How Sales Forces Can be Strategic in
Value Creation and Development
Pascal Brassier Professor of Negotiation & Sales force Management - Head of the
Institute of Sales Development (France)
A recent article(*)1focusing on the dual
Developing customers’ value knowledge
process of creating and appropriating value
from the field.
in exchange relationships, has revealed
Research and managerial experience pro-
some interesting results about the effect that
vide mainly global ideas about value crea-
sales forces can have in translating the cus-
tion processes in the client relationship.
tomers’ desired value back into their firms.
However, we now need to identify and implement the individual roles, tasks and pro-
The results of the research paper could lead
cesses that sales forces have to undertake in
to changes in the role
order to create and im-
of the sales force in
prove sustained value for
value
and
clients, whilst at the
More
same time maintaining a
creation
appropriation.
in-depth
research
company’s profitability.
should be carried out
about the role of the
According to the re-
sales force in overall
search paper, a number
firm strategies and process development.
of things need to happen in order for this to
take place:
In B2B markets in particular, the value
creation for both clients and suppliers is a
- The misunderstanding between clients and
well known process where we can really
suppliers about what the customer’s needs
talk about value being co created. However,
are should be addressed. To do this, new
the role of salespeople is largely under-
methods which involve sales people are
estimated in strategic plans, where value
needed, such as qualitative research, brain-
creation and profitability is critical.
storming sessions with clients and develop-
1
(*(*)Blocker C.P., Cannon J.P., Panagopoulos N.G., Sager J.K., "The
Role of the Sales Force in Value Creation and Appropriation: New
Directions for Research", Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management, Vol. 32-1, Winter 2012, pp. 15-27.
Copyright (c) 2012
Article produced by the Academic Group of the European Marketing Confederation (EMC). All rights reserved
Images from Shutterstock.com, Central Image Copyright; VLADGRIN
ing customer value knowledge visualisation
- The monitoring of customers’ changing
techniques.
needs, anticipating these in order to create a
better long term relationship with the client.
- Effective use of qualitative research via a
CRM should take place as the most effec-
The era of customer value management
tive way of analysing not only numbers and
statistics relating to value creation, but
Of course, these processes are oriented
complex human processes linked with the
towards the longer term. But even with
client relationship too. The sales representa-
indirect return on investment for the busi-
tives will, most probably, be the best people
ness, they are viewed as necessary in the
to provide, use and disseminate this
eyes of the client.
knowledge.
In order to make sure that customer value
How can sales forces be active partici-
management remains at the top of the value
pants in the value creation process?
creation process, there needs to be a rebalancing of efforts developed before/after
The importance of the relationships built by
making deals with new clients. This is be-
sales forces with their clients shouldn’t be
cause the value created during the first
underestimated. Rather, they should be
phases of a client experience could be
viewed as a means to create and improve
deemed to be excessive and therefore useful
value. The personal interactions of the sales
to competitors!
force with various individuals such as purchasers, experts, influencers, can have a
There should also be a rebalancing of ef-
huge influence on the creation and devel-
forts developed among segments. Even if it
opment of value sharing. Some examples of
sounds rather ‘traditional’, it is important to
this include their influence on:
recognise and differentiate between the
- The implementation of cross-functional
management of low-high value customer
acts in their organisation and the sharing of
profiles as this remains complex for sales
value creation and appropriation processes
forces, in the current economic context.
with colleagues from other services;
- The focus on neglected sources of value,
There should be more emphasis placed on
relating in particular to client requirements,
non-economic strategic value because in-
product-service
depth sources of value such as shared inno-
deployment
or
deployment support; and
post-
vations, referrals from clients and collective
sales actions can be under-exploited.
Copyright (c) 2012
Article produced by the Academic Group of the European Marketing Confederation (EMC). All rights reserved
Images from Shutterstock.com, Central Image Copyright; VLADGRIN
These sorts of processes and actions need to
ness managers to help improve value crea-
become systematic, actively planned, and
tion and appropriation. These include un-
rewarded. This is because our current busi-
derstanding how clients form their initial
ness context is, more than ever, made up of
value judgement, how sales forces should
much shorter relationship life cycles,
influence that process and what kind of
competitive opportunities and cross-cultural
knowledge is involved/necessary to succeed
and globalised markets.
in it, as well as how to use current social
and spatial distances to build effective cli-
For this reason, the outcomes of the paper
ent relationships.
reveal invaluable new techniques for busi-
Professor Pascal Brassier
Professor of Negotiation & Sales force Management - Head of the Institute of Sales Development (France)
The full reference for this study:
Blocker C.P., Cannon J.P., Panagopoulos N.G., Sager J.K., "The Role of the Sales Force in Value Creation and Appropriation: New Directions for Research", Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management,
Vol. 32-1, Winter 2012, pp. 15-27.
Copyright (c) 2012
Article produced by the Academic Group of the European Marketing Confederation (EMC). All rights reserved
Images from Shutterstock.com, Central Image Copyright; VLADGRIN