In order to strengthen their competitive position and gain a competitive edge, industrial goods companies such as IBM, General Electric and Rolls-Royce are increasingly offering solutions (so-called customer solutions) in addition to products and services. Sales employees play a particularly important role in the implementation of the solution strategy. Due to their direct customer contact, they can have a decisive influence on the successful provision of solutions. However, many companies report a lack of willingness on the part of the sales team to sell solutions. In addition, selling solutions often requires different skills than selling traditional industrial products (such as machines and systems). In various research projects, we shed light on the question of which skills are necessary for selling solutions and how the commitment and skills of sales staff can be promoted to sell solutions.
