Accenture Sales Transformation Optimizing the Sales Function for High Performance

Mastering the Science and Art of SalesSales executives around the globe face continued pressure to capture greater revenue from existing customers, penetrate new and emerging markets, and maintain profit margins in a challenging economy.

Leading organizations address these challenges by transforming the performance of their sales teams.

In Accenture’s experience, companies that attain the optimal balance of both the art and science of sales effectiveness can fully leverage their sales capabilities and achieve high performance.

With Accenture Sales Transformation, we enable the science side of sales by developing step-by-step operational processes as well as by implementing leading sales force automation technology. We collaborate with our clients to monitor and measure these processes, and to track outcomes that can influence the probability of success at each stage of the sales life cycle.

Our dedicated professionals also work with our clients to facilitate the art side of sales. This includes the development of softer skills, such as relationship development, political savvy, adaptability, trustworthiness, active listening, and guiding and influencing decisions—all of which are vital to superior selling.

Our Approach Accenture Sales Transformation focuses on the science of building a strong foundation for our clients’ sales organizations, followed by the art of improving critical relationship-building, listening and negotiating skills that define sales leaders.

Our capabilities which help to improve the overall sales performance of the organization include:

• Broad Sales Transformation experience—Accenture has helped hundreds of organizations around the globe to transform their sales forces to attain sales goals, reach new markets and drive growth. Dedicated Sales Transformation professionals offer deep industry experience paired with fact-based approaches to sales effectiveness.

• Tested Sales Transformation methodology— Our experience is backed by a suite of sales transformation solutions and assets that encompass both the art and science side of effective sales strategies.

• Compelling research—We conduct ongoing proprietary research to help our clients understand sales performance trends and the strategic actions they can take to improve sales performance.

• Powerful insights—Our thought leadership delves into the many facets of sales transformation—from customer acquisition and retention to social CRM and more.

Accenture Sales Transformation ServicesOur capabilities span three main areas of expertise:

Sales Strategy & Channel Management

• SalesStrategy:Leveragequalitativeand quantitative assessments to guide decisions that drive differentiation, address competitive threats and maximize profitability.

• SalesMultichannelManagement:Strategize, design and implement customer-focused initiatives across multiple channels, through integrated data, coordinated processes and automation.

Sales Talent Management

• HighPerformanceSalesWorkforce: Migrate top-performer attributes, including time/behavior, competencies and personality, to the core interactions between sales representatives and customers using effective training and new hire profiling.

• CompensationManagement: Create incentive-based compensation management programs, leveraging next-generation technology solutions to rapidly improve sales performance and accelerate time to market.

• SalesProcessDesign: Adapt a differentiated and effective lead-to-compensation process architecture to sell in a complex sales environment.

Sales Operations Optimization

• SalesOperationsOptimization: Unlock the full potential of a sales force by maximizing customer-facing time and intelligently reducing supporting operating costs.

• SalesTechnologyEnablement: Providesolutionarchitectureand implementation services to support leading sales solutions.

Strategies for Sales OptimizationIn collaboration with CSO Insights, Accenture recently completed the 2010SalesPerformanceOptimizationStudy, which surveyed more than 2,800 companies worldwide to assess current sales performance and challenges.

Findings from the study underscored what sales executives know from first-hand experience: 2009 was a tough year as organizations experienced the biggest single-year drop in percentage of revenue plan attained since this research began 16 years ago.

In response to the tough economy, organizations cut expenses, reduced sales headcount and offered products at extraordinary pricing. The unprec-edented drop also had adverse impacts on compensation and hiring, sales cycle, sales strategy and execution, account managements, sales management, methodology and training, and CRM usage.

However,thefindingsshowthatasthe global economy improves, chief sales officers are cautiously returning to growth mode. At the same time, these executives recognize that strong account management, careful planning and improved sales effectiveness are

critical to success.

Copyright © 2010 Accenture All rights reserved.

Accenture, its logo, and HighPerformanceDelivered are trademarks of Accenture.

About AccentureAccenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with more than 181,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$21.58 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2009. Its home page is www.accenture.com.