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Sales
Became
a
Mass
Production
Process
By
Andrs
Hurtado
Pimienta
There
is
a
common
consensus
between
business
people
about
the
concept
of
sales
as
a
process.
It
means
sales
are
a
set
of
components
interacting
on
a
sequence
of
tasks
executed
between
provider
and
customer
looking
for
the
value
interchange
customer
wants
satisfaction
of
some
specific
needs
and
provider
wants
the
recognition
of
the
value
generated:
incomes
and
reputation.
The
sales
system
to
capitalize
on
a
decisive
competitive
edge
is
composed
of
several
components.
We
can
define
each
one
of
them
through
the
answer
to
the
following
questions:
1)
To
Whom?
It
implies
the
Target
Market
Definition,
2)
What
to?
It
means
Detailed
Offer
Design
and
3)
How
to?
It
means
Sales
Execution
Process
and
Expand
Client
Base.1
Sales
execution
system
component
includes
a
process
that
could
be
defined
in
general
terms;
for
example:
initial
contact,
interest
development
and
closing
deal
and
you
will
find
specific
details
of
each
step
from
business
to
business.
The
sales
opportunities
flow
through
this
process.
Inside
sales
teams
very
often
you
will
find
that
an
excellent
sales
person
one
who
maintains
the
bests
results
for
the
organization
-
is
able
to
generate
and
maintain
a
significant
flow
of
opportunities
inside
the
sales
process,
guiding
customers
through
the
specific
steps
required
to
move
them
from
the
ignorance
(about
the
company
value
offer)
to
closing
deal.
For
some
reason
the
established
notion
of
sales
as
a
process
is
missed
when
we
ask
for
the
details
to
execute
each
one
of
the
required
steps.
We
can
find
different
sales
people
executing
in
a
different
way,
different
tasks,
inside
the
same
organizational
sales
process.
Some
curious
managers
could
find
themselves
asking
something
like:
What
kind
of
effects
could
be
generated
for
the
organization
as
a
whole?
Is
that
phenomena
something
good
(or
bad)
for
the
performance
of
the
organization
as
a
whole?
Every
company
needs
to
achieve
results.
Results
beyond
boss
expectations
are
better
for
all
the
employees.
When
time
passes
expectation
increases,
when
time
passes
and
results
are
achieved
(or
not)
expectations
increase
even
more.
The
sales
system,
which
is
under
the
Sales
Directors
responsibility,
must
turn
into
the
engine
that
produces
good
profitable
sales
in
a
full
synchronization
with
all
the
other
functions
inside
the
company.
The
Sales
Director
has
the
responsibility
to
generate
expected
sales
results.
To
do
it
he/she
must
to
ensure
the
short-term
results
and
at
the
same
time
he/she
needs
to
prepare
his/her
people
to
be
successful
by
themselves.
Otherwise
when
results
expectations
increase
sooner
or
later
results
could
be
constrained
maybe
by
him/her.2
See
the
standard
RRR
S&T
from
Goldratt
Consulting.
On
this
S&T
you
will
find
the
detailed
description
of
the
sales
system
structure.
This
paper
presents
some
experiences
and
learning
obtained
through
RRR
S&T
adaptation
on
some
companys
reality.
2
There
are
some
cases
when
Sales
Director
is
a
good
sales
person
that
was
promoted
somewhere
in
the
past.
Now
the
sales
person
has
a
better
position
inside
the
company,
and
also
has
the
responsibility
to
achieve
the
aggregate
results
of
all
the
people
he/she
has
under
responsibility.
However,
are
the
abilities
required
to
sell
the
same
abilities
required
to
guide
a
sales
team?
