Process matters. If you don't follow a solid opportunity management process routinely, you’ll miss important signs that could end up killing deals. Too often sales teams have vague conversations about the most challenging issues in opportunities. We’d like all sales teams to learn how to get to the heart of the matter. Roger White, Sales Operations Manager at Level 3 Communications, EMEA, and our AVP Sales, Tim Foster explain how to surface deal vulnerabilities and wring every drop of value out of your opportunity management process.

1. Opportunity Management:

2. © The TAS Group 2014
Roger White
EMEA Sales Operations Mgr.
Tim Foster
AVP Sales EMEA
Maureen Blandford
EVP Marketing.

3. Agenda
• Why Opportunity Management Fails
• How to get the Data you need
• The most critical Question
• Manager Effectiveness
© The TAS Group 2014

4. Why Opportunity
Management Fails?
© The TAS Group 2014

5. © The TAS Group 2014

6. Gap# 1- The Process Gap
Impact
Analysis Awareness Evaluate Accept Implement
of Need
Qualify & Discover Collaboration Commit Implement Business
Development
© The TAS Group 2014
Buyer Decision Stages
Sales Process Stages
Operations
& Planning
Solution
Customer
is here
You
are here

7. Gap #2 – The Coaching Gap
© The TAS Group 2014
TIME
Buyer
Sophistication
Effectiveness
Of Sales Rep
SOPHISTICATION
Manager Coaching:
Close the Gap

8. Gap #3 – The Strategy vs Execution Gap
© The TAS Group 2014
Strategy
Objections
Execution
Evidence
Key Players
Actions
Follow
Up
Business
Case

9. How to Get the Data
You Need?
© The TAS Group 2014

10. Opportunity Management Framework
Assess the
Opportunity
© The TAS Group 2014
Test and
Improve the Plan
Turn Ideas
Into Action
Develop the
Relationship Strategy
Define the
Competitive Strategy
1
2
3
4
5

11. The Most
Critical Question?
© The TAS Group 2014

12. © The TAS Group 2014
“ “ You can only sell
a solution after you
find the problem.

13. Manager Effectiveness

14. © The TAS Group 2014

15. Why Was it Worth It?
• Increased performance in teams – top teams outperform
other teams by some 40%
• Improved performance in New Hires over previous years
• Improved Retention in New Hires
• Better reporting capability
• Leading a culture change from individual to collective
• Better focus on core sales skills development
• Creating an environment of peer to peer learning
© The TAS Group 2014

16. Where to Start?
Sales Execution
Sales Management Customer Insight
© The TAS Group 2014
Organizational Impact
1. Poor qualification
2. Extended /slipped sales cycles
3. Late stage deal surprises
4. Price pressure / High discounts
5. Poor team collaboration
1. Poor pipeline visibility
2. Inaccurate sales forecasts
3. No common sales language
4. Resources applied to wrong deals
5. Long ramp-up time for new hires
1. Manager involved late in the deal
2. Quarter-end fire drills
3. Managing not coaching
4. High rep turnover
5. Low % reps achieving quota
1. Buying process not understood
2. Customer challenge unknown
3. Buyer controls the sale
4. Limited Key player access
5. No customer verifiers

17. Thank You!