En analys av säljklimatet i komplexa business-to-business relationer : En utredande nulägesanalys i kontrast till Insight Selling

Sammanfattning: The thesis aims to describe the current sales climate in the context of complex sales in business-to-business. The purpose is to increase the clients knowledge of sales and test the clients hypothesis that the sales climate is changing from Solution Selling to Insight Selling, further the thesis aims to contribute to the scientific debate of sales. Solution Selling is characterized, as the name suggest, by selling of solution to the customers needs. With Insight Selling the seller has a provocative approach towards the customer and the seller is searching for customers in the need of change. This is a qualitative study conducted with eight interviews and one focus group. The analysis shows that the high availability of information and the digital development have a strong influence on the current sales climate. The customers have higher knowledge that leads to higher pressure on the sales representatives to understand the technology, processes, organization and business of the customer. The analysis also show that the automation of sales increases by e-commerce and CRM-systems, but the personal contact with the seller do play an important part in the customer relationship. In the context of complex sales there is a need for better and increased collaboration and communication within the seller organization. There is some support for a need to change the sales management systems from today’s financial short-term goals, to a management system that supports long-term growth and encourage innovation. The benefits of the short-term goals are that they are clear and specific which serves as a high motivator for some salesmen. The analysis suggests that sellers prefer stable customers with a regular buying behavior prior to customers in the need for change that Insight Selling states. It seems that Solution Selling still are a major part of todays sales, but Insight Selling may be a method of differentiation for new companies or in contact with new customers.