Aligning Sales Competencies with Learning and Development

The Study

Richardson and Training Industry, Inc. conducted a survey of 288 companies across more than 14 industries that ranged in size from less than 100 to over 50,000 employees to examine organizations’

approach to identifying and developing the sales competencies that are most important in helping their sales teams be successful in

today’s, complex business landscape.

What is a Sales Competency?

The skills and foundational knowledge considered necessary for successful performance on the job.

Going deeper…

The skills and knowledge as they manifest on the job, subject to influence of the company culture and the business environment.

How are companies delivering these sales competencies through sales training?

Delivery Modalities

• 66% of companies surveyed said on-the-job training • 62% of companies surveyed said video-based learning• 90% of companies surveyed are using more than 1 modality to deliver sales

training

Why Every Organization Needs a Sales Competency Strategy

Are you targeting relevant sales skills in your training?The nature of the sales cycle is continuously evolving and your strategy needs to

reflect that.

Does your senior leadership team have insight into the sales skills that your team needs?

Feedback from sales managers, salespeople, and customers should factor heavily into strategic sales competency planning.

Gaps Between Effective Training & Competencies

The study found that the largest gap between effectiveness and importance was for the competencies of:

• Knowing the market • Understanding customer needs

• Effective presentation skills• Expanding current accounts

Main Findings from the Study

• 90% of companies surveyed are using more than one modality to deliver sales training, with the two most common being on-the-job training and video-based learning

• 68% of companies surveyed said that establishing customer relationships is the most important sales competency

• 50% of companies surveyed said the biggest challenge to effective training is consistency across departments

• The biggest gap between L&D Departments and Sales Training is consistency across employee functions and geography in sales training

Contact Us

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