Mercuri International global survey reveals secrets of how the top performing companies maximize sales

The world’s largest sales performance consultancy, Mercuri International, has published its latest global survey – Sales Excellence 2012 – that indicates how top performing companies optimise sales, and what poor performers are doing wrong.

“The survey clearly shows what it takes to maximize your sales, grow your market share and stay at the top of your segment” says Ola Strömberg, CEO at Mercuri International.

The survey is based on responses from 1,150 interviews with sales executives. It was conducted in July and August 2012, in 23 countries, with 15 industries represented. The report is the second of its kind undertaken by Mercuri International. The first was published in 2006.

The Importance of Teamwork

The report shows that “teamwork sales” have substantially grown in importance since the 2006 survey. Top performing companies are twice as likely as poor performers to concentrate both internal and external resources on customers, with greater role flexibility and delegation being critical determinants for success.

Strategies for success

The survey also finds that well-defined sales strategies are another element that drives sales success, with eight out of the top ten performing companies having such mechanisms in place.

Process orientation

Companies with a strong sense of process orientation also tend to be among the top performers. The study suggests that more than 70 per cent of the best performing companies had well-defined and detailed sales processes.

Listening to customers

The report also highlights the importance of closely monitoring customer sentiment, with 76 per cent of successful companies conducting official annual customer surveys. For less successful companies, this proportion falls to 40 per cent.

In the survey, respondents were asked to agree or disagree, on a scale from 1 to 7, to statements on a series of subjects. The answers of the top performers were then compared with those of the lowest performers, with the greatest difference being the Top 10 Sales Excellence drivers.

The report explores several areas, including companies’ internal corporate culture, sales management leadership and the extent to which, and how, sales processes are organized.

Industry sectors surveyed in the report include finance, mineral resources, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction, consumer goods, engineering, manufacturing, media, medical technology, software, technology, telecommunication, transportation/logistics and utilities.

Further details of the study can be found at http://www.mercuri.net/content/sales-excellence-survey-2012

PRESS CONTACTS

Ola Strömberg, CEO Mercuri International Group
Email: ola.stromberg@mercuri.se
Telephone: +46 (0) 8 705 29 29 | Mobile: +46 708 119 906

Elisabet Kark Ringmar, Global marketing director Mercuri International Group
Email: elisabeth.ringmar@mercuri.se
Telephone: +46 (0) 8 705 29 00 | Mobile: +46 707 60 30 40