Strategizing the sales organization

This paper sets out to provide a managerial framework into which new research findings and company characteristics can be fitted for executives implementing the changes that will develop a strategic sales organization. We propose a framework to identify the important though inter-related issues to be considered by executives in managing the sales organization transformation process. This framework examines two sets of issues: immediate managerial concerns in the strategizing process, and broader organizational consequences. Managerial concerns close to the strategizing process include: involvement in business and marketing strategy decisions; intelligence as a basis for added value; integration of cross-functional contributions to customer value; internal marketing of customer priorities to internal departments and employees; and building the new types of sales organization infrastructure that will support a new strategic role. Broader organizational consequences to consider include: inspiration or leadership at several levels; influence over important issues of strategic direction; integrity in ethical standards and corporate social responsibility initiatives; and, an international perspective on managing sales and customers.