Outsourcing sales, individually or as a team, can have an important contribution into leveraging business growth. The timing of the decision will depend, on the one hand, on the resources you currently have and, on the other, on factors such as the business model and commercial strategy, within the business plan for 2020.
Why outsourcing sales?
In a phase of business growth, resources can reach the limit of their knowledge, experience or capacity for action. Growing the sales team requires, from the outset, defining the level of investment and assessing associated risk. Do we want to recruit permanently? Do we have internal resources that can grow and take on the challenge? Should we consider looking for external talent, permanently or on a temporary basis or even project? As an example, in a phase of testing new products or internationalization, integrating an external resource, and for a limited period of time, may be the best option. It does not increase staff costs and charges, hence leaving the risk element on the supplier’s side.
When to outsource sales
Let’s start with a classic example: you have difficulty in finding a specific profile to recruit. Have been sent many CVs and did not find a good match. Looking to reduce the time-to-market and accelerate the entry of a new product, either on investment and/or growth phase. Well, Then you can expand your commercial capacity using an external resource. Will be able to define the respective level of involvement, depending on the need to take control of the process. You can integrate the resource as if it were your own. But, if you are in the context of testing and/or entering a new market (e.g. international), you can also hire a full service, in which your consultant specialist in sales management takes the lead in the process. Will be reporting into you any information as defined by contract.
Benefits of outsourcing sales
When you turn to an external consulting company, and hence a specialist in sales management, you acquire immediate experience. It has been accumulated over years in different industries. Experiences from other processes will add value and increase the chances of success. In other words, you will accelerate your performance by having access to the best specialists, integrating them into your organization throughout the process.
Impact
It reduces the management cost, having a global service on a single invoice, by including different services from the same supplier. Because with items such as recruitment consultancy, sales strategy and the integration and training of the new commercial element, you have access to a range of skills that will add on to your business. It will also simplify the process, even mitigating the risk. For example, if there is an unsuitable person, the consulting company will ensure immediate replacement.
What to consider when outsourcing sales
Have you defined clear objectives and plans? Do you have adequate in-house resources? Are there processes in place to integrate and train someone you are going to recruit? Also assess whether you have prepared internal leaders to ensure this new step. If you are at the limit of capacity, the test of the new product or service can be performed by an external team. You can, however, always keep under the guidance of your current team.
Assess whether you are prepared for outsourcing and whether you want to break free from absolute process control. You can thus focus on vision and strategy, as well as business skills and, as a result, leaving the execution of processes to specialists.
Outsourcing sales ensures minimal disruption, less risk and effective results. Of course, in a temporary context, functioning as if it were internal. You can even make the solution permanent, because you can integrate the commercial into your internal team.
In addition, a sales resource outsourcing can also be an excellent development opportunity for your people. The elements of the current sales force should be involved, because it generates an exchange of experiences and the possibility of assuming leadership roles.
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