Page 75 - Plastics News Issue June 2025
P. 75
IN THE NEWS
is said within 10 days of interaction. After calls, progress against established goals and auto-
conversations or meetings, it is critical to have mate report generation based on desired out-
content provided that will support key discus- puts. Also, by creating metrics that measure ef-
sion points or service value. To drive further effi- fectiveness, such as conversion timing between
ciencies, many AI-based tools can create emails sales process stages, manufacturers are able to
with the desired message and tone, and can use keep a pulse on the overall health of their sales
existing content to drive more content, such as organizations.
using the information in a presentation for a blog
post or pre-event email blast – saving hours (and Talent Development
dollars) on original content development. It is mentioned above that less than 20% of manu-
Sales Process and Sales Operations facturers provide ongoing training. An additional
benefit to the building out of a sales technology
Using technology to structure, automate and strategy is the use of the data to enable sales
manage the organizational sales process is organizations and to develop talent. By better
hands down one of the most significant ways to understanding the health of sales organizations,
have an immediate impact on revenue growth. manufacturers are able to more effectively iden-
According to LinkedIn, on average only 30% of tify training needs, improve specific selling skills
a salesperson’s time is spent on selling activi- where required, provide guidance and optimize
ties. Typically, this results when the salesperson each customer’s engagement. Based on predic-
is having trouble with time management and tive analytics, sales leaders can uncover specific
does not know what to do next. For example, challenges, such as prospecting or discovery,
the salesperson spends too much time updating and personalize training programs based on in-
pipeline data or on unproductive activities that dividual performance to help improve specific
do not contribute to revenue generation. Sales skills. This also supports improved upfront client
technology can aid in these areas by creating dialogue by having the ability to analyze indi-
automated workflows based on activities and vidual sales performance, providing insights and
tasks required to advance opportunities through feedback to help salespeople refine their ap-
the sales process, which – when structured to proach.
align with what is required to assist prospects
through their buying journey – reduces the Here is Where the Journey Begins!
guesswork of what steps to follow when work- In order to reap the benefits that sales technol-
ing to close new deals. ogy can bring to a manufacturer, it must first es-
tablish a foundation built on structure, process
Sales technology not only optimizes how to sell,
but it also elevates the level at which organiza- and alignment in both its sales organization and
tions use data to drive more educated business overall organizational strategy, along with the
decisions. By leveraging technology, sales or- technology chosen to use. Even if a sales or-
ganizations can collect and organize customer ganization is working today, is it good enough to
data in a manner that allows them to analyze help grow revenue at scale?
and identify patterns that lead to winning deals, Frequently asked questions include: What are
utilize predictive analytic forecasting to monitor the first steps in implementing a new sales tech-
June 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 75
