Virtual Selling: Going Beyond the Automated Sales Force to Achieve Total Sales Quality [Hardcover]

Thomas M. Siebel (Author), Michael Malone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 27, 1996

From high-tech to low-tech industries, the days when a salesperson could carry the company catalogue around in his or her head have disappeared. For instance, salespeople for Hewlett-Packard represent 6000 products in thousands of permutations. According to the authors, more than 500 companies are rushing to market with information technology tools for the 9,000,000 salespeople alone in the US, and perhaps four times as many throughout the industrialized world. These new systems focus on the analysis of sales-related information, the authors argue, rather than on improving the effectiveness of the selling process. Instead, they demonstrate how Siebel Systems, spearheading the emerging generation of sales force automation applications, centres on enlarging the role of the sales rep to sales project co-ordinator. By linking all departments of the company to the customer and utilizing "market encyclopaedia systems" to access product information, the sales rep/co-ordinator creates customer-specific brochures and presentations - and even products - on demand.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Siebel and Malone describe their sales philosophy called "virtual selling," show how it is put into action, and then describe a final goal for the process (the "Informed Sales Force" ). Excellent points are made against blind faith in technology and the experience many companies have with serious shortcomings in their salesforce automation system. The authors point out that in the race to automate sales, the software is often used as a means of cost reduction, with word processing, spreadsheets, E-mail, etc., used for control and analysis rather than aimed at improving the sales process. Their solution is the Informed Sales Force, which uses technology to maximize the individual salesperson's selling time, provide computer access to all corporate and marketing information relevant to the sale, and position the salesperson to make critical decisions independently. Although the book offers valuable insights, it is highly theoretical. Nevertheless, with the surge in usage of automated sales technology (sales of such systems estimated to be $700 million in 1995 and $10 billion by 2000), this book is a good resource for considering the potential value of such technology and its pitfalls. Mary Whaley

Review

Charles R. Schwab Chairman and CEO, The Charles Schwab Corporation Virtual Selling is loaded with practical ideas for improving and expanding our relationships with existing and future customers.

George T. Shaheen Managing Partner, Andersen Consulting Total Sales Quality will revolutionize the sales process, the same way that Total Quality Management (TQM) revolutionized business management. It's about time that TQM is applied to sales, the last unautomated corner of the corporate world.

A. Michael Spence Dean, Stanford Graduate School of Business A very useful and insightful book. It sets forth clearly and persuasively the substantial returns to be gained from the right kind of investment in sales information systems.

Debbie Miller Vice-President, Systems Business Unit, Americas, Digital Equipment Corporation A must read for every sales person, sales manager and corporate executive who plans on using computers to make customers more satisfied and close more business. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Free Press (February 27, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684822873
• ISBN-13: 978-0684822877
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,091,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good resource for those struggling to define their vision, November 25, 1998

By 

Adam Lefton (Schaumburg, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Virtual Selling: Going Beyond the Automated Sales Force to Achieve Total Sales Quality (Hardcover)

This book is an excellent choice for individuals hell-bent on implementing sales automation without really knowing why. For those who are struggling to develop a vision for their sales automation initiative, Tom Siebel does a good job of balancing relevant historical information with real world examples and hypothetical situations. One might expect a book written by Tom Siebel to make the case for his company's own software solution, but that is not the case. Instead, Tom provides keen insight into the benefits of automation as it relates to the processes of selling and customer relationship management. Those who are have already developed and successfully articulated a clear vision for their sales automation initiative may find this book interesting, but probably of little value in moving forward. "Virtual Selling" concentrates exclusively on vision. Those looking for advice or information on the process one goes through in successfully developing and implementing a sales automation initiatve need to look elsewhere. Anyone wishing further information regarding this book, or sales automation in general, should feel free to email me at [e-mail] - Adam Lefton

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a great little book, October 25, 2005

By 

Michael Nick "Author, ROI Selling and Why Joh... (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Virtual Selling: Going Beyond the Automated Sales Force to Achieve Total Sales Quality (Paperback)

Tom Siebel's focus of course is on the SFA side of sales, however this book is filled with great humor and great advice. I would recommend it to any sales person trying to improve their consultative selling approach. Siebel is of course a master salesman.

4.0 out of 5 stars Ultimately it takes salespeople to drive business, January 27, 2004

By 

"cthompson64" (Phoenix, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Virtual Selling: Going Beyond the Automated Sales Force to Achieve Total Sales Quality (Paperback)

Thomas Siebel has a great vision for what many corporate bureaucracies cloud over with endless data analysis...it takes real salespeople, on the street, selling the business to succeed. IT systems are meant to help in a number of different ways but ultimately they must exist to move sales forward and not drag them down. Siebel explains how companies can benefit from the data collection and analysis while empowering the salesforce to sell.