1
Managers will unavoidable be thinking about questions like: How much time did I require to develop my own sales abilities? Which should be the required lead-time to develop a new good sales person? Do we have the training process to do it? Does the company have the required time to train sales people? In this context from the Sales Director perspective a real challenge starts to appear: The main objective is prepare company for continuous growing A Prepare company for continuous growing In order to prepare the Company for continuous growing Sales Director must develop a sales system. B A Develop a Sales Prepare company for Machine Sales continuous g rowing system At the same time, in order to prepare the Company for continuous growing the Sales Director must ALSO work to ensure the short-term results achievement. C A Ensure the short- Prepare c ompany f or term results continuous growing
The challenge arises when in order to develop a sales system the Sales Director must focus his attention and the sales team attention on the SALES SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT It means to train people, improve the processes, and ADOPT A NEW SET OF ACTIONS ON REALITY. While at the same time In order to ensure the short term results the Sales Director must focus his attention and the sales team attention on the SALES SYSTEM FLOW It means act to keep things moving; MAINTAIN THE CONVENTIONAL ACTIONS ON REALITY. D B Focus attention on sales system Develop a Sales development - (Adopt a new set of actions Machine on reality) D C Focus attention on Sales System Flow Ensure the short- (Maintain conventional actions on reality) term results This presents a dilemma: If the sales team MAINTAINS THE CONVENTIONAL ACTIONS ON REALITY they will be jeopardizing the sales system development. At the same time, if sales people ADOPT A NEW SET OF ACTIONS on reality they will be jeopardizing the short-term results development. The Sales Director Dilemma: D Focus attention on sales system B development - (Adopt a new set of Develop a Sales actions on reality) Machine A company for Prepare continuous growing D C Focus attention on Sales System Flow Ensure t he s hort- (Maintain conventional actions on term results reality) 3
Direction of the Solution How to overcome the previous dilemma? First we need to define the criteria that an effective solution must satisfy. In this case the solutions MUST: 1. Be Simple and Practical This should be the criterion for all the improvement initiatives. It does not mean easy to implement (maybe we might need practice to use it) 2. Ensure the short term results 3. Ensure the development of a sales system 4. And finally be a clear element to prepare the company for continuously growing in the future. Second we need to define how to solve the previously defined dilemma. To solve it we start by the fact that the dilemma exists because of some erroneous assumptions we are making about reality. To develop the solution we need to discover those assumptions and then define the new set of assumptions we will be using to approach reality. Inside the dilemma we think: Focus attention on sales system development (Adopt new set of actions on reality) is in conflict with Focus attention on Sales System Flow (Maintain conventional actions on reality) because: 1. New actions inside a previously defined process means uncertainty 2. The actions required to develop are different than the actions that ensure the flow. 3. Focusing on development requires time and space that is in conflict with focusing on the flow. 4. Changing the sales process will generate uncertainty on the short-term results. 5. We cannot ensure the short-term results and build the sales system at the same time. If we can offer sales people a framework that ensures that: 1. We can reduce the uncertainty that exists when we take new actions inside a predefined process. 2. Actions that ensure the flow can also develop the system 3. Time used to ensure the flow is the same to develop the system 4. The new actions required to improve the system will not jeopardize the current positive aspects If we can find the way to achieve the sales system development doing it through the short-term results achievement then we could significantly improve the current reality. We will overcome the dilemma. (And maybe we could find additional benefits: A better understanding of the training process to prepare salespersons, a better understanding about the lead time required to do it, as well as a better understanding of the required profile for each role inside the sales system). In this article you will find some ideas about the initial suggested version of the framework in which the ales execution system could be designed and continuously improved. 4
How to overcoming the dilemma part I Basic Definitions Lets start with the following concept: Which is the role of a manager?3 The role of a professional manager is to ever improve the performance of the system under their responsibility. When you are a sales person inside a company this means that your role is to ever improve the performance of your level and quality of sales. This is applicable on each organizational level, from the sales director to each sales team member. Director results are the aggregation of each sales team members specific results. Very often every sales person has a budget to achieve. Annual or month-by-month sales people need to achieve some number. Ever improve the performance of the system under their responsibility means to understand that the actions to be implemented should always go beyond expectations. The numerical meaning of improvement is to continuously overcome the budget. The logical meaning of improvement is to be able to cause the desired effects inside the sales process, which will cause the numerical impact. So the objective is to develop a mechanism to allow us to focus on causing effects always that go beyond the numerical expectations. In the standard RRR S&T on entity 4.12.3 Sales Execution, we find the sufficiency assumption: To ensure that a complicated, large task can be performed on mass production scale, art should be turned into robust processes4 The Sales Directors main function is to offer to his/her people a simple and practical process to stimulate the flow inside the sales system, some mechanism that allow them to convert sales in a mass production process. How to do it?
