Skeleton versus Skin

Which part of a sales (and distribution) operation should be the healthiest? The skeleton or the skin?

I am not in the medical field, but logic suggests, and talking in layman terms, that the body requires a strong skeleton of bones and joints more so than the health of the skin. How does this apply to a sales organisation?

An emerging trend in the Middle East sales organisations is the need to become more process-driven. With the challenging outlook to business in 2016, in my view, process improvements in sales organisations are key to succeed in uncertain times by leveraging cost savings and sales improvements in new and different ways. Process give you these options. A lack of robust process undermines the ability to meet the challenges facing us.  

As proof of this emerging trend, I am partnering with a number of client organisations whose primary focus is process improvement. 2016 is the year of process before skill building. But implementing and improving process is in itself a challenge; only becoming sustainable with commitment and behaviour change.

In sales organisations there are multiple examples of the application of process, from the simple to the very complex. But the focus on capability improvement centres on ‘skill building’ which is the equivalent of taking care of the skin without paying attention to the strength of the skeleton. The body may look healthy, but weaknesses lie under the surface.

How healthy is your sales organisation?

• Does the sales (and distribution) operation follow Lean principles? Does it respond to the market with speed, minimizing direct and indirect costs?
• Are there clearly defined, documented processes? Are SOP’s tracked and measured?
• Are the sales community process-oriented people? Do they recognize, adhere to, and embrace process?

Personally, I am not a process junkie, but I see the opportunity to build or re-engineer sustainable sales (and distribution) processes everywhere I go. If the answer to any of these three questions is a “no”, then skill-building (dealing with the skin) will have less ROI without the means to support skills adoption – the process.