Sales-force performance analytics and optimization

We describe a quantitative analytics and optimization methodology designed to improve the efficiency and productivity of the IBM global sales force. This methodology is implemented and deployed via three company-wide initiatives, namely the Growth and Performance (GAP) program, the Territory Optimization Program (TOP), and the Coverage Optimization with Profitability (COP) initiative. GAP provides a set of analytical models to measure and optimize sales capacity and profitable sales growth. TOP develops a set of analytical models and methods for the analysis and optimization of assigning customers to sellers and other sales channels. COP provides additional recommendations on sales-coverage adjustment on the basis of an improved estimation of customer profit. We discuss these three programs in detail and describe how they work together to provide an analytics-driven transformation of the IBM global sales force to improve various sales metrics, such as revenue and cost.