Ultimate Software provides web-based payroll and employee performance management systems to organizations of all sizes. An important component of the company was the virtual Professional Services Organization and teams charged with providing client solutions.
Business Need
To meet the demands of a shifting economy and increased competition, Ultimate Software recognized the need to move from a product-oriented company to that of a solutions provider. They needed to partner with their clients by understanding their business issues and linking Ultimate Software solutions to these needs—saving their clients time and money.
Goal
Ultimate Software’s goal was to be seen as a strategic partner providing business solutions versus a software company. Through targeted and relevant consultative selling, executive selling and solution selling training investments and on-going sales coaching sessions, they wanted to arm their Professional Services Organization with the skills and training resources necessary to become true business partners with their clients.
Solution
We worked with Ultimate Software to roll out an ongoing business sales training curriculum that would provide their consultants with needed skills to help them partner internally with team members and, most importantly, externally with clients. These skills, along with effective sales negotiation best practices, were essential due to the fact that the majority of their work was done virtually.
The Consultative Selling Approach workshop was presented to the entire Professional Services Organization. This workshop was followed by implementation of a reinforcement strategy and other proven sales training best practices that included the following:
- Use of our online tools and activities.
- Discussion of consulting selling and advising skills at regular team and management meetings.
- Incorporation of specific goals into each participant’s performance management objectives.
- Sales training measurement and tracking of specific business objectives.
Three months later we presented Leveraging the Consultative Selling Approach training to the entire Professional Services Organization. Participants deepened their ability to build effective business partnerships by assessing a more complex client relationship using our Partnering Factors.
Ultimate Software Directors led reinforcement sessions based on tools and techniques from Leveraging the Consultative Selling Approach during their regional meeting events and key strategic account planning and training efforts.
Five months later Directors and Managers attended our Consultative Selling Training, a client simulation workshop focused on influencing senior executives.
Nine months later Senior Managers attended a Train-the-Trainer session for the Consultative Approach in order to accelerate critical talent management initiatives such as training and coaching all remaining corporate employees and integrating the workshop into an Effective Interviewing Skills and New Hire Training.
ResultsFollowing this curriculum, Ultimate Software achieved the following results:
- Add-on work associated with revenue generating projects increased by over 20%. This verified that customers were seeing the value of Professional Services solutions, and that consultants were now able to identify value selling opportunities and secure additional business opportunities.
- As a result of better customer service skills, customer referrals increased significantly along with the number of customers willing to do press releases and give testimonials for Ultimate Software.
- Implement and Utilize Project Management Best Practices and Skills – Overall project utilization increased by over 36%.
- Individual performance – Each participant worked with their manager to set specific performance management goals and track results.
- Managers reported a significant increase in participant performance, a sharp improvement in their ability to work strategically with their clients and better manage critical sales territories.
