Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions. For example, solicits customer feedback and data; conveys a clear understanding of the level of service the team is providing; takes action when standards are not met by team; aligns business process with customer needs.
Applies knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization’s goals. For example, leverages insights to shape and drive critical initiatives. Shares industry developments with the team; helps them grasp business and industry fundamentals and understand how they contribute.
Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. For example, asks questions to encourage others to think differently and enrich their analyses of complex situations. Accurately defines the key elements of complex, ambiguous situations.
Sees ahead to future possibilities and translates them into breakthrough strategies. For example, provides a clear picture of the organization’s vision and strategy and what the team needs to do to realize them. Develops longer-term strategies that capitalize on the organization’s distinct capabilities and emerging trends in the market.
Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. For example, enlists a range of stakeholders to add value; ensures they are well informed and surprises are avoided. Confronts and challenges “us vs. them”; shows strong appreciation for others’ efforts toward shared goals.
Applies expertise to act as an authority to acknowledge a client’s indifference and gain agreement from the client to discover the root causes of resistance.
◆ Understands Customer Needs
Applies expertise to act as an authority to articulate the customer needs in the customer’s business language and business context.
◆ Understands Issues/Motivations
Applies expertise to act as an authority to quickly identify and accurately articulate why a client does or does not want a change based on their business objectives and challenges.
◆ Customer-Focused Approach
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to orient the seller’s organization around delivering to the key needs of their customers.
◆ Initiates Compelling Sales Conversations
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to propose a mutually agreed-upon agenda to start sales conversations that offer value to the client.
◆ Knows the Buying Influences
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to accurately identify and understand the key buying influences pertaining to an opportunity.
◆ Manages Buyer Indifference
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to acknowledge and ask questions to understand the circumstances surrounding client indifference.
◆ Understands Buying Influencer Needs
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to quickly and accurately define the needs of the key buying influencers.
Applies comprehensive knowledge to act independently while providing guidance and training to others on using clear and effective verbal communications skills to express ideas, request actions and formulate plans or policies.
◆ Maintains the Relationship
Applies expertise to act as an authority to continuously provide effective solutions and value to the client’s organization.
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to quickly and effectively establish trust within the buying centers in the client’s organization.
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to explore the depth and breadth of a problem, draw out the implications of not changing, and help clients self-discover and articulate the value of a solution.
◆ Navigates Customer Challenges
Works at an advanced level to navigate conversations in which the customer is frustrated or unhappy with the organization. Typically works independently and provides guidance.
◆ Questions Strategically
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to uncover clients’ explicit needs and/or unforeseen opportunities and challenges.
◆ Strengthens Customer Connections
Works at an advanced level to connect with customers to strengthen the relationship, meeting personal needs through positive customer experiences. Typically works independently and provides guidance.
◆ Account/Client Management
Applies expertise to act as the organizational authority on managing client accounts in a way that provides benefits both for the organization and its clients.
Applies expertise to act as an authority to grow the value of the account through cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.
◆ Strategic Planning and Analysis
Applies expertise to act as an authority to help the client prioritize their business objectives and challenges.
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to arrive at mutually beneficial commitments that help move the sales/client relationship forward.
Acts independently to apply comprehensive understanding of the business environment and objectives developing solutions while providing guidance and training to others.
◆ Diagnoses Needs with Questions
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to ask questions that encourage the client to talk openly about their key objectives and challenges.
◆ Effectively Presents Solutions
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to clearly present solutions that link directly to the key objectives and challenges important to the client.
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to work independently while providing guidance and training to others on maintaining high performance while applying a change mindset to the planning, execution and monitoring of business activities during times of change.
◆ Negotiates Strategically/Tactically
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to facilitate the commercial details of an opportunity such that both parties are satisfied with the value gained.
◆ Planning and Organizing
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to work independently while providing guidance and training to others on planning, organizing, prioritizing and overseeing activities to efficiently meet business objectives.
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to carefully prepare for client interactions using established frameworks.
◆ Understands the Buying Process
Uses comprehensive knowledge and skills to act independently while guiding and training others to align the client’s sales process with their organization’s sales process, including the key influencers/sales team members when appropriate.
Master’s Degree or Equivalent Level
Substantial general work experience together with comprehensive job related experience in own area of expertise to fully competent level. (Over 6 years to 10 years )
Experience of planning and managing resources to deliver predetermined objectives as specified by more senior managers (Over 3 years to 6 years)