CSO Insights Blog Posts

Last Chance for Inside/Telesales Survey

In February we released our 2010 Sales Performance Optimization (SPO) report and it has already been widely distributed and read. As a part of that survey, we also looked at Inside/Telesales and are continuing to gather data in this area for another couple weeks (Take the Inside/Telesales Survey Now!). The Inside/Telesales Performance Optimization (I/TSPO) report will be released the end of this month.

As we saw in this year's SPO, 2009 was a tough year on almost everyone (though there were some exceptional performers), and we'll be interested in seeing how inside sales fared. We will not know the answer to this question until we have all the data in, but already a preliminary look at the numbers reveals some interesting comparisons.

Closer Coordination with Marketing?

The number one overall sales effectiveness initiative for improvement for 2010 is Revising/Enhancing Our Lead Gen Programs. The chart below (Figure 1) shows that inside sales is significantly happier with leads generated by marketing than by field sales. It might be tempting to attribute this higher level of satisfaction with lower level requirements (i.e., smaller deal size, less complex opportunities, etc.). But could there be a more compelling reason?

Quality & Quantity of Lead Gen by Marketing

Figure 1

In our 2009 Lead Gen Optimization (LGO) survey-typically completed more by marketing types-respondents reported they generated one-third of all leads, while sales last year reported just one-quarter (24%) generated by marketing. Yet in Figure 2 below we see figures reported by inside sales nearly identical to these marketing reported percentages. More importantly, ten percent fewer leads are self-generated by inside sales reps than by field reps. This means the most expensive resources are being used to do among the least productive, albeit essential, activities. What gives?

Source of percentage of total leads

Figure 2

Higher Utilization of Technology

A possible alternative to the lower requirement assumption above might be higher technology adoption and utilization. Figure 3 shows that inside sales have implemented lead management systems at nearly twice the rate of field sales (33% vs. 19%) and has a higher percentage planning to do so in 2010. This is true not only of lead management but also sales analytics, sales knowledge management and sales force collaboration.

Lead Gen Mgt - Telesales, Field Sales

Figure 3

This should not be that surprising; after all inside reps are, by definition, inside-where systems, support and technology are a given. Inside reps are literally confronted by-and sometimes surrounded by-technology. By contrast, field reps are mobile, generally remote and often can be frustrated by a lack of immediate technical support.

So is this technology paying off? We will look to see the answer to this question in this year's responses. Take the I/TSPO survey now and be part of helping define the answer. As always, participants in the survey receive the subsequent report at no charge. And you will be able to download our current Sales Management 2.0 eBook immediately upon completing the survey.

Looking forward to having you or the appropriate person in your firm participate (Note: you'll need to be inside sales manager level or higher to answer many of the questions; individual reps will not have sufficient data to complete the survey.)

Sell Well,

Barry Trailer

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