What We Owe Each Other in Sales

Occasionally, it is helpful to remember what we owe each other. The sales force has an obligation to their company, and the company has an obligation to its sales force. Both salespeople and their companies owe their clients a number of things. When any of these obligations are not kept, we end up with all kinds of problems. An awareness of what we owe each other can help us prevent issues and address areas where in need of improvement.

What Sales Owes the Company

Some might suggest that the sales force owes the company clients, but this alone does not accurately describe this obligation. The sales force owes its company deals that possess certain characteristics:

1. The client must not only benefit from its purchase, but also certainly achieve the outcome they need.
2. The client must have a set of realistic expectations that the sales organization can deliver. This includes internal changes the client will need to make, and an understanding of the learning curve the sales organization will need to produce results.
3. The client must agree to a price that allows the company to invest in the relationship and also realize a profit.
4. The contacts at the client must be mature business partners who will work with the sales organization to ensure that both parties succeed. This means the sales force has an obligation to turn away immature and nightmare clients.
5. The sales force owes it to their company, to stand up for the strategic outcomes they will deliver to the client.
6. The salesperson who wins a deal must arrange a handoff that will ensure the sales organization knows what they need to do to take care of their client.

What the Company Owes the Sales Force

A company owes its sales force a number of things that enable them to make the contribution they need. These obligations are especially important when a sales organization is pursuing growth and net new revenue.

1. One of the most important things a sales organization owes its sales force is development that ensures that they are effective enough to win new deals and net new revenue.
2. The company also owes the sales force a product or service that will improve their prospective clients’ results. The solution does not need to offer an extreme advantage over the competition. In a time when everything has been commoditized, this is too much to expect.
3. The company also owes the sales force a territory and prospective clients who will benefit from buying what the company provides.
4. The company must ensure that they can effectively execute the offered solution once the sales force signs a contract. When the company fails to execute, the salesperson is harmed.
5. The company also owes the sales force an update on how they are performing for the client and how they are addressing any challenges or obstacles. No salesperson should get a call from a client who isn’t getting the results they need. The operations team at the sales organization must provide this information before a client complains to the salesperson.
6. A customer success function protects salespeople’s time. Operational problems that belong to the company must be addressed by operations so the salesperson can spend their time selling instead of troubleshooting.

What the Client Owes the Company

It’s important to pursue clients that will see the sales organization as a partner in the outcomes they need. You want to work with contacts that are collaborative, even when there is conflict. This includes the following obligations.

1. A fair price that allows the sales organization to execute and produce the results everyone needs. The price must allow the company to make investments so they and their client can continue to improve.
2. The client also owes the company fair terms. Large companies often take advantage of smaller service providers by setting unfair terms, especially related to payments and setting one-way risk that places an unfair burden on the sales organization.
3. The client also owes the sales organization communication that allows them to deliver results. The better and more timely the communication, the easier it is for the company to execute for the client.
4. Clients are obligated to partner with their providers when addressing problems and challenges that emerge as their business world changes.

What We Owe Each Other

The two essentials for all of these relationships are communication and a commitment to solve problems together. The better the communication, the better the relationships. By being committed to solving problems, you eliminate the conflict and the blame that can harm your relationships. It’s best to assume that the other party has good intentions, until it is proven otherwise.

We must remember what we owe each other and act on that. This is an antidote to the idea that “sales is the engine.” Instead, think of sales as the pistons; without the rest of the engine, you are going nowhere fast.

The more you and your teams respect these obligations, the more growth and success you will find. When there is conflict around what we owe each other, it is best to work though the problem with the principal outcome being each group giving the others what they need to execute well.

Leaving this article, you should make a list of what you owe others. You might also make a list of asks you might make of your company and your clients, opening the possibility of improving things, and being willing to learn what you need to do to be a better partner.