According to research, the characteristics of the best sales organizations are:
1. Create a customer-driven culture throughout the sales organization and firm.
2. Recruit and hire the best sales talent.
3. Train and coach the right skill set.
4. Focus on key strategic issues by segmenting accounts in meaningful ways and providing differentiated offerings to find, win, and retain customers.
5. Implement formal sales and relationship-building processes.
6. Use information technology effectively to learn about customers.
7. Integrate sales with other business functions, especially marketing.
Discuss a recent shopping experience in which you observed the presence or lack of these seven characteristics. Give specific examples that relate to what this organization did effectively or needs to improve.