3 4
See Ever Improve - A guide to managing production the TOC way. Oded Cohen. See RRR S&T entity 4.12.3 Sales Execution.
How
to
overcome
the
dilemma
part
II
How
to
make
it
operational
Starting
a
sales
flow5
and
continuously
improving
it.
1. Process
Structure6
a. Steps
-
Not
having
a
detailed
sales
process
may
lead
to
suggesting
the
wrong
next
step
or,
even
worse,
trying
to
push
a
prospect
to
close
the
deal
too
soon,
which
typically
results
in
losing
the
deal.
Due
to
this
assumption
we
need
to
ensure
that
the
sales
process
is
effectively
executed
and
the
way
to
ensure
it
is
defining
what
the
company
must
do,
at
which
stage,
how,
with
whom
and
by
whom
in
order
to
bring
an
identified
prospect
from
ignorance
to
closing
a
deal.
This
is
a
generic
sales
process
example
defined
through
the
S&T
guide:
Step
Initial
Contact
Requirements
identification
Samples
development
Objective?
Raise
interest
on
the
company
offer
Establish
the
platform
for
the
value
based
relationship
Confidence
development
about
the
capabilities
to
deliver
what
required
Present
evidence
about
the
cost
and
benefits
Obtaining
a
frame
work
to
work
in
the
future
(More
opportunities)
How
to
do
it?
Develop
and
prepare
a
raise
interest
presentation
Develop
and
obtain
consensus
around
the
action
plan
to
build
the
relationship
Assume
commitments
along
the
process
and
effectively
deliver
what
promised
Prepare
the
financial
analysis
of
the
solution
(Why
is
win-win?)
Develop
and
obtain
consensus
around
future
potential
common
business
Tools
RRR
S&T
step
5.123.2
Mastering
the
core
Prerequisites
Tree
With
whom?
Buyer
Buyer
Marketing
Buyer
Marketing
By
whom?
Sales
person,
Sales
Director
Sales
person
Design, Production, Quotation or other functions inside the organization Financial Throughput Accountings Prerequisites Tree
Buyer
Buyer
b. Flow Measurements Now we have the steps and the sequence between them. What should be next? If we are looking for a framework to be able to continuously improve the flow through the sales system then we should define how to measure the status of the process. If we measure the status of the process then we can focus our efforts in order to understand the GAP and then define how to close it. How to do it? Lets go back to the basics:
See
RRR
S&T
entity
5.123.3
Sales
Process
Execution
and
also
see
RRR
S&T
entity
5.124.1
Pipeline
Management.
The
objective
with
this
paper
is
to
share
some
learning
about
the
experience
obtained
trying
to
persuade
companies
to
implement
the
logic
described
in
this
S&T
steps.
6
See
RRR
S&T
5.123.3
Sales
Process
Execution
to
deeper
level.
5
Each sales step7: 1. Is part of a bigger process 2. Can be deeply detailed. 3. Requires incomes, executes changes in the sales opportunities that flows through them and generates outputs 4. We can estimate the required time to execute it 5. We can focus our attention on deciphering how to execute it in a better form. It means we can decipher the required logic to accelerate the flow through it.
BIGGER
PROCESS
Sales
System
Outputs Deliverables Actions that will cause an expected effect on the sales process
DETAILED STEPS
DETAILED STEPS
What
do
we
need
to
understand
in
order
to
improve
the
flow
through
the
sales
system?
