Resources

Many sales organizations use a combination of inside and outside salespeople, but struggle to determine the optimal mix of the two. New academic research helps address this challenge. Using data from 194 firms and a review of current practices, researchers examined the relationship between the use of inside sales roles and firm performance, while identifying inside sales' impact on both the quantity and quality of buyer/seller interactions. Their findings suggest when and where inside sales is likely to be most impactful, and the management actions that influence inside sales effectiveness.