Research Priorities Document : simplebooklet.com

‘82Dr. Eli Jones, Ph.DDean and Professor of MarketingToday’s CEOs and other top executives are challenged to drive organizational performance while navigating more market and technological turbulence and competitive intensity than ever before. Private and public companies are facing performance pressures by their myriad stakeholders, as the drive to topline growth gets harder and harder. To deliver sales, margins, and net income consistently in this challenging environment, CEOs rely on formal and informal “Chief Sales Officers” to help focus their companies on a few areas that provide the most customer value, and to align resources to build relationships and trust with these customers.e research mission of the Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute is to advance knowledge and insights across industries in sales leadership to facilitate best-in-class execution. As a sales insights curator, the Institute will enable practical knowledge application of empirically-tested concepts.Empowering senior executives – understand fundamental problems, provide solutions, and discover new directions that enable Chief Sales Officers and CEOs to instill customer focus and grow sales, margins, and net income.Creating world-class scholars – nurturing top scholarship through a combination of expert mentorship, data, and research support from leading organizations and a community built on Aggie core values: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.Empowering the research community – serve as a sales leadership knowledge platform that brings together top researchers from various universities around the world to pursue the most challenging and interesting inter-disciplinary problems faced by Chief Sales Officers and CEOs and work toward the advancement of the field by generating original knowledge.In this highly-competitive business environment, achieving more with fewer resources is incredibly challenging. Our unique blend of theory and practice helps sales organizations embrace challenges armed with knowledge and insights that matter the most. THERESEARCHVISION 3

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1.1. Role of Salesforce in Firm StrategyNo matter how valuable a firm’s products or services are, long-term growth lies in the ability to create, implement, and execute a profitable sales strategy.• How does a firm effectively implement and disseminate its strategic planning through its entire organization?• What is the role of the sales division in executing a profitable strategy?1.2. Interplay between Salesforce and the C-SuiteAn effective and profitable salesforce meets the goals and enacts the vision, of a company’s C-Suite executives.• What strategies should executives use to manage and encourage salespeople to meet a companies goals and vision?1.3. Interplay between Salesforce and CustomersAn effective and profitable salesforce must constantly create value for a firm’s customers.• What strategies should salespeople use to manage and create value for both old and new customers?1.4. Interplay between Salesforce and Business FunctionsAn effective and profitable salesforce must work collaboratively with many other divisions of a company.• What strategies should salespeople use to understand, manage and help other aspects and business divisions of a corporation?1.5. Quantifying Sales Strategy EffectivenessAccurately quantifying the effectiveness of a firm’s sales strategy is vital to profitability and illuminates the need for improvements, adjustments and/or compensation.• How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their sales strategy?• How does a firm create and update sales strategy?• What is the return on an effective sales strategy in the form of account profitability?The most profitable firms have clearly defined strategies for decision-making and resource allocation processes. Effective implementation of these strategies is crucial for salesforce profitability. 7

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2.1. Aligning Interfirm and Intrafirm Key Account Management NetworksThere are multiple ways a firm can align their inter- and intra- networks to improve the profitability of their Key Accounts.• How does the interplay between these networks drive seller profitability?• Do the structural or functional attributes of these networks have a greater effect on the profitability of these key accounts?2.2. Effect of Internal and External Collaboration on Key AccountsCollaboration, both inside and outside of the firm, plays an important role in successfully managing key accounts and customers.• How does collaboration increase the effectiveness of managing a large account portfolio? • What is the link between internal and external collaboration, and how does it affect business relationships and key account performance? 2.3. Key Account ProfitabilityKey Account profitability begins with the development of the key account customer relationship. A firm’s profitability is attributable to relationships and customers much more than to products. To best understand and accurately measure key account profitability, a firm must pursue and cultivate meaningful customer relationships. • How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their key accounts and their necessary management?• How does a firm go about finding, creating, and selling new customers and opening new key accounts? • What is the return on a relationship-first strategy-in the form of account profitability?2.4. Formal Information Sharing in Key Account Team Effectiveness To successfully manage key accounts, firms must ensure all necessary parties have adequate access to information about the customers’ needs and advantages.• What strategies should managers use to encourage a team member’s formal information sharing?• How can a manager increase a key account team’s effectiveness to, increase the profitability of that account?2.5. Selling and Managing Key Customers In B2B markets the success of a firm’s Key Account Management team depends not only on selling new clients but also on how account teams are structured and how they interact with and manage their customers.• What is the best way for a firm to familiarize itself with its key client’s biggest problems and goals?• What is an appropriate balance of selling new clients and managing old ones?Key Account Management is a vital process that helps sustain and expand a firm’s relationships with important customers and accounts. This process requires multiple departments to work closely together to maintain and further develop these relationships. 9

