The demands on companies are changing rapidly due to digitalization. Today's customers want to be served conveniently, directly, solution-oriented and accommodating at all times on all communication channels. Only flexible, fast and innovative sales and service departments will keep the customers willing to change and also get the young "digital natives" on board. This book is about practical agile working principles and methods, with the help of which you can make your sales department more innovative and agile as a bridge to the customer.
On the basis of agile leadership and team principles, you will be provided with custom-fit structures and frameworks to increase the agility of sales teams. How do you successfully implement agile frameworks and methods such as Kanban, Design Thinking, Shopfloor and OKRs in which sales area? Which prerequisites must be created for this? The basis for change is the common understanding and mindset of the decision-makers. The book offers thought models and numerous tips for action. A decisive factor is the strengthening of self-organization and assumption of responsibility through a different understanding of the role of management. Building on this, the book describes practicable agile structures and methods for developing sales and service teams in the direction of transformation and innovation capability.
Target group are managing directors, sales managers, executives, consultants and employees from the areas of service and sales.
Author(s): Claudia Thonet
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 253
City: Wiesbaden
Foreword
Preface
Contents
List of Figures
Introduction
References
1: Basic Thoughts on Agility in Sales
1.1 Common Understanding as a Foundation
1.2 What the Agile Manifesto Means for the Sales Department
1.2.1 Individuals and Interactions
1.2.2 Functional Products
1.2.3 Cooperation with the Customer
1.2.4 Adaptation to Change
1.2.5 Implementation Possibilities in Sales and Distribution
1.3 The Three Sides of the Coin Agility
1.3.1 One Side of the Coin: Conventional View
1.3.2 The Other Side of the Coin: Complementary View
1.3.3 The Third Side: The Dynamics of Duality
References
2: The End of Sales as You Know It Today
2.1 What Buyers Really Want Today
2.1.1 B2C Customers
2.1.2 B2B Customers
2.1.3 Expectation Versus Performance
2.2 How Much Agility Is Already in It?
2.3 The Contradiction of Requirements
References
3: The Distribution of the Future
3.1 Value Creation from the Customer’s Point of View
3.2 Offering Digital Solutions Instead of Selling Products
3.2.1 Transparency
3.2.2 Human Care
3.2.3 Individuality
3.2.4 Commitment and Appreciation
3.3 Offline Selling 4.0
3.4 Customer Care: Service Center 4.0
3.4.1 The Future Demands on Customer Service
3.4.2 From Call Slave to Expert for the Customer
3.4.3 Agile Service Teams
3.5 Learning from Others
3.5.1 Elizitation: Working Out the Strategy of the Model in Small Steps
3.5.2 Utilisation: Adapting the Strategy to the Product and Culture
3.5.3 Installation: Learning and Adopting the Utilised Strategy
3.6 Models: You Can Learn Modern Customer Loyalty from These Companies
3.6.1 Amazon
3.6.2 Team Bank: EasyCredit
3.6.3 OBI DIY Store
3.6.4 Nike
3.6.5 Thomann
3.6.6 HP Inc.
3.6.7 BestSecret
3.6.8 PayPal Versus Paydirekt
3.6.9 Zalando
3.7 New Strategies for Customer Retention
Responding to Requests
3.7.1 Curated Offers
3.7.2 Being a Coach
3.7.3 Automated Conversion
3.7.4 Conveying Exclusivity
3.7.5 Offer Appreciation
References
4: What Hinders Change
4.1 The Six Errors of Reasoning
4.1.1 The Linear Fallacy
4.1.2 Incorrect Centre of Gravity or Repair Service Behaviour
4.1.3 Non-observance of the Remote and Secondary Effects
4.1.4 Central Reduction, Encapsulation
4.1.5 Vague Objectives, Conflicting Objectives
4.1.6 False Hypotheses
4.2 The Four Resistors
4.2.1 Dysfunctional Resistance
4.2.2 Resistance of Interests
4.2.3 Overload Resistance
4.2.4 Objection Resistance
4.3 The Competition Syndrome
4.4 Association and Collaboration
4.5 How to Remove the Obstacles
References
5: Agile Culture Change in Sales
5.1 The Three Cultural Levels
5.1.1 First the Culture, then the Structure
5.1.2 Against the Downward Spiral
5.2 The Lighthouse Model
5.2.1 The Basis: Why Do We Exist?
5.2.2 What Is Our Self-Image/Identification?
