Getting Your Inside Sales Initiative Right

Two companies going through a large merger brought ESG in to advise them on how to converge their separate go-to-market strategies into one cohesive strategy. They knew they would benefit from outside insight and wanted to ensure that their next moves would lead to long-term growth. We sat in on their initial meeting and listened as they discussed passing an inside sales initiative to their customer service reps.  

This perspective made sense for several reasons; the customer service reps understood the customers, the product, the pricing, and were already set up to make calls. But, because of the insight we had from working with similar M&As, we knew this would not be effective. We pushed back and said that this was not going to work. 

If they wanted this strategy to be effective, then they needed to rethink their approach. Professional inside selling is unique and nuanced, and your customer service reps are not the right people for this initiative. Build this as a strategic asset to the company, or you’re wasting time and money.

Our recent partnership with a B2B service company demonstrates that an inside sales initiative is not only possible, but profitable in today’s shifting marketplace.

Real World Results

After implementing the new strategies, we’d equipped this company to attain more sales, create more revenue, and streamline the company’s core processes. The staff was now optimized to handle inside and outside sales initiatives while adapting to a hybrid work-from-home model. 

With a solid action plan in place, company goals are now attainable and they are finally able to move forward towards success. This new momentum empowers the company for even greater growth and provides the capacity to adapt to new markets and challenges as they appear.

The Future Belongs to Those Who Adapt

Our team has architected and delivered world-class inside selling capabilities for decades. Let us learn about your challenges, and offer insights as to the optimal transformation path to achieve best-in-class through a combination of top talent, bulletproof business process, and technology that attracts and retains the very best sales professionals and customers.