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3.1. Salesperson’s Intraorganizational RelationshipsOrganizations are most effective when all facets of the firm are working collectively towards the same goal. Salespeople should be concerned with knowing their colleagues, as well as other aspects of the business.• What is the most effective way to integrate salespeople into other aspects of the business?• How should the marketing and sales departments work together to increase sales?3.2. Team-Based SellingTeam-based selling is a sales strategy that involves at least two members of a salesforce working together to win business through collaboration and ingenuity. This form of selling is a fundamental aspect of account-based selling and can provide tremendous returns if accomplished effectively.• What is the return on a team-based selling strategy in the form of salesperson motivation and behavior?• What is the return on team-based selling in the form of profit and sales outcomes?• What individual-level, company-level, environment-level, and product-level factors increase salesperson buy-in for a team-based selling strategy?3.3. Sales Management Control SystemsSales management control systems are designed to help align the activities of salespeople with the firm’s organizational objectives. The implementation and proper use of a comprehensive control system allows salespeople to fully understand their purpose and goals.• How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their sales management control systems?• How does a firm go about creating, reviewing, and updating the processes and frameworks of its sales management control systems?3.4. Sales Managers Empowering Leadership Sales managers who include their salesforce in the decision-making process and allow their salespeople the opportunity to influence goal setting are more likely to increase effective sales functions. By empowering and allowingsalespeople to capitalize on their own experiences, judgment, and expertise, a manager increases a salesperson’s self-efficacy, motivation, and commitment to the firm.• What is the link between a manager’s leadership style and salesperson performance?• How does a firm improve the leadership skills of its sales managers?• How can a firm increase the opportunities for a salesperson’s growth and judgment?• How can a manager increase trust between themselves and their salesforce?3.5. Sales Strategy Effectiveness An effective sales strategy is the key foundation of a profitable salesforce.• How can firms better measure, monitor, and evaluate their sales strategy?• What is the link between an effective sales strategy and a profitable salesforce? The ability of a company’s salespeople to work together to succeed at every stage of the customer buying process, as well as earn new business, is vital to the firm’s overall growth and success. 11

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4.1.E-CommerceEven though more and more firms are enhancingtheir B2B e-commerce channels, outbound and direct sales still account for the majority ofsalesperson’s commission, and companies still, achieve higher revenues streams from in-person closing of larger account deals. However, understanding and incorporating both methods of sales is important for profitability in today’s technology-driven world.• What is the best way to effectively incorporate both traditional and e-commerce-based methods of selling within a sales strategy? • How can a firm successfully implement new e-commerce channels?4.2. Adoption of Salesforce Automation ApplicationsThe more effort a salesforce puts into generating sales, the more likely they are to feel expeirience frustration reduced productivity. An effective way to accelerate and consolidate the many jobs of a salesforce is to implement salesforce automation software.• How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their sales automation applications and software?• How does a firm go about creating, reviewing, and updating the processes and frameworks of its salesforce automation applications? 4.3. Sales DigitizationDue to the rise of technology, sales divisions now have the technology-based capability to perform many sales activities previously performed by human capital.• What is the link between sales digitization and a sales division’s performance?• How can a firm improve the use of its current technology?4.4. Technology in Selling Technology plays a major role in supporting all aspects of a firm’s selling functions.• What individual-level, company-level, environment-level, and product-level factors increase the effectiveness of technology in selling? • How can a company maintain the healthy balance between tried-and-tested approaches to selling and technologically innovative approaches to selling? 4.5. Mapping the Customer Journey By mapping the customer journey phase-by-phase, and aligning each phase with a sales goal, a firm can maximize customer retention and overall profitability.• What is the best way to map a customer’s sales journey?• Are there way to mitigate risks and increase customer retention at certain steps throughout the mapping process? Digital selling is an ever-changing and ongoing process of leveraging digital channels to find, engage, and connect with current and prospective customers. Effective digital selling builds relationships through online platforms and helps convert online connections into offline sales. 13

