Distribution inside sales teams tend to be reactive. However, incorporating a proactive approach can make teams more effective and increase revenue, according to the results of a joint MDM-Real Results Marketing survey in 2015 State of Distribution Inside Sales: Strive to be Proactive.
According to the survey, the majority of inside sales teams participate in reactive activities, including quoting, order entry and after-sale support; proactive functions – such as lead generation, quote follow-up and outbound calling – were not identified as key activities.
Proactive efforts identify and create new opportunities and, as a result, grow incremental sales. An excellent customer experience may sustain wallet share, but it will only maintain the status quo.
But effective implementation of proactive functions also requires a change in employee focus. A reactive customer service person is not likely to be an excellent salesperson, for example. However, with the right training, inside salespeople can learn to exploit inbound transactions through cross-selling.
Read more about how to make inside sales teams more effective in 2015 State of Distribution Inside Sales: Strive to be Proactive.