5.2.3 What Do We Base Our Actions On?
5.2.4 Which Roles with Which Competences Do We Need on Board?
5.2.5 How Do We Rebuild for Change?
5.2.6 What Effect Do We Create in Our Environment? What Contribution Do We Make to the Vision?
5.3 What Does a Modern Sales Strategy Look Like?
5.3.1 Balanced Scorecard
5.3.2 Objectives and Key Results (OKR) and Balanced Scorecard
5.3.3 Sales Strategy Canvas
5.4 What Do the Twelve Agile Principles Mean for Sales?
5.5 The Three Horizons Framework
5.5.1 Horizon 1: Optimise and Strengthen Current Distribution
5.5.2 Horizon 2: Innovate and Change Distribution
5.5.3 Horizon 3: Renew and Explore
5.6 The Four Altitudes of Agility
5.6.1 Flight Level 1: Operational Team Level
5.6.2 Flight Level 2: Coordination and Interface Level
5.6.3 Flight Level 3: Organisational Level
5.6.4 Flight Level 4: Inter-organisational Level
References
6: How to Rebuild and Use Swarm Intelligence
6.1 From Individual Fighter to Team Player
6.2 Storytelling: Transformation Stories You Can Learn From
6.2.1 Haier: The World’s Largest Producer of Household Appliances
6.2.2 Vodafone Customer Service
6.2.3 T-Mobile US
6.2.4 Swarovski
6.2.5 Bosch
6.2.6 PayPal
6.2.7 Zalando
6.3 Hybrid Model: Six Steps to an Agile Core Team
6.3.1 Let’s Start
6.3.2 Set-Up: Forming Agile Nuclei
6.3.3 Complex Tasks
6.3.4 Freedoms and Competences
6.3.5 Role and Team Building
6.3.6 Agile Expertise
6.4 Think Big: Holistic Transformation
6.5 Scaling According to the Spotify Model
References
7: Self-Organized Teams
7.1 The Five Competence Areas of Teams
7.1.1 Team Spirit and We-Culture for High Identification
7.1.2 Trust and Openness for Constructive Communication
7.1.3 Responsibility and Commitment for Sustainable Target Achievement
7.1.4 Cooperative Attitude and Self-Image for Consistent Self-Reflection
7.1.5 Rules and Structures for Smooth and Effective Operations
7.2 These Five Disruptive Fields Block Teams
7.2.1 Lack of Identification with the Sense of Purpose and Sense of We
7.2.2 Fear of Conflict
7.2.3 Avoiding the Assumption of Responsibility
7.2.4 Lack of Self-Esteem
7.2.5 Structure Creates Behaviour
7.3 Roles Instead of Positions
7.3.1 Causes of the Role Phenomenon
7.3.2 Task-Related Roles
7.3.3 Behavioural Roles
7.3.4 Role Canvas
7.4 Agility Level: How Agile Are We as a Team?
7.5 How You Decide in a Team
References
8: How Does Leadership Work in the Sales of Tomorrow?
8.1 Synergetic Team Leadership
8.1.1 Difference Management
8.1.2 Resource Management
8.1.3 Structural Management
8.1.4 Process Management
8.1.5 Development Management
8.1.6 Reflection Management
8.2 Competence Fields of Agile Leadership or the End of Narcissists
8.2.1 Giving Meaning and Orientation
8.2.2 Designing a Framework for Self-Organisation
8.2.3 Removing Obstacles and Coaching
8.2.4 Stimulating Consistent Reflection
8.2.5 Networking and Learning New Things
8.3 The Five Types of Leadership
8.3.1 The Conventional One
8.3.2 The Performer
8.3.3 The Cooperative
8.3.4 The Flexible
8.3.5 The Holist
8.4 Agile Leadership Principles in Sales
References
9: The Agile Sales Coach
9.1 Internal or External Sales Coaches?
9.2 Building a Good Foundation
9.2.1 Role Clarity
9.2.2 Strengths Orientation
9.2.3 Building Trust
9.3 The Coaching Process
9.3.1 Preparation Phase
9.3.2 Warm-Up Phase
9.3.3 Information Gathering Phase
9.3.4 Reflection Phase
9.3.5 Transfer Phase
References
10: How to Use Frameworks and Agile Methods from the Idea to the Roll-Out
10.1 Overview of the TPDCA Cycle
10.2 Think New: Frameworks and Methods for Innovation
10.2.1 OpenSpace Agility Framework
10.2.2 Vision and Strategy
10.2.3 Objectives and Key Results: OKR
10.2.4 Design Thinking Framework
10.2.5 Design Thinking Brainstorming
10.2.6 Walt Disney Walk
10.2.7 Create Persona
10.2.8 Empathy Map
10.2.9 Service Design Thinking
10.2.10 Customer Journey Map
10.2.11 Prototyping
10.3 Plan: Frameworks and Methods for Planning
10.3.1 Teamcanvas
10.3.2 Delegation Board and Poker
10.3.3 Planning Meeting
10.3.4 User Stories
10.3.5 Prioritize
10.4 Do: Frameworks and Methods for Implementation
10.4.1 Kanban
10.4.2 Shopfloor 4.0
10.4.3 Scrum
10.4.4 Daily/Weekly
10.5 Check and Act: Frameworks and Methods for Testing and Adaptation
10.5.1 Review
10.5.2 Retrospective
10.5.3 Management Strategy Board
References
Closing Words