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5.1. Salesperson MotivationSalespeople are the primary channel that firms use to communicate the value of their complex and differentiated offerings to their customers. As a result, it is not surprising that increasing effectiveness is a top research priority.• How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase salesperson motivation?• What is the link between monetary or non-monetary incentives and salesperson motivation?5.2. Salesforce TrainingTraining is a critical factor in running a successful organization. Whether employing new salespeople, introducing a new product, or changing a business process, the salesforce must be eectively trained for a rm to reach new heights and achieve its goals.• What is the return on sales training in the form of salesperson motivation and behavior?• What is the return on sales training in the form of sales outcomes?• What individual-level, company-level, environment-level, and product-level factors increase salesforce training effectiveness?5.3. Salesperson Voluntary TurnoverGreat salespeople do more than drive profitable revenue for their employers. They are the front lines of customer-interface, create brand recognition, and add value in multiple other ways.• What individual-level, company-level, environment-level, and product-level factors increase salesforce turnover?5.4. Selling Innovation and Solutions Innovators understand that developing new technology or a new idea is important, but without effectively selling it to customers, it means nothing.• How can salespeople maintain a balance between tried-and-tested approaches and innovative approaches to selling? 5.5. Salesperson Effort and Emotional Intelligence Achieving a firm’s success potential in sales is directly proportional to the emotional intelligence of its salesforce. Competent salespeople understand why emotion is important and can make sense of how customers are responding to what they are saying.• What is the link between a salesperson’s emotional intelligence and performance?• How does a firm improve the self-efficacy and awareness of its employees?• Is the initial socialization process of new employees a key factor in increasing emotional intelligence in the workplace?• Is increasing motivation and empathy a critical factor in increasing emotional intelligence? Salespeople are the primary channel that firms use to communicate the value of their complex and differentiated offerings to their customers. As a result, it is not surprising that increasing salespersons’ effectiveness is a top research priority. 15

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6.1.Self-Selected Incentives/RewardsSales employee performance increases substantially under rewards programs with self-selected incentive schemes.• How can firms better measure and monitor the effectiveness of self-selected incentives?• What is the link between monetary or non-compensatory self-selected incentives and salesperson retention?6.2. Specialized Personal IncentivesSpecialized personal incentives are cash rewards granted to salespeople for meeting interim performance goals within the regular sales quota period. Research shows that salespeople experience a boost in sales performance by earning these specialized personal incentives.• How can firms better measure and monitor the effectiveness of specialized personal incentives and rewards?• What is the link between these types of personalized incentives and salesperson efficacy and retention?6.3. Group vs. Individual IncentivesFor group incentives to work better than individual incentives, the informational feedback group members receive matters. Group members need to be able to observe each other’s true effort rather than only the overall output.• How can firms better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their group sales strategy through incentivization?• How does a firm go about creating fair group incentives?• What is the return on effective group sales strategy and incentive programs in the form of account profitability?6.4. Pay-for-Performance Compensation Programs In addition to concerns of managerial control and motivation, sales management should be concerned with their employees’ perceptions of the level of fairness of compensation plans. Perceptions of management fairness are key to salespeople’s acceptance of pay-for-performance compensation plans.• How can firms better measure and monitor the fairness and validity of pay-for-performance compensation programs? 6.5. Sales Contests Sales contests are used as motivational programs in which incentives are offered to salespeople based upon their profitable results. • How can a manager effectively use sales contests to increase a sales division’s effectiveness?• How does a firm create, market, and implement sales contests? Appropriate sales compensation plans create value within a salesforce and organization and allow a firm to achieve results while encouraging positive achievements and behaviors. 17

