Harvard Business

NOVEMBER 8, 2018

Consider the following scenario: A manager wants to purchase some computer software for her business. The analyst recommends a particular software company’s solution. The manager peruses that company’s website and requests more information by entering data about her needs through a webform.

Sales 131

Sales Marketing Software Data 131

Harvard Business

JULY 8, 2016

Customer relationship management software revolutionized how companies manage their sales pipelines. It also allowed organizations to communicate and coordinate more effectively across large sales account teams. Now a new breed of software applications is reshaping sales force management.

Sales 113

Sales Software Tools Data 113

Harvard Business

AUGUST 22, 2017

“What gets measured gets managed” is a longstanding business aphorism. But today’s sales technologies enable companies to measure almost anything, which leads many managers to try to measure everything. The result is poor management of what matters. Deconstruct Your Sales Funnel.

Metrics 132

Metrics Sales Software Meeting 132

Harvard Business

MARCH 10, 2017

Sales executives with even moderately large, distributed sales forces rely on data to help them understand which activities and behaviors lead to the best outcomes. Refining Sales Team Structure and Roles. At the highest level, Workplace Analytics can provide a factual foundation for decisions on sales structure and roles.

Sales 135

Sales Software Productivity Data 135

Harvard Business

NOVEMBER 23, 2018

In the 2001 recession, total sales for the S&P 500 declined by 9% from its pre-recession peak to its trough 18 months later—almost a year after the recession officially ended. We’ll focus here on what the sales organization should be doing now to prepare for the next recession, with an eye toward using new digital tools.

Sales 132

Sales B2B Tools Software 132

Effective Managers

JUNE 24, 2024

In supply chain management, AI can predict inventory needs, manage logistics, and optimize routes in real-time. Tools like automated scheduling and task management software help streamline workflow and improve time management.

Ethics 246

Ethics Efficiency Operations ROI 246

Harvard Business

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Theories and practices of management often spring from the opportunities created by new technologies. Client-server technology begat enterprise resource planning systems, and the consequent system-wide visibility that was required for what we call business process management (BPM). yagi studio/Getty Images.

Change Management 136

Change Management Management Software Productivity 136

Steve Shu Consulting

MARCH 18, 2011

getting burned and stuck with Small Company’s software source code. Business Development General Management Intrapreneurship Management Consulting Sales And Marketing Alliances Business Strategy Partnerships Strategy' Small Company likes Big Company’s: scale of resources. scope and number of customers.

Development 186

Development Software Sales Financial 186

Management Consulted

OCTOBER 18, 2013

It should be no surprise since they have been the birthplace of many technological advances, were one of the founders of the entire personal computer industrial revolution, and now are leaders in new software platforms, hardware infrastructure and workplace equality. These services focused on business management and information technology.

IBM GBS 203

IBM GBS Interviews Consulting Case Interview 203

Harvard Business

JUNE 7, 2018

It traced much of the cause to a mismatch between its sales incentives and pricing strategy. The manufacturer was compensating sales representatives based solely on how much revenue they generated. invest in ongoing development of capabilities among the sales and pricing teams through training and tools.

B2B 153

B2B Survey Company Sales 153

Steve Shu Consulting

JUNE 30, 2010

My wife, a professor of marketing at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, has often characterized a segmentation “pecking order” to students: Segment based on “why” customers purchase first. Business Development General Management Management Consulting Sales And Marketing Business Strategy Innovation Marketing'

Marketing 256

Marketing Strategy Strategy& Strategy 256

Successful Independent Consulting

JULY 16, 2019

My colleague Nancy says that someone in an area like talent management may not be specialized enough to get many project requests; they’d do better if they specialized in a subset of talent management like sales compensation or talent management software. How can I sign up to become a Council Member?

Talent 297

Talent Research Consulting Conference 297

Tom Spencer

MAY 23, 2021

As someone currently in management consulting who has previously done tech sales for a major software company, I was amused by Martin Keller’s article championing tech sales (sometimes known as consultative or customer success driven sales) over management consulting. Professional Development. Job Stability.

