When two staff members from Easy Access Computing signed up for the Novell Certified Salesperson (CNS) programme five years ago, they thought it was, "just another sales hype session from a vendor trying to capture mind-share in the channel." Little did they know that the knowledge they gained would enable them to substantially increase the company`s turnover.
"Half an hour into the first session, I realised that I was obtaining valuable business information and that this was not an attempt by Novell to pump me full of product names and prices," relates Dave Stewart, one of the original two course attendees.
Stewart was introduced to a new model, PowerSell, as a sales methodology for all products (not only Novell) to potential customers. "The model emphasises the importance of considering the customer`s needs and not what you want to sell to them," Stewart explains.
After completion of the CNS program, Stewart returned to Easy Access to analyse the effectiveness of the company`s current sales cycles. "I found that we closed an average of around 40% of the quotes submitted. It was then decided to apply the PowerSell model to our business so that we could become more effective in our offerings and close more deals. Every lead would be approached using the PowerSell methods of seeking the Opportunity, adding Value, finding the right Solution and then considering the Upsell for additional opportunities."
After applying the PowerSell methodology, Stewart found that the customers he dealt with were more receptive to his approach. "I was asking the right questions and showing interest in their business," he says. "The CNS programme had taught me which questions to consider, how to handle the `difficult` deal, what not to do, and so on."
By continuing to apply the PowerSell model to their business, Easy Access experienced an immediate increase in closed deals. "We found that we were selling more than just NetWare file and print services. Our customers were expressing increased satisfaction with our proposals which was reflected in higher profit figures."
Today Easy Access applies the PowerSell methodology every time a new product is brought to market. Additionally, every new staff member employed in the sales and technical departments attend the CNS course as part of their induction into the company.
"Since becoming a Certified Novell Sales Professional, I now close up to 85% of the deals I work on," says Stewart. "This is directly owing to the training I did on the Novell CNS course. I recommend it not only to all sales and service-focused personnel who deal with customers, but also to those internal staff to assist them in understanding sales methodologies and improve their dealings with their colleagues."
"The value Easy Access has obtained since completing the CNS course is worth millions in increased turnover. The partner programmes offered by Novell are the best and add true value to the reseller channel," Stewart concludes.
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