RSS

(San Francisco, CA USA) BayGroup International, a leading global performance improvement firm, has helped underwrite an important Aberdeen Group research study, Sales Training: Deploying Knowledge, Process and Technology to Consistently Hit Quota.

The study, which examined 465 organizations' sales effectiveness, found that best-in-class companies deploy sales training in a number of different and important ways. These include an increased focus on executive sponsorship of training, more and better reinforcement of training content in the field, and added emphasis on the training of sales managers.

"Sales training continues to represent an investment that companies retain as a ‘must have' rather than a ‘nice to have,' as the realization that an educated, focused sales team is tantamount to success, even during a questionably healthy economic cycle," says Peter Ostrow, Research Director, Sales Effectiveness, Aberdeen Group, the report's author. "While spending cuts have helped enterprises reduce their expenses, only this team can refresh the gap between the bottom and top lines. Providing them with the processes, technologies and services to do so effectively remains the wisest strategy of all."

The report reveals what leading companies have been able to achieve through deployment of sales training solutions, such as:

• 14.8% average year-over-year increase in annual company revenue; compared to 3% decrease for other companies
• 7.2% average year-over-year increase in average deal size or company value; compared to a 2% decrease for other companies

"Aberdeen's new study is extremely valuable as a benchmarking tool for companies that want to implement sales training right...and get measurable results," says Gregg Crawford, CEO of BayGroup International. "Aberdeen's work reinforces many of the key tenets of our firm's work, especially in areas like strategic account mapping, sales execution, profitable customer negotiation, and the use of both live classroom and Web 2.0 training solutions to drive performance."

A complimentary copy of this report is made available until December 3, 2010, due in part by the underwriters, including BayGroup International. To obtain a complimentary copy, visit http://tiny.cc/AberdeenWebsiteDownload.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions. As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen or call (617) 854-5200, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748.

About BayGroup International

BayGroup International is a global performance improvement firm that helps corporate leaders reach critical business goals quickly, profitably, and with high impact. The firm helps its clients close the gap between expected results and actual bottom-line performance by embedding a powerful, management-driven discipline for building Pivotal Agreements - with customers, with suppliers, and between employees-that make or break business success. Since its founding in 1980, Baygroup International has built a select client list of major global corporations, focusing on the technology, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, transportation, consumer products, insurance, and financial services industries. For additional information, visit BayGroup International or call (415) 464-4400.

Contact: Paul Hennessey (paul@baygroup.com; 415-464-5316)

October 5, 2010