Author

Mark Newhall

Founder of ESG

Other Blogs
February 13, 2018Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a strategy execution-focused consultancy,  is pleased to announce the appointment of ESG’s Chief Financial Officer, Jodi Mercer, to the Emily Griffith Foundation Board of Directors for a three-year term (2018-2020).   Mercer joins the Emily Griffith Foundation Board with more than 17 years of senior executive and distribution industry experience in both field and corporate finance and accounting. She currently serves as CFO of ESG, responsible for long term financial planning compliance and reporting and treasury functions.  Prior to ESG she was Vice President / Corporate Controller for Renewable Energy Systems Americas and held numerous financial leadership roles with  CRG West, Corporate Express and Clopay Corporation.   In addition to her finance background, Mercer is the Treasurer and Secretary of the Making Strategy Happen Foundation, the charitable arm of ESG, and volunteers as a mentor with Women’s Bean Project, one of the Foundation’s partner organizations. She is actively involved with a number of animal welfare organizations as well. “We are delighted to have Jodi join our Board of Directors,” said Alby Segall, President of Emily Griffith Foundation. “Jodi brings nearly two decades of financial expertise as well as previous foundation board experience to our Board of Directors and her skills and experience will be valuable to help us meet our Foundation goals.” “I am passionate about the Foundation’s purpose to provide resources to ensure opportunity for all who wish to learn,” said Mercer. “I truly admire the thought leadership on the future of workforce development and feel we’re at an inflection point right now. By joining the Foundation Board, I want to help drive our leadership nationally in this space, while championing workforce education.” Emily Griffith Foundation provides financial support to Emily Griffith Technical College which enables the school to keep its tuition rates one of the lowest in the state while providing cutting-edge education in growing industries.   About ESG Based in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex integration, transformation, and innovation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past two years (2016 and 2017), ESG leaders have managed hundreds of integrations across all functional disciplines including sales, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, real estate, technology, human resources and finance to deliver disciplined program design and execution. Clients include Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Staples, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com About Emily Griffith Foundation Our financial support of Emily Griffith Technical College (EGTC)  enables the school to keep its tuition rates one of the lowest in the state while providing cutting-edge education in growing industries.  Our innovative work ensures students have the support they need to succeed — both inside and outside the classroom. As a result, EGTC students enjoy one of the highest completion (89%) and job placement (81%) rates in the state. 100% of EGTC students benefit from our support, which allows every student to graduate without student loan debt. For more information, visit www.egfoundation.org   ESG Media Contact: Jennifer Levasseur (720) 235-0816 x399 mediarelations@esgimpact.com   Emily Griffith Foundation Contact: Alby Segall 303-520-4962 asegall@egfoundation.org [...] Read more...
August 8, 2017Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is pleased to announce the expansion of its executive advisory team with the appointment of Jay Mutschler.  Mutschler brings a proven track record of dealing with business challenges and improving performance in sales and profitability growth through building brands, invigorating teams and transforming underperforming businesses into thriving ones. Mutschler’s distinguished career includes senior executive roles around the world with Staples, Corporate Express, US Office Products, Office Depot, and Eastman Office Products Corporation. Most recently, Mutschler served as President of Staples’ High-Growth Markets, where he developed emerging markets in Asia Pacific and Latin America.  An iconic leader in the office products industry for more than 30 years, in 2011 he was honored by the City of Hope with their prestigious Spirit of Life Award for his business and philanthropic accomplishments. “I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Jay since he joined Corporate Express’ senior executive team in 2001. Much of the ESG value proposition we deliver to clients today is based on my close work with Jay and his Corporate Express / Staples executive team,” said Mark Newhall, Founder and CEO of ESG. “I am thrilled to have Jay bring his transformative leadership experience to ESG and to our clients.” “Having spent my career dealing with large, complex organizations where addressing integration issues following acquisition required complex business transformation, I’m excited to share my knowledge and expertise with ESG client leaders,” said Jay Mutschler, Senior Partner of ESG. “I’m anxious to start working with clients leading turnarounds and transformations, driving organization and cultural change, opening new and emerging markets, revitalizing marketing and sales strategies, maximizing organizational effectiveness, re-engaging employees and elevating performance.” Throughout his career as a senior executive in roles such as President, CEO and Board Director, Mutschler has been the chief architect of successful business transformations for multiple companies in multiple countries and is an expert in post-merger restructuring and integration, as well as an advisor to boards, private equity firms, and venture capitalists. About ESG Based in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex integration, transformation, and innovation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past two years (2016 and 2017), ESG leaders have managed hundreds of integrations across all functional disciplines including sales, merchandising, supply chain, marketing, real estate, technology, human resources and finance to deliver disciplined program design and execution. Clients include Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Staples, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com   ESG Media Contact: Jennifer Levasseur (720) 235-0816 x399 mediarelations@esgimpact.com [...] Read more...
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January 6, 2021Career sales professionals know that January 1st marks a new set of expectations, a new start, the beginning to a new selling year. It is the classic kickoff for “What have you done for me lately?” when our results from the prior year are just that – last year’s results.  Our budget or quota from the last year are a memory as we start anew with our goals for the year at hand.   But 2020 has been far from a normal year.  Some sales people benefited greatly from the COVID-19 pandemic and had the best year of their career.  (Don’t you wish you sold face masks and sanitizer this year?)  E-commerce companies had a boom year as people hunkered down at home and ordered online.  Restaurants with drive throughs enjoyed record lines as they passed perfectly measured orders through a window with no refills and no loading up on condiments and napkins.   For some though, 2020 was much more difficult.  Funnels dried up and prospects became harder and harder to reach.  Deals dragged out as prospects by the score said “We’re putting this on hold for now.”  