QTS Nearly Triples New Sales Opportunities

The Challenge

Data center management business QTS has a national presence with 10 data centres across seven states serving over 875 customers. However, as QTS grew through acquisitions, the company discovered that sales processes varied among leaders. Moreover, many of the ingrained selling strategies consisted of a transactional approach focusing on technological capabilities rather than underlying customer needs. QTS resolved to instil more rigor in their sales process with a refreshed approach towards reaching aggressive goals. Doing so would require an end-to-end solution representing an ongoing commitment to new selling practices. Meaningful change would need to come from a unified process that shifted from transactional to consultative. QTS partnered with Richardson Sales Performance to develop a customised approach called Selling the QTS Way. The programme consisted of six key steps linked to verifiable outcomes to track and continuously improve seller performance.

The Approach

QTS partnered with Richardson Sales Performance to benefit from a customised approach that speaks to the real-world challenges of selling in a particular industry. Richardson Sales Performance started the programme design by interviewing the VP of sales, the COO, two regional VPS and EVP. From these details emerged a two-day workshop called Selling the QTS Way. The programme consisted of six key steps: Prospecting, Qualification, Solutioning, Proposal, Negotiation, and Final Terms. Richardson Sales Performance and QTS identified verifiable outcomes for each of these steps. With measurement comes visibility of progress. Additionally, these measurement points allow for more accurate forecasting as opportunities move through the pipeline. To create continuity among selling strategies, Richardson Sales Performance also developed Coaching for Results. The five-step process equipped sellers with the capability to be responsible for their own development.