What
would
happen
if
we
knew8:
1. Income
rate
At
which
speed
are
opportunities
arriving
to
the
system?
2. Hit
Rate
At
which
speed
are
we
making
things
effectively
flowing
through
the
sales
system?
3. Loss
Rate
At
which
speed
are
we
loosing
opportunities?
See
Dr.
Holt
Operations
materials.
Intro
to
Theory
of
Constraints.ppt
Special
reference
to
Cartmont
Mauricio
Herman,
Sergio
Valencia
and
company
sales
team.
All
these
concepts
and
measurements
have
been
rigorously
worked
inside
this
Viable
Vision
implementation.
More
detail
on
Less
is
More
article
by
Mauricio
Herman
and
Rami
Goldratt.
8 7
4. Process
of
Ongoing
Improvement
(POOGI)
Why
cant
we
have
more
speed
or
more
effectiveness
inside
the
sales
process?
Causes
for
Disruption
to
the
Sales
flow
(Paretto
analysis).
5. Average
time
and
standard
deviation
How
is
the
histogram
of
the
permanence
of
each
sales
opportunity
on
the
system?
6. Current
opportunities
status
We
have
an
estimate
of
the
expected
required
time
to
ensure
the
flow
of
the
opportunity
inside
the
system,
so
we
can
measure
the
status
of
each
opportunity
compared
with
the
standard.
We
can
build
the
priority
system
using
the
buffer
penetration
and
the
colors
code.
We
can
see
how
much
opportunities
are
consuming
less
than
33%
of
the
buffer
(Green
status)
or
between
33%
and
66%
(Yellow
status),
or
between
100%
and
66%
(Red
status),
or
more
than
100%
(black
status)
to
decide
how
to
prioritize
the
effort
of
the
sales
people
in
the
day-by-day
activities.
Each
one
of
these
variables
can
be
included
in
the
sales
information
system
with
almost
no
profound
changes
in
the
sales
system
architecture
or
in
the
sales
system
ways
of
operation.
Causes
of
Flow
Disruption:
Events
Incomes
Rate
How
many
opportunities
are
you
generating?
(Per
unit
time)
Loss
Rate
How
many
opportunities
are
you
missing?
(Per
unit
time)
Hit
Rate
How
many
opportunities
are
flowing?
(Per
unit
time)
Sales Process Actions that will cause an expected effect on the sales process GREEN YELLOW RED and BLACK signals
Outputs Deliverables
Quantity
and
Speed:
main
variables
in
a
sales
system
What
do
we
need
to
create
a
sales
flow?
Sales
are
a
process.
Through
this
process
we
will
see
flowing
opportunities.
In
order
to
create
an
opportunities
flow
we
need
to
have
quantity9
It
means
events
waiting
for
the
flow
-
and
speed
it
means
movement
through
the
process.10
If
we
can
ensure
the
required
QUANTITY
on
good
sales
opportunities
and
we
can
ensure
that
these
opportunities
will
flow
at
the
expected
SPEED,
then
the
sales
system
will
flow
quickly
and
we
will
increase
the
probabilities
of
consistently
going
beyond
the
expectations.
The
objective
of
the
mechanism
is
to
ensure
both
QUANTITY
and
SPEED
on
the
sales
opportunities
along
the
sales
system.
Neccesary
Condition
1:
Necessary
Condition
2:
SPEED
QUANTITY
Events
to
Movement
inside
the
system
flow
through
the
system
Controlling
chaos
inside:
the
main
measurements
of
the
sales
system11
One
common
fact
in
the
sales
execution
measurement
is
the
budget
accomplishment.
Did
you
achieve
what
we
tell
you?
Are
your
sales
going
up
compared
with
the
previous
period
of
time?
If
the
answer
is
yes,
you
can
relax
somewhat.