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7.1.Nonprofit SalesSelling is just as important in a not-for-profit setting as it is in a traditional incorporated company.• How can nonprofit organizations better measure, monitor, and increase the effectiveness of their donations, fundraising, and necessary management?• How does a nonprofit find, create, and sell new donors and open new key partnerships?• What is the return on a relationship-first strategy, in the form of nonprofit profitability?7.2. Social Media Utilization in SalesIn today’s business environment, strategic use of social media can help maximize a company’s sales productivity.• What individual-level, company-level, environment-level, and product-level factors increase the effectiveness of the use of social media in selling?• How can a company maintain a healthy balance between tried-and-tested approaches to selling and more innovative social media-based approaches to selling?7.3. Diversity in SalesCompanies that understand the importance of increased diversity in their salesforce are more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.• How does a firm effectively get the entire company on board with diversity and inclusion initiatives?• What does the implementation of diversity programs look like for a sales organization?• How does a firm go about creating, reviewing, and updating the frameworks of its diversity initiatives?7.4. Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Companies that integrate social responsibility into their business operations are well placed for healthy financial returns on their investments.• What is the best way to publicize and implement a corporate responsibility plan?• How can a company maintain a healthy balance between key stakeholders’ desire for above-average returns and social responsibility? 7.5. Ethics in Selling Given that unethical sales behavior is a by-product of various complex decisions and constant change within the business environment, companies must focus on prioritizing ethical practices within their sales structures.• How do ethical sales tactics have a positive influence on salespeople’s wellbeing and self-esteem?• What is the best way for a company’s sales strategy to propel both itself and its customers closer to their respective goals? In today’s global climate, corporations and sales organizations have the opportunity to become transformational leaders through their involvement with a vast array of different social areas and issues. 19

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8.1. Digital FrontlinesWithout commited frontline sales managers, no salesforce can ensure that the shift to modern digital skills manifests into real action and profitability.• What is the most effective way for a sales organization to design branding, advertising, and sales media for digital frontlines?• How is key account profitability affected by the introduction of digital sales channels?8.2. Frontline Service EmployeesSince frontline employees directly interact with customers, sales managers should take notice of their engagement, success, and contribution.• What is the correlation between positive sales employee engagement and successful customer engagement?8.3. Interplay between Consumers and Organizational FrontlinesKnowing how consumers think, react, and behave is a necessity for profitability in any sales organization.• How do consumers respond to strategic changes at the organizational frontline?• Are there ways a salesforce frontline can change consumers’ pre-determined perception of a company?8.4. Challenges Facing FrontlinesEvery day, frontline leaders encounter critical leadership moments that define the success of their teams and the organization. The impact of these challenges and decisions can be profound and affect stakeholder expectations, organizational interests, and customer demands.• How should companies sufficiently train frontline managers and structure frontline employees’ roles to create the most value for customers?• What are some opportunities and obstacles a frontline may face when a company implements automation technologies in order to lower costs? 8.5. B2B Selling It is important, especially in B2B selling, for frontline employees to knowledgeably sell differentiated solutions that add value to corporate buyers.• What is the best way to map a customer’s sales process journey?• What is the value of frontline inside selling in a B2B environment? Organizational Frontlines are the means through which a company directly interacts with its customers and promotes, facilitates, or enables value creation, and ultimately, profitability. Advances in frontline technologies are changing how organizations and customers interact to exchange value. 21

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PresidentLamar UniversityDR. KENNETHEVANSTownsend Family Distinguished Professor of Marketing and Area Chair of MarketingUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillDR. RAJDEEPGREWALSenior Vice President of SalesJ.B. Hunt Transport ServiceSPENCERFRAZIERSenior Vice President Dell TechnologiesBILLCLARKAssociate Dean for Graduate ProgramsJ. Vaughn and Evelyne H. Wilson Professor in BusinessDeputy for Faculty ResearchTexas Christian UniversityDR. WILLIAM L.CRONSenior Vice President of SalesInsperityROSSASTRAMECKIRESEARCH ADVISORY BOARD 22

