Is sales outsourcing a trend?

Considering the attention given today to "Sales Outsourcing" in business magazines by industry watchers and captains of industry, and taking into account the numerous and successful assignments already set up, we have a solid ground to refer to Sales Outsourcing as a (r)evolution in modern business.

Provided ... that sales outsourcing is positioned in well-considered circumstances.

Business development

Companies traded on the stock markets and reporting quarterly results, have sales teams chasing more than ever short-term objectives and picking low hanging fruits. Prospection is rather perceived as opportunistic than of vital importance since new customer acquisition is time-consuming, difficult and for most account managers challenging contrary to up-and cross-selling within the existing customer base.

So to speak, the phone is weighing 10 kg heavier whenever a non-customer is being contacted. Sales Outsourcing best takes – in part or in full – ownership of this business development

Customer interaction time

In addition, according to our findings, sales people are only spending approximately 40% of business hours to contacting customers by phone or on-site visits. This is caused by a huge frequency of internal meetings, over-reporting, "internal selling", and an inefficient time management.

Considering the substantial cost of sales, we strongly believe a much higher customer interaction should be aimed at to increase the net sales results. Therefore, Sales Outsouring should monitor and target a "customer-interaction-time" of around 80 - 90%.

Sales culture

Most engineering and technology companies develop very promising products and services but lack an appropriate sales culture to generate the expected financial returns. These corporates are facing a choice: or building step-by-step their own sales culture and organisation, or calling upon the expertise of external sales professionals. This, again, opens perspectives for Sales Outsourcing.

Planning a new product / service launch?

Innovators launch new products and services on a regular basis, in existing or unknown markets.

These operations go hand-in-hand with uncertainties and risk-taking: "Is my innovation market-ready or vice versa is the market prepared to accept my innovation?" Therefore, managers prefer "temporary" sales resources in stead of building up an addition social passif for an indefinite period.



As a summary, we list the most important benefits of Sales Outsourcing:

  • An improved return on sales investment
  • A customer interaction time monitored and targeted at 80-90% of normal business hours
  • A custom-made assignment based on identified challenges/lacunas/issues
  • A reduced (sales) training roadmap and related costs
  • Shared risks
  • A faster "Time to market"
  • A sales experience in various industries and market segments
  • Planning and execution of agreed sales plan
  • Sales Outsourcing is proven!!

Today we have a handful of pioneers on the Belgian market, amongst others The House Of Sales, that have recognised these opportunities for Sales Outsourcing and develop custom-made offerings based on the challenges presented above. A Sales Outsourcing partner is able to assist you in auditing the initial situation, in designing the sales plan – in THOS language this is called MOPS-analysis™ - and in executing the agreed.



Related links


The House Of Sales in the press