If
the
answer
is
no,
you
will
need
a
very
good
(convincing)
explanation.
This
mode
of
operation
causes
the
sales
people
to
work
within
a
binary
mode.
I
am
good
or
I
am
not
good.
Sales
people
focus
their
efforts
on
the
budget
accomplishment
and
understanding
the
process
will
be
in
second
place.
Before
you
can
improve
any
system
you
must
listen
to
the
voice
of
the
system
(The
voice
of
the
Process).
Then
you
must
understand
how
the
inputs
affect
the
outputs
of
the
system.
Finally
you
must
be
able
to
change
the
inputs
(and
possibly
the
system)
in
order
to
achieve
the
desired
results.
This
will
require
sustained
effort,
constancy
of
purpose,
and
an
environment
where
continual
improvement
is
the
operating
philosophy.
Read
the
Viable
Vision
Reliable
Rapid
Response
S&T
Goldratt
Consulting.
You
will
find
how
to
answer
three
main
questions
inside
a
sales
system
to
generate
sales
opportunities
1)
Sell
to
whom?
Target
Market
Definition.
2)
What
to
sell?
URO
Offer
design.
3)
How
to
sell?
Sales
execution.
10
Read
Less
Is
More
article
by
Mauricio
Herman
and
Rami
Goldratt.
You
will
find
a
clear
description
of
how
to
implement
the
four
basic
flow
concepts
inside
the
sales
system.
11
This
part
of
the
proposal
is
based
on
Understandig
Variation
The
Key
to
Managing
Chaos
by
Donald
J
Wheeler.
I
highly
recommend
the
techniques
described
in
this
book.
These
are
a
simple
and
practical
alternative.
9
Comparing numbers to specifications will not lead to the improvement of the process. Specifications are the Voice of the Customer, not the Voice of the Process. The specification approach does not reveal any insight into how the process works. In order to understand and differentiate which data is noise and which is a real signal from the system we can use simple and practical techniques to register, present and read the data collected inside the sales process. In order to understand the Voice of the Sales Process you need: 1. 2. 3. 4. Collect a series time data Put data in a Process Behavior Chart Build the Natural Process Limits Make the logical interpretation of the current status of your system a. Is the system under statistical control?
You can find detailed information about how to understand the behavior of the process in Understanding Variation The Key to Managing Chaos by Donald J. Wheeler. Here you will see some examples of how these techniques could be used in the sales system. Summary What do we have until now? 1. We defined the concept of a manager inside the sales system 2. We defined sales process structure and flow measurements 3. We defined the QUANTITY AND SPEED as the main variables to control inside the sales system execution. 4. We defined how to read the sales system signals what is noise, what a real signal is and what to do in both cases. The next challenge: How can we organize all these tools in a coherent, simple and practical process?
10
How
to
overcome
the
dilemma
part
III
-
Developing
the
habit
of
being
working
inside
a
new
sales
framework
Step
One:
Maintaining
the
global
perspective
of
sales
results
Which
is
the
current
GAP
between
the
expected
and
real
results?
Tendency
of
results.
Required
Data
generated
from
the
information
system
Example:
Budget vs Real Results
July January February March April May June
300 Budget 100 200 220 300 300 400
Real 150 100 150 200
150 Avrg 150 150 150 150 150 150
208 LSC 208 208 208 208 208 208
92 LIC 92 92 92 92 92 92
100
mR 10 2 8 0 10
22 mRavrg 22 22 22 22 22
71 LSmR 71 71 71 71 71
Current
status
of
the
sales
system
-
Incomes
behavior:
500
400
300
200
100
0
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Variability:
100
50
0
1
2
3
4
5
11
Step
2:
Which
the
nature
of
the
GAP?
Why
does
the
GAP
exist?
1. Do
you
need
QUANTITY?
2. Do
you
need
SPEED?
3. Do
you
need
both
of
them?
Each
one
of
the
variables
will
require
a
different
set
of
actions
to
be
solved.
