Enhancing Sales Performance: Information Management Follows the Money

In most commercial organizations, no one is closer to revenue production than the salesforce, and IM functions are waking up to the fact that by partnering with sales groups, they’re making their own funding more secure. There are no IM budget guarantees these days, but, by closely aligning with the primary generators of their enterprise’s income and ensuring that the sales division’s needs are met, information professionals are capitalizing on an opportunity to survive and thrive. Supporting sales functions requires a solid grasp of the sales workflow and how information is integrated into the sales process. The report contains:

- Analysis of a typical sales workflow and where information solutions can add value;
- Outsell data on where sales professionals usually go first for information, what types of information they rely on most, and what are their unmet information needs;
- Analysis of salesforce use of handheld devices and social networking services;
- What type of help sales professionals say they want from information management professionals;
- Recommended actions for information management professionals who want to provide direct support to sales.