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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
For a long time, B2B companies have been moving towards digital transformation, adopting
new technologies to meet the needs of more demanding and empowered customers. This
challenging movement is transforming the sales force and impacting the salespeople on many
levels. Thus, the purpose of this study is to understand how the B2B sales force is being affected
by digitalization, especially e-commerce. Using the multiple case study methodology, we
conducted in-depth interviews with sales managers from four B2B companies, two traditional
and two startups, and analyzed several dimensions initially found in the literature review. After
analyzing the data, results demonstrated that when comparing the sales force of traditional and
startup companies, there are significant organizational differences. Overall, the three companies
with online sales have been dealing with the challenges of a multi-channel sales force, although
the evolution has been distinct for all of them. These differences have proved that factors such
as management commitment and investment, a clear e-commerce strategy, transparent
communication, and proper training, are enablers for successfully selling online, as it also
lessens job insecurity, one of the main consequences of digitalization within the sales force. In
terms of technology, it was not surprising to find that the startups are using more recent digital
tools than the traditional companies, investing in sales automation, and data analysis, which is
something that the traditional companies also aim for but are still not prepared for. Finally,
findings also showed the distinct impact that the Covid-19 pandemic had on the case studies,
with traditional companies’ businesses slowing down, and startups booming, thanks the ecommerce.
Overall, we were able to understand that B2B companies are dealing with changes
caused by Digital Transformation within their sales force, which can have a different impact on
similar companies, and that hybrid sales forces bring benefits and challenges that affect the
structure, but mainly the salespeople. Findings add new insight to the existing academic
research, and B2B sales managers should find guidance on our recommendations on to deal with
the challenges of a multi-channel sales force.
Description
Keywords
Business-to-business e-commerce Business-to-business sales force Digital transformation Multichannel sales