Lets
assume
that
we
found
that
we
have
problems
on
both
the
variables
of
QUANTITY
and
SPEED.
Step
three:
Once
we
can
identify
the
nature
of
the
GAP
(quantity
or
speed
problems),
the
next
question
is,
How
to
close
it?
The
answer
suggests
actions.
Something
to
do
with
the
idea
of
improves
the
short-term
results.
At
the
same
time
this
analysis
can
show
the
root
things
that
should
be
solved
in
order
to
ensure
the
generation
long-term
results.
This
is
especially
important
because
it
allows
us
to
establish
that
the
final
deliverable
of
all
this
work
should
be
a
list
of
things
to
do.
Which
is
the
tool
we
can
use
in
order
to
register
all
these
actions?
Our
schedules!
The
first
step
to
build
a
sales
person
schedule
is
to
CHOKE
THE
RELEASE.
It
means
avoid
the
effects
of
bad
multitasking.
This
is
a
contra
intuitive
initiative
but
once
analyzed
and
implemented
the
results
are
tremendous.12
Once
we
have
taken
action
to
avoid
the
negative
effect
of
bad
multitasking,
we
can
suggest
that
our
sales
people
schedules
should
ALWAYS
be
oriented
to
ensure
the
quantity
and
speed
(movement)
of
the
sales
opportunities
inside
to
the
sales
system
to
the
extent
that
each
one
of
the
sales
people
can
achieve
(overcome)
the
expected
results.
Ensuring
the
Quantity
and
Speed
inside
the
sales
system,
is
this
enough?
No.
We
can
obtain
another
benefit.
In
the
schedule
we
can
include
the
POOGI
for
sales.
We
can
ensure
that
the
sales
people
are
constantly
devoting
time
and
attention
to
how
to
improve
the
variables
in
the
sales
process
that
are
causing
disruptions
to
the
sales
flow.
With
this
system
we
can
identify
the
main
causes
of
disruption
that
are
provoking
the
loss
of
opportunities.
Once
these
causes
are
identified,
it
should
be
relatively
easily
to
find
alternatives
to
correct
them.
So
the
final
deliverable
is
a
schedule
that
simply
and
practically
defines
the
actions
that
will
ensure
the
quantity,
speed
(movement)
and
continuous
improvement
for
the
sales
system.
See
Less
is
More
Article.
Mauricio
Herman
and
Rami
Goldratt.
There
you
will
find
details
about
choke
the
release
inside
sales
system.
12
12
What should it look like?13 Monday Quantity action 1 Quantity Action 2 Speed Action 1 Speed Action 2 Tuesday Quantity action 3 Quantity Action 4 Wednesday Thursday Quantity action 5 Speed Action Quantity 3 Action 6 Friday POOGI POOGI Quantity action 7 Quantity Action 8 Saturday POOGI
This
should
be
the
schedule
of
a
sales
person
for
one
specific
week.
On
it
you
should
read
the
estimate
of
the
effects
that
will
be
caused
by
the
actions
executed
by
the
sales
people.
Remember
that
for
speed
actions
the
sales
people
will
need
the
collaboration
of
all
the
staff
in
the
company.
In
these
terms
the
schedule
not
only
will
be
useful
for
the
sales
people
but
also
for
the
rest
of
the
company.
This
schedule
completes
the
framework
we
are
looking
for.
The
simple
and
practical
framework
is:
We
need
to
understand
the
GAP
magnitude
between
current
and
expected
results,
then
we
need
to
understand
the
reason
that
explain
these
results
behaviors
it
means
deciphering
the
nature
of
the
GAP;
so
that
can
determine
what
to
do
in
order
to
close
it.
Finally
lets
see
some
suggestions
to
use
this
framework
it
in
the
day-by-day
of
a
sales
system
How
to
implement
the
process
in
reality?
(One
alternative)
Managers
must
work
together.
