not have enough training on time management and negotiation skills. SALES LEADERS Attributes That Sales Reps Do Not Have Enough Training On
  • Slide 60
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 60 Nearly three in four sales professionals hired by Sales Leaders have prior experience in sales, while roughly four in ten have a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q1010 When hiring sales professionals what type of background do they have? SALES LEADERS Background of Sales Professionals That Are Hired
  • Slide 61
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 61 More than seven in ten Sales Leaders say that understanding strengths and weaknesses and encouraging development make an effective sales leader/manager. These were consistent with what Sales Reps said as well. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q1012 In your opinion, what qualities/skills make an effective sales leader/manager? SALES LEADERS Qualities/Skills That Make An Effective Sales Leader/Manager
  • Slide 62
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 62 When asked about skills they personally need help with, approximately one-third of Sales Leaders say they need help with being hands-off and coaching although more than also feel they could improve on development and understanding of strengths and weaknesses, which both Sales Reps and Sales Leaders feel are important. Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q1014 Which of the following qualities/skills do you personally need help with? SALES LEADERS Qualities/Skills That Sales Leaders Personally Need Help With
  • Slide 63
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 63 Of the statements tested about sales training, more than two-thirds of Sales Leaders agree that sales training is a continuous process, most effective when in person, and needs to be conducted with multiple people. This was very consistent with the thoughts of Sales Reps. % Agree Base: All Qualified Sales Leaders (n=301) Q2005 Please describe the extent to which you agree or disagree with the following statements about sales training. SALES LEADERS Agreement With Statements About Sales Training
  • Slide 64
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Detailed Findings Sales Buyers 64
  • Slide 65
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 65 Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1100 Thinking about the Sales Reps you interact with in your position, indicate how important you feel each attribute is for a sales rep to be considered successful. More than eight in ten Sales Buyers feel that identifying customer needs and generating trust are two qualities a sales rep needs to have to be successful. This is consistent with both Sales Reps and Sales Leaders. Top 2 Box SALES BUYERS Attributes Extremely/Very Important In Order To Have Success As A Sales Rep
  • Slide 66
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 66 Sales Buyers say that identifying customer needs and generating trust are also those attributes most influential on their decision to buy a product from a salesperson. As weve seen these are attributes that are important to both Sales Reps and Sales Buyers as well. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1110 Please indicate the top five attributes that you think have the most influence on your decision to buy a product or service from a salesperson. SALES BUYERS Attributes Most Influential On Customers Decision To Buy Product Top Five
  • Slide 67
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 67 Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1120 Taking into account the importance of each attribute to you, which attributes do you feel the Sales Reps you work with need to improve on? At least one-quarter of Sales Buyers feel that Sales Reps need to improve on time management, identification of the needs of their customers, and generating trust very similar to the opinions of Sales Reps and Sales Leaders. SALES BUYERS Attributes That Need To Be Improved On By Sales Reps
  • Slide 68
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 68 Approximately three-in-four Sales Buyers feel Sales Reps should have formal sales training. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1115 In general, do you think that Sales Reps should be required to have formal sales training? SALES BUYERS Should Sales Reps Be Required To Have Formal Sales Training
  • Slide 69
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 69 A similar percentage (75%) feel that the Sales Reps they deal with regularly would also benefit from formal sales training. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1125 Do you feel that the Sales Reps you deal with regularly would benefit from formal sales training? SALES BUYERS Would the Sales Reps You Buy From Benefit From Formal Sales Training
  • Slide 70
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 70 Approximately one-quarter of the calls Sales Buyers receive from Sales Reps end up in actual appointments with the Sales Reps. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1150 Thinking about how many calls you receive from Sales Reps, on average, what percentage result in setting up an appointment with you? Average Percentage Of Calls That Result In Appointments: 26% SALES BUYERS Percentage Of Calls That Result In Appointments
  • Slide 71
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 71 Email tops the list of preferred ways to be contacted by sales rep, cited by two-thirds of Sales Buyers. Phone and in-person meetings follow. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1160 How do you prefer to be contacted by your Sales Reps? SALES BUYERS Preferred Means of Communication By Sales Reps
