SunGard
Company: SunGard, Wayne, PA
Entry Submitted by: Richardson, Philadelphia, PA
Company Description: SunGard is one of the world’s leading software and technology services companies. SunGard has more than 17,000 employees and serves approximately 25,000 customers in more than 70 countries. SunGard provides software and processing solutions for financial services, education and the public sector.
Nomination Category: Sales Awards Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Operations Professional of the Year
Nomination Title: Ken Powell, Vice-President, Global Sales Enablement & Learning, SunGard
Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since the beginning of July 2011 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
Ken Powell joined SunGard in early 2012 to drive a needed transformation within the salesforce. Sales associates were technical experts who understood the complexities of mission-critical software and systems. They sold the traditional way: selling products by stressing features and benefits.
Today, Internet-savvy buyers research their options and vendors before defining sales opportunities. SunGard associates needed to be proactive and enter the buying cycle early through a deep understanding of the customer’s business—and by offering relevant insights and ideas. They needed to shape or create opportunities before an RFP was even considered, becoming best positioned to respond. Ken would have to change the very culture of the salesforce.
He assembled a top-tier team of outside partners and tapped current research to create the new reality, drawing on expertise from the Sales Executive Council, Forrester Research, and Richardson.
With their input, Ken created Selling the SunGard Way as the first element in an overall plan to develop a top-performing sales organization. Instead of one-size-fits-all training, which is largely forgotten within weeks, Ken instituted a prescriptive training model individualized for each quota carrier and sales leader. With his plan to build effective habits and behaviors, rather than teach concepts, he deliberately shifted from event-based training to a multiyear development framework of skills that enable critical steps in the sales process. A blended learning approach is being used, incorporating real-life accounts and opportunities to ensure relevance, track return on investment (ROI) and make session content tangible.
Ken laid the groundwork before training ever began. In September, he rolled out initial communications on SunGard Sales Radio, with monthly podcasts of executives discussing the rationale behind the new approach. This was reinforced through the Quarterly Update sales call.
In October, two key events were the first-ever talent audit of the total salesforce, 1,000 people strong; and training for sales leaders on coaching. The audit measured business acumen and degree of aptitude; where people spent their time; and support needed to be more effective. The results are being used to create job profiles, individual development plans, and a prescriptive competency model that will influence the curriculum for the new Sales Academy, to be unveiled in mid-2013.
In December, pre-work began using gamification and the company’s Learning Management System. A global contest started six weeks prior to training, will continue through the training and extend for eight weeks afterward. The game uses Richardson QuickCheck™, powered by Qstream, which pushes questions to mobile devices via email to reinforce and sustain key learning concepts.
Classroom training begins in January 2013, first with sales leaders, then the salesforce, followed by two webinars per month for three months to reinforce skills learned.
ROI is linked to the real-life accounts participants work on during the training. Measuring how many stalled opportunities become unstuck and won will put a dollar figure on the value of the training.
Next steps include a formal onboarding approach for new hires based on a similar model of training and sustainment.
Ken has successfully used a similar approach at other companies, with measurable impacts of 150% ROI; his work has been written about in various publications and research outlets.
Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:
Ken Powell is Vice-President, Global Sales Enablement & Learning at SunGard, a leading software and technology services company. He is responsible for the vision and execution of the sales readiness strategy for the 1,000 sales associates worldwide.
Prior to joining SunGard, Ken was Vice-President, Global Sales Enablement & Learning at ADP. He successfully led global sales transformations, held senior roles in sales operations, marketing, and sales training, and been in front-line sales.
Ken is a frequent speaker and author on sales effectiveness. His work has appeared in Corporate Executive Board, Selling Power Magazine, ASTD, BMA, and Forrester, among other publications. He holds an MBA in Technology Management from Stevens Institute of Technology and a BA in History from Ramapo College of N.J.