In
business
we
use
meetings
as
a
way
to
analyze
and
define
actions
to
intervene
in
the
system.
At
the
same
time
meetings
can
become
in
a
great
tactic
to
miss
the
managerial
capacity.
In
order
to
avoid
that
loss
of
managerial
capacity
we
can
use
the
Full
kit
for
meetings14
concept.
It
means
we
can
define
some
policies
to
conduct
the
meetings
between
the
management
team.
The
main
components
are:
1. Meeting
objective
2. Meeting
deliverable
to
evaluate
if
the
meeting
was
successful
or
not
3. Estimate
of
the
time
required
4. Time
to
start
and
time
to
finish.
5. The
process
that
will
be
used
in
order
to
conduct
the
meeting.
Step
by
step
definition.
6. Required
preparation
that
must
be
done
by
the
attendees
BEFORE
the
meeting.
13 14
Here I recommend the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. I accessed to this Full Kit for the Meetings concept through Alejandro Fernandez from Goldratt Schools.
13
We
can
use
this
Full
Kit
concept
in
sales
meetings
to
ensure
the
effectiveness
of
the
managers
interaction.
Here
is
a
proposal
of
how
to
do
it:
1. Weekly
Sales
Meeting:
Objective:
Define
the
required
actions
to
synchronize
the
effort
from
the
each
sales
team
member
and
the
other
company
functions
to
cause
the
biggest
possible
short-term
result.
Deliverable:
A
common
schedule
to
cause
all
the
required
desired
effects
inside
the
company.
Duration:
30
minutes
for
each
sales
person.
Time:
Defined
case
by
case.
Process:
We
will
be
answering
the
following
questions:
1. Do
we
have
a
GAP?
2. Why
do
we
have
it?
3. How
can
we
close
the
GAP?
The
result
will
be
a
sales
person
list
of
tasks
that
should
be
implemented
to
ensure
Quantity
and
speed
of
the
opportunities.
Remember:
To
implement
these
tasks
sales
person
WILL
require
help
from
other
entities
inside
the
organization.
This
is
the
base
to
synchronize
Sales
with
all
functions
inside
the
company.
2. Weekly
Sales
and
Logistic
Meeting:
Objective:
Define
the
required
actions
from
other
company
functions
to
synchronize
the
efforts
to
achieve
the
movement
of
the
critical
opportunities.
Deliverable:
Specific
commitments
from
other
functions
in
the
company.
Duration:
1:
30
minutes.
Time:
Defined
case
by
case.
Process:
We
will
be
answering
the
following
questions:
1. Which
opportunities
are
significantly
penetrated
along
the
sales
system?
2. What
is
the
Logistical
commitment
to
move
them?15
The
result
will
be
specific
commitments
from
other
areas
to
move
the
critical
opportunities
along
the
sales
system.
15
14
Practical
Exercise:
This
is
the
sequence
of
questions
to
schedule
the
work
of
sales
people
during
the
week:
1. Which
is
your
GAP?
This
moth
(July)
we
need
us$80k.
We
already
have
us$25k
on
hand.
