PostNord Strålfors work in the highly competitive digital communication space. Relying on product knowledge and technical expertise was no longer enough to support their growth ambitions - the sales teams needed to elevate their sales conversation with clients to create the value and emotion needed to differentiate their products and services.
A Huthwaite sales skills pathway was developed and delivered by training professionals who really understood their business and culture. The pathway allowed them to use their real-life knowledge and expertise within a collaborative learning journey that helped them learn with and from each other as a group.
The entire sales organisation now presents a consistent face to customers with everyone talking a common language. Client facing teams are able to think more strategically in their approach to providing solutions and recognise that agile selling is actually the best form of customer service there is.
PostNord Strålfors has evolved into a consulting partner in the implementation of customer communication solutions and needed to motivate and upskill the sales team to meet new customer expectations with regard to value creation and problem solving. As customers have adapted to changing business opportunities and challenges themselves, PostNord Strålfors recognised that it was no longer enough for sales people to advise themtalk about the features and advantages of particular solutions. Customers are looking for advice and help in solving their unique communication challenges.
Martin Nyberg, Managing Director, PostNord Strålfors
Huthwaite’s rigorous behavioural research and skills development programmes are built on what the very best salespeople, communicators and negotiators in the world do differently. Each behaviour change journey we undertake is appropriate to the unique business environment of our clients and we work together to agree the best learning approach.
The Huthwaite Sales Academy learning journey implemented at PostNord Strålfors ensures the sustainable delivery of behaviour change through the following stages:
Acquire knowledge – online digital learning – completed before classroom sessions
Practise skills – within both face to face and virtual classrooms:
SPIN Selling – face to face and virtual classroom programmes delivered pre and post Covid.
Virtual and face to face SPIN Refresher modules
Verbal behaviour analysis real case benchmarking and consultancy sessions
Account Strategy – virtual sessions
Workplace transfer – applying the principles and skills to actual opportunities with workplace transfer tasks reviewed and feedback given, within the collaborative platform.
Coaching support – SPIN Coaching sessions include verbal behaviour analysis, continuous benchmarking, coaching and consultancy support around real business cases from Huthwaite experts
Anders Hjort, Regional Development Director, Huthwaite International
Giovanni Belli, Head of Business Development, PostNord Strålfors
Coaching real cases was key to work on specific skills that ensured that performance expectations were met. The sales team were always clear on the skills they needed to focus on and could see behaviour change happening for themselves.
The main goals for the project were perfectly met using SPIN and Account Strategy as the main two sales programmes that could meet the growing complexity of the sales proposition and develop the skills for salespeople to be able to identify the ‘right’ solution.
Working together to identify skills gaps before mapping out learning pathways was key to the success of the project. Benchmarking at the beginning helped Stralfors gain a real perspective on skill levels and allowed us to plan the most effective learning journey.
Giovanni Belli, Head of Business Development, PostNord Strålfors