We embraced Zoom and Teams and all manner of virtual options as we tried to stay connected with our customers and prospects.  And for some, they thankfully embraced the hall pass that was the virus.  “How can we be expected to deliver results in the middle of this?”  Things will bounce back as we get through this and as the vaccine rolls out.  Hope springs eternal.  But hope is not a strategy and hope is not a plan.   The best and the brightest realized early on that 2020 will shape sales as we know it for years to come.  Just as schools and students are adapting to “blended learning,” we must adapt to blended selling.  There will be many companies who see the current virtual environment as a very productive way to engage with their partners.  There will be some who yearn to be back face-to-face.  And there will be others who will choose to execute with a blended approach.  As sales leaders it is our responsibility to head into the new year, the new sales campaign, with a strategic plan that understands today’s realities while preparing for what is to come.  And it is our responsibility to make certain we deliver what is expected in 2021.  Because our hall pass has expired. At ESG, we are supporting our clients through the complex projects we are all tackling during this time of change. We would welcome the opportunity to learn more about your current business challenges and determine where ESG can provide support.   —By Ed Carr, Senior Sales Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness Consultant, ESG Based in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex post M&A integration and digital transformation objectives. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past five years (2016-2020), ESG clients include Advance Auto Parts, Bridgestone, Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com Printer Friendly Version [...] Read more...
October 11, 2021Execution Specialists Group (ESG), a strategy execution-focused consultancy, today announced that serial entrepreneur and technology business leader Andrew Morgan has been appointed a Principal Consultant with the firm and will lead the practice in the areas of Sales Effectiveness, Operations and Go-To-Market Strategy. Morgan joins ESG with more than 25 years of experience providing employees with opportunities to deliver individual, team, and corporate objectives that drive growth and achieve excellent revenue performance. He comes to ESG from his work as a senior executive strategy advisor where he assisted and advised private companies and private equity firms on pre-acquisition due diligence, corporate growth and transformation strategies, innovation process and execution, investor relations, and sales enablement growth strategies.  Morgan has also held executive positions at RedCloud Content (President and Chief Executive Officer), ECI Software Solutions (President, Distribution Division), Pantheon Spinal (Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder),  and Red Cheetah Software (Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder). He serves on several boards of directors including Chairman of the Seton Fund Board of Trustees.  “Andrew’s work as the senior executive of multiple software companies has resulted in significant earnings growth, responsible cost containment, rapid adaptation, and a legacy of high-performing teams,” said Mark Newhall, Founder and CEO of ESG. “Which translates to a great fit to add to the overall value we deliver our clients and we’re excited Andrew is joining our team.” About ESG Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex innovation and transformation objectives. ESG relentlessly focuses on delivering meaningful client outcomes and leaving behind a culture of execution. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms for six years running in the areas of Business Strategy and Supply Chain Management, ESG clients include Advance Auto Parts, Bridgestone, Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target Corporation, Whole Foods, and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com Media ContactJennifer Levasseur720.235.0816 x399mediarelations@esgimpact.com Printer Friendly Version [...] Read more...
January 27, 2021Technology decision makers will remain front and center as business models continue to evolve, while the promise of launching mass COVID-19 vaccination programs start to gradually materialize throughout 2021.  Technology decisions made in 2020 to survive the initial throes of the pandemic are not sufficient to sustain a new normal.  A combination of legacy and new technologies must be architected into innovative solutions capable of running business operations with greater interoperability, while also increasing resiliency and scalability. Achieving this level of innovation dramatically elevates the imperative of aligning leadership cross-functionally, since interoperability, resiliency and scalability are never accomplished in a vacuum by individual leaders.  Decentralized remote workforces make leadership alignment more challenging, especially when management remains concerned about the fundamentals such as productivity and collaboration at all levels of the organization. Many companies already reached an innovation inflection point in 2020, where the focus on these fundamental concerns around productivity and collaboration shifted strategically to designing new business models enabled largely by innovative digital solutions.   Many more companies will reach this inflection point in 2021.  Wherever companies sit on the continuum of meeting this inflection point, the magnitude of fresh thinking and true cross-functional alignment and advocacy within senior leadership will be determining success factors. As a result, companies are restructuring to emphasize the criticality of creating a permanent senior leadership role to orchestrate an innovation vision and culture to optimize opportunities in the new normal.  The profile of this innovation leader is not rooted in information systems, neither legacy nor cloud.  A customer centric mindset bolstered by direct business operations experience sits high on the list of key attributes for these roles.  These leaders are afforded the leeway to reimagine new pathways for their companies, unencumbered with returning to the pre-COVID normal. The freedom to reimagine what game-changing innovation means in a post-COVID normal will be tempered by heightened levels of complexity from multiple directions –  people, processes and technologies.  Optimizing existing assets, squeezing every bit of value to maximize effect and making it work will likely remain core tenants as these new leaders pursue their innovation mandates to unlock value as an unprecedented post-COVID period starts to unfold in 2021. ESG listens, learns and shares expertise as committed partners focused on achieving results for companies as they pursue transformation of all kinds.  We would welcome the opportunity to learn more about your current business challenges and determine where ESG can provide support. —By Mark Newhall, ESG Founder and CEO Based in Denver, Colorado, Execution Specialists Group (ESG) is a strategy execution-focused consultancy with extensive global experience engaging with client senior leadership to plan and deliver on complex post M&A integration and digital transformation objectives. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s “Top Management Consulting Firms” for the past five years (2016-2020), ESG clients include Advance Auto Parts, Bridgestone, Caesars Entertainment, Gordon Food Service, Office Depot/OfficeMax, Target Corporation, Whole Foods and more. To learn more about ESG, visit www.esgimpact.com Printer Friendly Version [...] Read more...