Sales 68

Sales Management Consulting Development 68

Harvard Business

MAY 30, 2017

After discussing Jacobi’s sales woes, Shani, suggested he try out Albert, Adgorithm’s AI-driven marketing platform. It was almost twice his all-time summer weekend sales record of eight. Did this keyword generate sales? Could Liberate 50% of Managers' Time. It wasn’t enough. Related Video.

Sales 136

Sales Tools ROI Advertising 136

Steve Shu Consulting

JULY 4, 2017

I wrote the following post in response to someone on Quora who asked me about innovative methods that management consultants use to pitch clients instead of using PowerPoint presentations. Surprisingly, one can go a long way with Powerpoint presentations. I brought perspectives on starting up new business initiatives.

Case Interview 150

Case Interview Consulting Management Exercises 150

Johanna Rothman

FEBRUARY 14, 2020

A client wants to know how best to calculate their software capitalization. There's a great introduction article, Capitalization of software development costs.). That helps overall sales and support. How Some People See Software Projects. Let's first discuss how some people see software projects. Yeah, right.

Agile 74

Agile Software Finance Company 74

Harvard Business

NOVEMBER 19, 2018

In fact, research suggests that big firms are dominating through their use of software. In 2011, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen declared that “software is eating the world.” Research by one of us (James) links this trend to software. ” Its appetizer seems to have been smaller companies. IT Does Matter.

Software 70

Software Company Industry Policies 70

Harvard Business

DECEMBER 20, 2018

In 2017, CIO magazine reported that around one-third of all customer relationship management (CRM) projects fail. Front-line sales professionals and managers rarely find the majority of these capabilities useful in winning more business for the company. And the sales team — well, they mostly hated it. The result?

Sales 132

Sales How To Metrics Tools 132

Harvard Business

APRIL 20, 2016

Every business is, willingly or unwillingly, a competitor on a software playing field, no matter which sector it’s in. In a world underpinned by ever more powerful, affordable, and public technology platforms, software is still king. You may be thinking: but my company isn’t a software company.

Software 70

Software Company Intellectual Property Airlines 70

Harvard Business

AUGUST 10, 2018

Today, the data to answer those questions exists — it’s captured by the software-as-a-service firms whose services companies use to run their businesses. Mainstream software companies are beginning to hold “ data mirrors ” up to their customers, allowing scoring and benchmarking of their customers’ strategies.

Benchmarking 70

Benchmarking Software B2B Comparison 70

Harvard Business

APRIL 14, 2017

For example, our survey, which asked managers of 13 functions, from sales and marketing to procurement and finance, to indicate whether their departments were using AI in 63 core areas, found AI was used most frequently in detecting and fending off computer security intrusions in the IT department. Related Video.

Company 181

Company Survey Finance Engineering 181

Strategic Planning and Management Insights

MARCH 6, 2023

For instance, in Marketing, data is being used to calculate ROI on marketing campaigns, or come up with new pricing strategies based on A/B testing of campaigns which helps marketing and managers bring in more revenue, and stay ahead of the competition. Does your organization have a data management strategy but struggle to implement it?

Report 98

Report Data Strategy Strategy 98

Harvard Business

OCTOBER 30, 2018

By Brian Selby, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Sales Operations, Tableau Software. How often is your sales team making important decisions based on gut feel? Are your sales resources allocated properly to drive growth? Historically, sales has been labeled an art. Why does this happen in so many companies?

Sales 70

Sales Data Enterprise Operations 70

Effective Managers

JUNE 24, 2024

In supply chain management, AI can predict inventory needs, manage logistics, and optimize routes in real-time. Tools like automated scheduling and task management software help streamline workflow and improve time management.

Ethics 130

Ethics Efficiency Operations ROI 130

Harvard Business

DECEMBER 4, 2017

It’s common for leaders of sales teams to focus almost exclusively on short-term tactics and current operations while failing to think and act in a way that supports the longer-term needs of their businesses — and it’s hard to fault them. Splunk , a San Francisco-based B2B software firm, is a case in point.

