The more corners I peak around on the Australian B2B sales organisation landscape … looky high, looky low … the more I become convinced that the radical shift in the economics of our respective industries we experienced is not ephemeral, but permanent. This is the new world order.

My associated observations regarding the ramifications on the respective sales teams of many B2B sales organisations have been negative. This, coupled with the rise in web and app based disruption of many industries, e-commerce, globalisation of products and services, relative commoditisation and downward price pressure, increase in customer savviness to take more control over their buying needs and knowledge, insidious spread of (off-shore) telesales outsourcing, it is no wonder B2B sales organisations and scrutinising the cost, headcount and sales team return of mobilising an expensive on-the-road team.

We are seeing many such organisations react by reducing cost of sales, cost to serve and reduction in the reliance once placed on the sales team to “bring in the dollars”.

Conversely, we are seeing a small number of more bullish organisations defy this trend. As their products and services are becoming more and more indistinguishable from competitors, they are recognising that the value to the customer of the role of a true business partner played out by the Sales Exec can become the reason for the customer to buy that company’s products and services over dimishingly distinguishable alternatives.

Easy to say……….very difficult to do. But most industries are in some sort of change/upheaval/disruption. Customers are struggling to cope with their reality. Enter the Sales Exec who can assist the customer adapt to their changing situation. We believe this is the essence of a true business partner Sales Exec in these turbulent times.