Umdenken beim Verkauf von Business-to-Business-Lösungen: Integration von Marketing, Vertrieb und Customer Success Management

In business-to-business markets, the marketing and distribution of complex bundles of products and services are referred to as solution selling. This sales approach promotes customized solutions instead of single product and service transactions. The complexity and individuality of the sold solutions generate an increased need for relevant and accurate information on both sides: Potenzial buyers research possible solutions in advance, and the providers, in turn, must understand the buyer’s situation and context. For this profound understanding of customer requirements and the precise distribution of necessary information, close collaboration between the marketing, sales, and customer success management functions is essential. Traditional corporate structures, however, still exhibit a strict separation between departments, leading to efficiency losses in customer engagement and retention. Particularly in medium-sized companies, the sales department frequently dominates, while marketing is underrepresented, and the customer success management function is still under development. This paper presents an integrated sales approach and outlines strategic measures to promote the integration of the marketing, sales, and customer success management functions. These measures include the decentralization of decision-making processes, the formation of cross-functional teams, and the introduction of integrative roles, e.g., a Chief Revenue Officer.