  • Slide 72
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 72 When Sales Buyers were asked if they prefer a sales rep that had formal sales training over one that did not, most preferred a sales rep with the formal training. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1175 All other characteristics being equal, would you prefer a sales rep that had formal sales training over one that did not? SALES BUYERS Prefer A Sales Rep That Had Formal Sales Training Over One That Did Not
  • Slide 73
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 73 Among Sales Buyers, a sales rep with expertise in their industry is more likely to be preferred than a sales rep with general expertise in sales. Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1180 If you had to choose, would you prefer a sales rep to be an expert in sales or an expert in their industry? SALES BUYERS Prefer A Sales Rep To Be An Expert In Sales Or An Expert In Their Industry
  • Slide 74
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive Industry-specific knowledge is the skill that six in ten Sales Buyers feel their Sales Reps lack. 74 Base: All Qualified Sales Buyers (n=300) Q1185 Of the Sales Reps you deal with regularly, what type of skills, if any, do you feel they lack? SALES BUYERS Skills Sales Reps Regularly Lack
  • Slide 75
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 75 Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 76
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 76 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Gender Male 68%67%63% Female 32%33%37% Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Age 18-245%6%5% 25-3418%26%16% 35-44 32%19%26% 45-54 19%23%22% 55 and older 26%25%31% Mean44.343.445.5 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Region East 20%24%28% Midwest 27%22% South 23%30% West 30%25%20% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 77
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 77 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Job Level Senior management (CEO, CFO, etc) 13%21%30% Vice president 7%9% Director/manager/supervisor/ team leader 26%62%48% Professional/technical staff member 47%5%10% Entry level/administrative/clerical 8%2% Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Years at current position Less than one year 8%6%5% 1-2 years 14% 12% 3-5 years 27%29%17% More than 5 51% 66% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 78
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 78 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Company Size (US) 1-5 4%3%9% 6-10 5% 11% 11-20 5%3%11% 21-50 5%9%11% 51-100 7%11%8% 101-250 6%9% 251-500 6%10%8% 501-1,000 24%15%12% 1,001-2,000 5%6%5% 2,001-5,000 7% 4% 5,001-10,000 9%7%2% 10,001-20,000 4% 2% 20,001-30,000 1%3%2% 30,001-50,000 1%2%0% 50,001-75,000 2%1% More than 75,000 4% 3% Not sure 4%2% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 79
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 79 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Location Size 1-5 10%7%15% 6-10 10%11%14% 11-20 16%10%12% 21-50 12%14%13% 51-100 10%16%13% 101-250 15% 11% 251-500 8%10%6% 501-1,000 10%8%6% 1,001-2,000 7%3% 2,001-5,000 1%2% 5,001-10,000 0%1% 10,001-20,000 0%1%0% 20,001-30,000 --0% 30,001-50,000 0%1%- 50,001-75,000 -0%- More than 75,000 0%1%0% Not sure 2%1%2% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 80
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 80 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Annual Company Revenue Less than $5 million 11%12%32% $5 million - $9.99 million 8%12%14% $10 million - $14.99 million 7%9%10% $15 million - $24.99 million 6%10%7% $25 million - $49.99 million 6%12%9% $50 million - $74.99 million 7%8%3% $75 million - $99.99 million 8%3% $100 million - $499.99 million 15%11%7% $500 million or more 18%17%6% Not Sure 14%5%10% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 81
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 81 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Industry Manufacturing 19%18%12% Wholesale Trade 11%8%4% Agric./Forestry/Fishing/Hunting 7%1%0% Information Technology 6%9%3% Advertising/Marketing 6%3%2% Banking & Finance 3%8%3% Retail Trade 3%4%10% Telecommunications 3% 1% Engineering Services 3%2%3% Insurance 3%2%1% Printing Trade 3%2%1% Transportation & Warehousing 2%4%1% Healthcare & Social Assistance 2%3%8% Automotive Services 2% Legal Services 2%1%3% Construction (heavy/special trades) 1%3%2% Education 1%2%14% Accommodation and Food Services 1% 2% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 82
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 82 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Industry (contd) Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 1% 2% Government 1% 2% Leisure & Hospitality 1% Communications 1% Real Estate 1%0%2% Utilities 0%2%1% Administrative Support Services 0%2%1% Travel 0%2%0% Research Services 0%1% Oil 0%1% Religious/Non-Profit Organizations 0% 2% Military 0% 1% Mining -1% Public Administration/Government -1%0% Gas -0%1% Waste Management/Remediation Services --0% Other Services 6%5% Other 10%5%8% Demographics / Firmographics
  • Slide 83
  • 2013 CareerBuilder & Harris Interactive 83 Sales RepsSales Leaders Sales Buyers Plan To Leave Current Job/Employer Yes 48%40%29% Yes, within the next month 11%7%2% Yes, within the next six months 14%6%3% Yes, within the next year 8%5%3% Yes, more than a year from now 15%22%21% No 52%60%71% Demographics / Firmographics