Eliminate the Skill Gap for Value-Based Sales

A sales force which has the skills to identify and sell value is necessary to meet the challenges with value-based sales.

Increasing complexity

Everchanging needs characterize the challenges of today’s buying organizations. New needs and demands from customers create competence and capability gaps between the current and the needed sales organization. Complexity is increasing in business-to-business project sales and it requires new skills and tools. Project sales are no longer in any way homogeneous which can be met with traditional sales skills.

Time of skill transformation

During the last 50 years, the traditional sales has evolved in two dimensions based on buying complexity:

1. Excellent technical skills (transactional/automated sales)
2. Excellent cognitive skills (complex, value-based sales) Value-based sales are complex and requires a sales team with excellent cognitive skills.

Up-skilling and re-skilling

The trend in employee investments for up-skilling and re-skilling has been flat for the last decade. Lack of trainings to adapt the competences and capabilities in the sales organization makes the skill gap more evident. Organizations that have performed up- and re-skilling are closer to performing excellent value-based sales. While up-skilling and re-skilling is one part of adapting the sales force to new ways of working, it is still not enough. A recruitment plan for talents with necessary skills is essential to succeed with value-based sales in the future.

“More than 50% of all salespeople fail to
differentiate their offer from the competition”

Businesses that are successful within value-based selling recruit a sales team based on customer competence and the ability to understand what drives value for the customer organization. This is superior to traditional sales skills. Improving the hit-rate, profiting from up-sales opportunities and improving sales processes are three key areas for the company in reaching its desired state going forward.

Realizing the full potential

To realize full potential and reach desired profitability level, the company needs to reinforce the changes towards value-based sales whilst continuing to increase its sales and customer focus. Avoid the common pitfall by sticking to outdated sales processes and develop value-based selling for a competitive sales advantage.