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This was a primary question for leaders at Skillsoft, an EdTech Firm committed to global sales transformation. Skillsoft partnered with Force Management on a multi-year engagement crafted around installing a structured sales motion for teams worldwide to adopt and use in driving revenue. Together, the organizations designed a phased rollout of MEDDICC and Command of the Sale®.
Phase one was working with Force Management in adopting the MEDDICC qualification approach to keep pipelines filled and moving. Jeff Scannella, Global Director of Sales Coaching Enablement, describes taking a militant approach to qualification. “It was thinking about skill development alongside deal progression and understanding all the components of MEDDICC from a level that is very actionable,” Scannella says. “I’m pleased to say we have seen that shift of performance in pipeline improvement.”
Phase two for Skillsoft was adopting Command of the Sale. “We’re aiming for ways that we can become more customer-centric and value-driven in our sales approach,” he describes. Leaders chose to make the Opportunity Coaching sessions optional, with confidence that team members committed to their craft would seek out the sessions once their value became evident and known. Making it voluntary was a pivotal component to driving a change in behavior worldwide. Scannella’s team used the success of early adopters to encourage further buy-in.
Jeff Scannella is now certified by Force Management’s Train the Trainer program, taking over the sales training and conducting six to eight coaching sessions every week. The number of customer-facing teams opting in for Opportunity Coaching sessions has doubled every quarter since the program’s inception.
Focusing first on behavior change was the lynchpin to the success of Skillsoft’s enablement program. There were several key components that went into demonstrating the value of the program to their salespeople and drove the behaviors that improved sales performance.
The Force Management team talked with Scanella about his experience with the program, methodology, and results he’s seen within his sales organization.
Watch the video of our full interview with Jeff here.
Sales organizations think of a Champion as an advocate in the customer organization who can influence the economic buyer. But what about having a champion to help sway opinion around your sales initiative?
Here Scannella describes how reps achieved success through Opportunity Coaching and became internal champions for buying into the new enablement model.
With teams of highly experienced sellers, Skillsoft's initiative was less about teaching selling skills, and more about breaking down the specific behaviors that helped drive the desirable outcomes.
Using coaching sessions to strategize and pinpoint the specific behaviors that progressed deal was the focus. As teams achieved success, word of mouth helped achieve global buy-in on the new approach.
In this video clip, Scannella describes how he frames the working relationship within Opportunity Coaching sessions.
Working with AEs and RVPs as a collaborator and support system, instead of their manager, is one of the ingredients that has helped Skillsoft experience success with the MEDDICC qualification approach and coaching sessions.
The results don't lie: increased average deal size, shortened sales cycles, improved accuracy in forecasting, and higher employee satisfaction scores at Skillsoft.
Here Scannella describes the spirited new dynamic felt by teams around the globe as they experience success and growth from the organization's new approach.