Data Driven: How Performance Analytics Delivers Extraordinary Sales Results

Chapter 9Celebrating Success

Entering the conference room to start the first sales review meeting of the new year, Pam noticed something strange: her sales leadership team was already there. It wasn't like them to all be on time for a meeting. Then, two other things caught her eye: a large cake and the ridiculous, multi-colored paper hat that Raj wore whenever anyone at Trajectory had a birthday celebration. “OK, who's birthday did I forget?” Pam asked, as she set down her bag.

“Ours,” said Stacy. “Exactly one year ago today, you told us we were going to try data analytics, and most of us thought you were crazy. And now we have reason to celebrate. We're one!”

Pam smiled, shook her head, and looked over the group. She felt a closeness to them that can only come from fighting battles together. Stacy Martin, Cathie Martinez, Raj Kapoor, Barbara Acres, and Andy Mahoney had all been present at that contentious “blame game” meeting a year before. Jim Forrester, now VP of North America Sales, and Henry Crawford, who now provided consulting services to Trajectory and several other clients, had joined the team a short time later. Today, Jennifer Chan, although she had only been with the group a month, fit in so well that she was regarded as a full-fledged member.

Pam thought back to that day at the Dallas airport when, all alone, she first began to chart sales KPIs. Now, twelve months later, Trajectory had stopped its downward slide and was well on its way to recovery. The past year ...