Sales 73

Sales Case Interview Recruiting Recruitment 73

Harvard Business

DECEMBER 4, 2017

It’s common for leaders of sales teams to focus almost exclusively on short-term tactics and current operations while failing to think and act in a way that supports the longer-term needs of their businesses — and it’s hard to fault them. Splunk , a San Francisco-based B2B software firm, is a case in point.

Sales 73

Sales Case Interview Recruiting Recruitment 73

Harvard Business

SEPTEMBER 12, 2016

The flow of one-off stories often has outsized influence on how senior managers shape the firm’s interaction with customers. Anecdotes gain that stature because managers often lack timely, reliable information. Account managers or their designees then place follow-up calls to learn more about the responses.

B2B 70

B2B Sales Data Automotive 70

Markovitz Consulting

MAY 1, 2019

According to a new HBR article , process mining will “revitalize process management in firms where it has lain fallow for years.” Fortunately, now there’s a host of companies providing process mining software that will eliminate all these problems and set you on a smooth glide path to success. Gee, that sounds terrific.

Software 124

Software Chemicals Analysis Process Analysis 124

Steve Shu Consulting

MARCH 21, 2014

Since this blog has a long history covering management consulting, I thought I would share some thoughts on integrating behavioral economics into the practice of consulting. For example, how well does a software application work from a behavioral perspective in terms of getting people to take action?

Consulting 150

Consulting Finance System Sales 150

Progressus

NOVEMBER 28, 2023

Many project-driven organizations are finding that they can operate much more efficiently with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. What is ERP Software? ERP is a type of software system that helps organizations automate and manage core business processes for optimal performance.

Software 52

Software ROI Operations Efficiency 52

Harvard Business

MARCH 29, 2018

Increasing staffing, they found, could increase sales and profits. In intervention stores, store managers who chose to participate committed to trying out the two changes above, plus five additional changes: Giving a core team of associates a “soft guarantee” or 20 or more hours a week. The results were striking.

Retail 73

Retail Sales Productivity Research 73

Management Consulted

NOVEMBER 6, 2016

Today’s emphasis is on ZS Associates (pronounced Zee S in the USA) – a premier boutique firm focused on sales force and marketing optimization. Founded in 1983 by Kellogg School of Management marketing professors Andris A. sales force teams. Where did ZS Associates begin, and what are they known for?

Case Interview 100

Case Interview Interviews Sales Pharmaceuticals 100

Harvard Business

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

Data science for humans: the consumers of the output are decision makers like executives, product managers, designers, or clinicians. Decision scientist: Decision makers (executives, business leaders, product managers), data engineers, software engineers responsible for the applications generating data. What are some examples?

Data 132

Data Engineering Software Operations 132

Harvard Business

AUGUST 21, 2017

One of the most common ways to reference check a job candidate is to talk with their former managers over the phone. But in today’s dynamic, knowledge-based workplace, where work is often accomplished by teams working closely together, is talking to a manager really the best way to assess a potential employee’s fit?

Retail 136

Retail Knowledge Base Data Training 136

Management Consulted

NOVEMBER 20, 2013

In their purest form, brainteasers are uncommon in management consulting interviews , but we include them for 2 reasons. You are measuring the existing market of an item in total units or totals sales ($) – it’s important to clarify up front which one it is. How many miles of road are there in the United States?

Case Interview 236

Case Interview Interviews Study Cover Letters 236

Harvard Business

AUGUST 31, 2016

From special equipment that picks up cell phone signals in the area to software that identifies people in video footage, brick-and-mortars are learning more about their customers — often without them knowing. Consider, for instance, the use of clienteling software. This concept has a long history in retail.

Data 98

Data Retail Software Sales 98

Harvard Business

MAY 17, 2016

A team typically consists of three to seven people who have strong software engineering, product management, testing, and marketing skills. They require uncommon teamwork between marketing-oriented product managers and software developers with a technical orientation.

Company 129

Company Software Productivity Engineering 129