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AT&T Professor of MarketingCo-Director of MSM-Business Analytics ProgramProfessor, Design and InnovationCase Western Reserve UniversityDR. JAGDIPSINGHVice President of Sales The Reynolds and Reynolds CompanyKEITHHILLFrances Ridge Gay MBA Professor of MarketingUniversity of MissouriDR. DETELINAMARINOVADean, Mays Business SchoolProfessor of MarketingLowry and Peggy Mays Eminent ScholarTexas A&M UniversityDR. ELIJONESVice President of Human ResourcesSewell Automotive CompaniesJOESTALLARDResearch Director, Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership InstituteJoe Foster ‘56 Chair in Business LeadershipProfessor of MarketingPresidential Impact FellowTexas A&M UniversityDR. HARISRIDHAR 23

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Assistant Professor of MarketingMcCombs School of Business, The University of TexasProfessor and DirectorSchool of Marketing and InnovationMuma College of Business, University of South FloridaDR. SEBASTIANHOHENBERGDR. DOUGLAS E.HUGHESAssistant Professor of MarketingDirector, Sales Leadership CenterDaniels College of Business, University of DenverAssistant ProfessorCasrson College of Business, Washingon State UniversityDR. YASHARATEFIDR. BITTYBALDUCCICarl DeSantis Associate Professor of MarketingFlorida State University College of Business, Florida State UniversityAssociate Professor of MarketingUMSL College of Business Administration, University of Missouri – St. LouisDR. WILLYBOLANDERDR. FRANK Q.FUAssistant Professor of MarketingMcCoy College of Business, Texas State UniversityAssociate Professor of MarketingDirector of Operations, Sales and Customer Insights CenterNeeley School of Business, Texas Christian UniversityDR. ADITYAGUPTADR. ZACHARYHALLAFFILIATE TEAM 24

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Assistant Professor of MarketingUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business, University of Nebraska-LincolnDR. SUNIL KUMAR SINGHAssistant Professor of MarketingCenter for Professional SellingHankamer School of Business, Baylor UniversityDR. STEPHANIE M.MANGUSFaculty Fellow of John Merrill Endowed Professorship in Consultative SalesAssociate Professor of MarketingCollege of Business, University of Texas at ArlingtonDR. FREDMIAOAssociate Professor of MarketingCollege of Business, Clemson UniversityDR. RYANMULLINSAssociate ProfessorHankamer School of Business, Baylor UniversityDR. KEITHRICHARDSAssociate Professor of MarketingUC Davis Graduate School of Management, University of California, DavisDR. OLIVIERRUBELAssistant Professor of MarketingDarla Moore School of Business, University of South CarolinaDR. CHENZHOU 25

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Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute Associate DirectorSenior LecturerANDREWLORINGReynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute DirectorClinical Professor Associate Department Head Mays Teaching FellowDR. JANETPARISHReynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute Assistant DirectorWENDYCASTROReynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute Executive ProfessorBRIANMOLHUSENReynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute Program CoordinatorGLYNNANICKLEDean, Mays Business SchoolProfessor of MarketingLowry and Peggy Mays Eminent ScholarDR. ELIJONESFACULTY AND STAFF 26

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RESEARCH PROCESS METHODOLOGY• Analyzed sales-related research articles published over the last ten years by the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Professional Selling & Sales Management, and Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.• Analyzed over 100 recent and relevant sales practitioner publications, blogs, white pages, and online journals.• Synthesized all of these articles and publications and selected 200 that contained solutions and analyses about the most relevant problem domains in the current sales industry climate.• Surveyed and interviewed members of our partner companies and research advisory board to identify pressing sales challenges and current critical industry issues.• Summarized findings and feedback into the preceding research priorities document.The development of the 2020 – 2023 research priorities followed a multi-stage process conducted in 2019.These resulting priorities enable the Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute to engage in its mission: creating a platform for collaboration of sales educators and researchers to teach career and life skills and to further knowledge creation.e Reynolds and Reynolds Sales Leadership Institute: 30

Research Priorities Document

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