Revenue: £28B
Employees: 110K

Client Challenge

SAP operates in the extremely competitive enterprise software and related services space. SAP traditionally relied on the strength of its products and services and the sales organization’s technical expertise to guide sales conversations. However, SAP recognized that its salesforce must provide greater business insight and value to customers during sales interactions to stay competitive.

Solution

SAP conducted a competency assessment to better understand skills, behaviors, coaching support, and time-spent differences between top and core performers. SAP’s sales leaders saw strong alignment between the Challenger approach and top-performing salespeople. So, sales and sales enablement leaders at SAP made the strategic decision to adopt Challenger as the global model to transform their sales conversations from technical pitches of features and benefits to more compelling, insight-focused conversations. To ensure adoption across a significant global population, SAP also empowered frontline sales managers to support and lead this transformation.

Results:

SAP deployed Challenger sales training and coaching training to nearly 4,300 sellers and 1,400 managers in nine languages across all regions of the world. A sampling of SAP trainees (approximately 15% of all participants) completed a post-training assessment in which they attributed €47.4 million in closed business and €184.2 million in anticipated business to Challenger.

SAP compared the sales pipelines of individuals who attended Challenger training to pipelines of those who did not. Challenger-trained individuals:

  • Closed a higher percentage of deals: 26% more deals closed 
  • Brought in more revenue: 27% more sales revenue generated 
  • Closed deals faster: Average sales cycle time of 126 days versus 167 days 
  • Sold bigger deals: Larger average deal size

SAP received a Brandon Hall gold medal for its global sales training program, of which Challenger training was a significant component.

Quotes

 “Challenger has significantly contributed to our revenue streams from both new opportunities and additional business generated from existing customers. SAP’s global, unified rollout of Challenger to our sales organization and management was the key driver to delivering extensive customer impact.”

Rainer Stern, Global Vice President, SAP Sales Acceleration & Leadership



Quotes

 “Challenger has significantly contributed to our revenue streams from both new opportunities and additional business generated from existing customers. SAP’s global, unified rollout of Challenger to our sales organization and management was the key driver to delivering extensive customer impact.”

Rainer Stern, Global Vice President Sales Leadership Programs, Global GCO University, Customer Strategy and Global Sales Operations