PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INDUSTRY
IMPROVEMENT IN CRITICAL SALES SKILL #5: GAINING COMMITMENT SKILLS
GAINING COMMITMENT is the ability to complete sales calls with a commitment that moves the sales process forward. The Application data shows that prior to training, 64% of sales calls end without the salesperson asking for a commitment. Since the ability to gain commitment is key criteria for hiring salespeople, it appears that nearly two-thirds of salespeople are not doing their job. Training remedied this with a whopping 120% improvement in salespeople Asking for Commitment.
REMARKABLE FINDINGS ABOUT GAINING COMMITMENT SKILLS IN THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INDUSTRY
- Both Knowledge and Application showed very similar gains to the Universe in the skill of Asking for Commitment.
- Sales performance improvement and training ROI was dramatic in Professional Services based on the substantial improvement in Gaining Commitment skills.
The Professional Services Industry started with similar pre-sales training skills as the Universe. Because they were superior learners, their skill gains from sales training were higher than the Universe. Key skills that showed high levels of improvement include: Sales call Planning (117%), Presentation Skills (112%) and Gaining Commitment (130%). With an overall Application gain of 89%, an investment in sales training is clearly in the best interest of any organization in the Professional Services business.