The Evolution of Distributor Sales Teams
Industry-leading distributors are realigning and retooling their sales forces in response to shifts in buying behavior, market forces and, of course, the digitization of sales.
Instead of viewing the current situation as a time of triage, you can recognize it as an era of evolution. For companies that have been selling to their customers in the same way they have for many years, this evolution is overdue and offers great opportunities for building for future growth.
Distribution industry experts, David Bauders of SPARXiQ and Ian Heller of Distribution Strategy Group, are joined by AI expert, Dr. Chitra Dorai, to discuss what’s possible for forward-looking distributor sales organizations as we head into 2021.
Find out:
· Where should distributors focus their sales efforts?
· What are the sales roles needed to serve customers and grow revenue?
· How can companies transition their existing talent to meet the needs of new sales models?
· What does it take to successfully make the necessary transition?
Speakers
David BaudersCEO, SPARXiQDavid Bauders’ singular goal is to help his clients sustainably create and capture higher economic value.
After beginning his career at IBM and Booz & Company, in 1993 David launched SPA (Strategic Pricing Associates, Inc.). Since that time, SPA has generated $100+ Billion of profitable growth for over six hundred organizations, including twenty-five Fortune 500 companies, and is a leading provider of profit-maximizing analytics.
David also recognized a consistently growing skills gap in sales forces’ ability to navigate evolving buyer practices in today’s disruptive digital economy: core selling skills, negotiation skills, financial acumen, strategic client-relationship building, and emotional intelligence. In 2015, he established a second company, SPASIGMA, to fill that gap, as well as distributed sales teams’ need to access virtual sales training and sales enablement support. Uniquely, SPASIGMA produces binge-worthy content in Hollywood, transforming expert content into today’s modern media formats.
In 2019, David merged both companies to create SPARXiQ. SPARXiQ provides integrated analytics and training solutions that accelerate sales performance, profitability and long-term enterprise value.
- Dr. Chitra DoraiChief AI Strategist
Dr. Chitra Dorai is a globally renowned AI scientist and the Founder & CEO of Amicus Brain Innovations. Amicus Brain, a digital health startup develops innovative AI-enabled personal advisors for people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers/care partners, to help them make optimal decisions and enhance their well-being and quality of life. Prior to this role, Chitra had a highly decorated career at IBM where she was an IBM Fellow (first woman of Indian origin to receive this recognition worldwide) and was the Global CTO for Cognitive Services in IBM’s Global Business Services unit. Chitra is frequently interviewed or cited in press, news and blogs, and YouTube video on a wide variety of topics. She has published 100+ technical papers at international conferences and journals, received multiple best paper awards, and edited books. She has presented keynote addresses and technical talks at academic research conferences, industry symposia and panels, and has served in many organizational roles on committees at the International Conferences and on the editorial boards of scientific journals over the past three decades.
Dr. Dorai is the co-inventor of 48 patents and has received multiple high-value patent awards along with recognition as a Master Inventor thrice. She was a recipient of IBM’s highest technical and business honors including the Gerstner Award for Client Excellence and was recognized as an IBM Distinguished Engineer in 2012 and was appointed by the IBM CEO as an IBM Fellow, the company’s preeminent technical honor in 2015. In 2014, she received the Tamil American Pioneer Award for Excellence in Finance and Business from the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America. In 2016, she was profiled as a “Societal Innovator” in the IBM HQ. In 2018, she received “The Visionary” award from the National Association of Women in Real Estate Business. In 2019, she received Certificates of Congressional Recognition from the United States House of Representatives.
Dr. Dorai graduated from IIT Madras with an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering and received her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Michigan State University with the Distinguished Academic Achievement award.
Ian HellerFounder & Senior Partner, Distribution Strategy GroupIan has more than 30 years of experience executing marketing and e-business strategy in the wholesale distribution industry. Ian has also written and spoken extensively on the impact of digital disruption on distributors. At Distribution Strategy Group, Ian works with distribution and manufacturing clients on developing strategic plans and is available for speaking engagements.
