Customer Value Management
Developing customer value plans to create value for sales opportunities through effective communications and thorough knowledge of customers and markets.
Level 1. Demonstrates introductory understanding, directing people to the appropriate source for further information.
BEHAVIORS
- Explains customer value drivers and how they relate to differentiated segment value offerings to capture pricing advantage.
- Identifies key market opportunities to assist customers in reaching sales potential on the organization’s products.
- Works with sales teams to jointly present major initiatives to customers.
- Identifies opportunities for sales process improvement.
- Tracks sales team metrics and reports data to leadership on a regular basis.
QUESTIONS
- Please tell us about a situation you researched a new market segment in order to provide information to inform value strategy direction?
Probing Questions
* What was the new market?
* What did the research involve?
* What information did you discover?
* What direction did the research suggest?
* What was the result of your efforts?
- Please describe a situation you uncovered customer needs to support the development of a new customer value strategy.
Probing Questions
* Who was the recipient of the information?
* How was the information used?
* What were the results?
* What did you learn from it?
Level 2. Applies the competency in common situations that present limited difficulties, working with a moderate level of guidance.
BEHAVIORS
- Builds relationships with marketing contacts of key customers.
- Develops client profiles including updating contacts management system.
- Participates actively in the annual customer plan process.
- Coordinates training delivery to sales, sales management, and sales support personnel in the sales organization.
- Delivers sales management to existing customers by assessing past, present, and future customer needs; analyzing customers’ business model; and offering additional product lines to support further business.
- Prepares periodic sales reports showing sales volume, potential sales, and areas of proposed customer base expansion.
QUESTIONS
- Please tell us about a situation your efforts in supporting the customer value strategy led to a positive result.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What were the key components of the customer value strategy?
* In what ways/methods did you support the strategy?
* How did the customer react?
* What was the end result?
- Describe a situation you identified value drivers to improve the sales relationship with a customer.
Probing Questions
* What were the value drivers?
* What specific characteristics of the product or service impacted your selection of value drivers?
* What were the results of your analysis?
* What was the impact on your organization?
Level 3. Applies the competency in the full range of typical situations, requiring guidance in only the most complex or new situations.
BEHAVIORS
- Supports new business opportunities by developing and analyzing business cases, market strategies, deal requirements, business potential, and financials.
- Develops and executes channel and customer promotions/programs that leverage national brand ideas/thinking and consumer insights to drive increased consumer preference and customer activity.
- Works with sales strategy and planning partners to ensure forecast accuracy, maximization of opportunities, and development of plans to deliver against the organization’s objectives.
- Identifies business opportunities based on knowledge of clients, markets, products, and services.
- Works closely with sales management to inspect sales process quality and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Coordinates planning activities with other functions and stakeholders within the organization.
- Monitors key performance indicators, implementing corrective measures to maximize performance and achieve revenue and operating income budget.
QUESTIONS
- Tell me about a situation you recommended improvements to an existing customer value management process.
Probing Questions
* What was the situation?
* What needed to be changed?
* How did you demonstrate that your recommendations would result in increased sales effectiveness or efficiency?
* What were the improvements?
- Describe a situation where the organization's customer value management process did not work for you.
Probing Questions
* What were the circumstances?
* What did you do differently?
* How did this workout?
* How was it accepted by the sales organization?
Level 4. Applies the competency in new or complex situations and advises others.
BEHAVIORS
- Establishes and maintains industry and client contacts for continuing good relations and business opportunity development.
- Develops negotiating strategies and positions by studying the integration of new initiatives with the organization’s strategies and operations.
- Develops profitable new business account relationships and opportunities for increased profitability from existing accounts.
- Defines and implements new sales processes and capabilities including territory management, key account and distributor management, and structured sales methodologies.
- Monitors the accuracy and efficient distribution of sales reports and other intelligence essential to the sales organization.
- Recommends revisions to existing reports, assisting in the development of new reporting tools as needed.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation you developed new strategies or tools to strengthen client relationships.
Probing Questions
* What steps did you take to develop the new strategies/tools?
* Who were the stakeholders? Who did it affect? Who did it help?
* How did you measure the effectiveness of the new strategies/tools?
* What was the end result?
- Tell me about a situation you anticipated a new sales opportunity, assessed its impact on and presented a plan to act.
Probing Questions
* What was the opportunity and how did you recognize it?
* What was the potential impact on the company?
* When did you decide to act on your findings?
* What plan did you present to the company?
Level 5. Develops new approaches and methods in the area. Is recognized as an expert within the organization.
BEHAVIORS
- Implements strategic plans for target customers.
- Sets the strategic targets for the organization and identifies opportunities for strategic growth.
- Oversees the implementation of pilot projects, monitors results, and makes recommendations for operationalizing new initiatives that will benefit the organization.
- Establishes strategic relationships, demonstrates strong customer service and management of portfolio accounts.
- Leads sales forecasting, planning, and budgeting processes used within the sales organization.
- Establishes high levels of quality, accuracy, and process consistency in the sales organization’s planning efforts.
- Drives visibility and accountability through improved sales pipeline and forecast management processes.
QUESTIONS
- Describe a situation where you developed a customer value management process for an organization that had none.
Probing Questions
* What approach did you follow?
* Who did you involve?
* How effective/efficient was this process?
* How was the process received?
- Describe a situation in which you taught or mentored junior staff on an organization's customer value management process.
Probing Questions
* Why was this necessary?
* How did you go about this?
* How did you determine that they were using the process effectively?
* What impact did this have on the individual and the organization?