ROCHESTER, Mich., April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizations looking to find a
more repeatable and reliable process to develop, manage and close multiple,
complex sales opportunities from large and geographically diverse customer
accounts have a new tool to get the job done -- the Business Opportunity
Analysis sales process.  Solution Strategies, Inc. and the other Sales
Productivity Consortium members -- Shepherd Solutions, Inc. and
PipelineManager.com, LLC -- provide a new approach to selling that helps sales
organizations build business by understanding and delivering value to their
prospective customers.  The sales function can then contribute directly to the
performance of their customers' businesses.
    The Sales Productivity Consortium -- Solution Strategies, Inc., Shepherd
Solutions, Inc. and PipelineManager.com, LLC -- are sponsoring and exhibiting
at the Society of Automotive Engineers 2005 World Congress in the Detroit Hall
Networking Lounge from April 11-14, 2005.
    Business Opportunity Analysis is the newest sales process on the market
which provides a new approach to managing complex selling in both the auto
industry and general industrial markets.  This process is focused on value
proposition identification, relationship development, selling time
productivity and profitability.  Solution Strategies first introduced the
sales process in 2001.  It has been used by major players in the automotive
industry such as Delphi, Rockwell Automation, FANUC Robotics America and SAE
International.
    "The Business Opportunity Analysis process concentrates on the
relationship end of selling and differentiates itself by measuring selling
time by profitability," said Brian Polowniak, president & CEO, Solution
Strategies, Inc.  "This process is unique since it ties your measurement to
profitability and seeks to improve the process by reducing selling costs.
It's a great fit for the automotive market which is always looking for ways to
reduce overall costs and improve customer service."
    Companies that train their sales forces in the Business Opportunity
Analysis process enjoy the following benefits -- improved closing rates,
increased win rates, increased revenue and shortened sales cycles.  In
addition, the process helps companies spend less time selling more content
using the same amount of resources.  Other benefits include reduced costs,
increased gross profit margin and improved forecast accuracy.
    "Business Opportunity Analysis is an excellent tool to use in making much
more accurate forecasts and predicting the probability of key business
opportunities," said Tim Moynihan, Symbol Technologies, Inc.
    Additionally, the Business Opportunity Analysis sales process can be
customized to the customer's unique needs, business issues and culture.  The
process is customized by a highly seasoned professional familiar with the
customer's specific marketplace.

    Business Opportunity Analysis Sales Process Key Differentiators

    Salespeople learn to -

    -- Prioritize sales and sales support resources to maximize review and
profit margins
    -- Maximize selling time investment with effective customer account
qualification
    -- Develop critical action plans based on the sales cycle timeline
    -- Identify value proposition content to meet customer needs
    -- Differentiate value to various levels of decision makers within the
same customer
    -- Build relationships with the most important decision makers
    -- Forecast real probability of closing critical sales opportunities
    -- Measure sales performance to avoid losing the order
    -- Track opportunities with customized tools

    Sales Productivity Consortium

    Solution Strategies, Inc., a global consulting firm, helps companies with
complex sales cycles grow their businesses, manage executive relationships and
develop sales strategy for the global marketplace.  By using Solution
Strategies' sales analysis and pursuit processes, clients improve sales team
productivity, develop global customers and significantly improve profit.
These sales organizations become strategic partners with their clients, rather
than just another supplier.

    Shepherd Solutions, Inc. is a global consulting firm that provides
marketing and sales performance improvement, customer relationship management
and aftermarket operations improvement.  Shepherd Solutions is a principal
partner in Solution Strategies, Inc. and delivers the Business Opportunity
Analysis process to key clients in the automotive and industrial automation
industries.

    PipelineManager.com, LLC delivers a new breed of sales force
automation/customer relationship management (SFA/CRM) designed to help
organizations transform into smarter, coordinated and strategic selling teams.
The proven Business Opportunity Analysis sales process forms the core of a
suite of online tools to manage the sales function.  PipelineManager gives
salespeople the ongoing reinforcement needed to learn and enhance strategic
selling skills.

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