Sales process management

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A sales process describes the linking of a series of ( sales ) stages / activities to achieve a defined work result, usually "x" (precisely defined) contracts. The planning, organization, implementation and control of such sales processes is known as sales process management and is part of business process management .

Process understanding of sales

“Selling” is a multi-part, complex process. For a better understanding, it is helpful to distinguish between the primary processes and supporting processes . The aim of performing primary processes is to conclude the purchase. As part of the process definition, the sub-processes to be carried out by sales are planned and implemented. Primary processes can also be linked directly to the marketing automation campaign management. If the sales / sales force is responsible for the acquisition and selection of prospect / customer addresses, the primary processes begin with this sub-process. This is usually the norm in the business-to-business sector.

The supporting functions are either mandatory prerequisites for sales work, e.g. B. customer data management or correspond to the classic routine and administrative tasks of sales, such as B. Expense Report. They are also summarized under the term of sales automation and then divided into administrative, analytical and contact support tasks.

Differentiation of the processes

In sales process management, it is defined with which customers or customer groups and which products these sales targets are to be achieved. First of all, it is important to distinguish whether new customers are to be won or whether the activities relate to existing customers. In the second step it must be determined which groups should be differentiated and processed according to their value. In the case of existing customers, it is then necessary to determine what exactly is to be achieved. You have the following options:

  1. Stabilization of the existing business relationship for the next period
  2. Cross-selling activities
  3. Increase in the delivery rate
  4. New product launch

The most important sales processes in practice are new customer acquisition, new product introduction, increasing the delivery rate, cross-selling.

literature

  • H. Ackerschott: Strategic sales management. Gabler, Wiesbaden 2001, ISBN 3-409-38960-1 .
  • Christian Gündling: Sales process management. In: W. Pepels: B2B-Handbuch Operations Management. Symposion, Düsseldorf 2009, ISBN 978-3-939707-47-9 .
  • H. Dannenberg: Sales Marketing - How strategies learn to run. Luchterhand, Neuwied 1997, ISBN 3-472-03212-X .
  • M. Huckemann, W. Bußmann, H. Dannerberg, M. Hundgeburth: Sales Process Management . Luchterhand, Neuwied 2000, ISBN 3-472-03854-3 .
  • Peter Winkelmann: Sales conception and sales control. Vahlen, Munich 2005, ISBN 3-8006-3234-9 .