Today:
July
10
20
days
left
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
Budget
Real
Avrg
LSC
LIC
$
30.000
$
35.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
$
20.000
$
19.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
$
40.000
$
37.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
$
30.000
$
30.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
$
30.000
$
27.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
$
40.000
$
30.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
$
80.000
$
25.000
$
29.000
$
52.053
$
5.947
mRange
Mrange
Avr
LSC
mR
90000
80000
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
$
16.000
$
8.667
$
28.340
$
18.000
$
8.667
$
28.340
$
7.000
$
8.667
$
28.340
$
3.000
$
8.667
$
28.340
$
3.000
$
8.667
$
28.340
$
5.000
$
8.667
$
28.340
GAP
January February
March
April
May
June
July
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Do you have something on transit inside Production? Yes I have us$30k. So the GAP is us$25k. 15
Do you have some opportunities inside the sales funnel? Yes I have us$40k more, but I do not have 100% Hite Rate. I have a 35% Hit Rate. 2. Have you identified the nature of your GAP? Yes, I have a quantity and speed problems. a. Quantity I do not have enough opportunities to ensure the short term results to July, August and so on. b. Speed There are some opportunities that are not flowing as fast as required. I am losing some of them because of several delays! 3. From this perspective we can develop actions from the sales process to a. Logistic process We need to be sure we will deliver what is inside the production system. i. Which opportunities are in Production? Are some of them jeopardized in deliveries?16 b. Support and approval Areas (As design) To ensure the movement of the sales opportunity along the sales steps. i. Which opportunities are inside the pipeline? What do you need to do in order to move them? c. Sales person activities Meetings scheduling looking for new sales opportunities. i. Which customer do you need to touch in order to find more opportunities? Are you prepared to do it? What kind of help or support do you need from Sales Manager? The end result is a group of tasks in which we are synchronizing the resources to stimulate the flow through the sales person system. Each action has a specific expected deliverable in terms of causing a specific effect on the speed and quantity variables. SALES SCHEDULE EXAMPLE Cause and Effect relationships between sales person (and company functions) actions and quantity and speed sales system variables.
16
See Ever Improve Oded Cohen. Buffer Management and recovery actions.
16
This is a schedule example. Two comments: 1. As a consequence of this weekly exercise we can achieve that sales people start to predict the expected results. So all the week you will have the sales people focused on fulfill their initial expectative. 2. Please look that the main idea is not to ensure that sales people will be scheduled all that available time during the week. What we need to ensure is sales people efforts will be done in order to ensure quantity and speed of good opportunities on the sales system. This effort will be objective achievement focused.
17
Then we implement the actions, evaluate results and make the adjustments. This cycle can be executed again and again. Using this simple process in a daily base will help us to build the system. Analyzing the results and making adjustments will improve the sales process flow and at the same ensure the short-term expected results. Are the criteria previously defined completely satisfied? What will be the effects of having these sales system components available? Can we expect positive effects on the short-term results from this day-by-day sales management? Could this framework be useful to reduce the required lead-time to train new sales people? We are currently working on reality testing to validate if we can generate a clear cause and effect relationship between this mode of operation and the consistency on results. Criteria: 1. Be Simple and Practical This should be the criterion for all the improvement initiatives. It does not mean easy to implement (we might need practice to use it) 2. Ensure the short term results 3. Ensure the development of a sales system 4. And finally be a clear element to prepare the company for continuously growing in the future. In your eyes, following this guide, from your experience, could be these criteria be satisfied? Next steps Use this process in reality, evaluate the results and make the required adjustments to ever improve the approach sales team can address reality. What I have learned is that using the 4 universal flow concepts in sales systems represents a breakthrough to organizations. I firmly believe that we can find a mechanism to ensure the consistency of results in sales generation. I would like to use this opportunity to develop a communication channel with all of you. I hope we can interchange questions and thoughts about TOC. Please feel free to contact me on andres145@une.net.co We still have a lot to discover, learn and understand in order to apply and teach this to others. So lets do it! 18
Acknowledge to: I cannot share with you this effort without acknowledge to all the people that have been helping me on my TOC journey: Eli Goldratt - You are constantly drawing the map Alejandro Fernandez & Luz Marina Schotborgh You teach me how to read it. Rami Goldratt - James Holt Oded Cohen Stewart Witt Javier Arevalo Michael Demere Rolando Di Silvio & Alan Barnard - You share with no limits. Mauricio Herman & Sergio Valencia You are sources of inspiration in real field. I really learnt A LOT from each one of you. Creatum S.A especially to Alfonso Velez & Esteban Xibille As part of my current team. Goldratt Group & TOC-ICO community Special thanks to my new good friend Samuel Edelstein - You helped me a lot to overcome the language barrier on a record time. For all of you thank you very much Andrs Hurtado
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