THE CHALLENGE Traditional mail is decreasing every year. The French post office, La Poste, had seen the impact on revenues and the need to reinvent itself, mainly within the important B2B business. But how do you sell to customers who only know of your traditional offers? It served a major change for La Poste’s sales people to present a new and sometimes unexpected offer to customers. A new sales approach had to be built. This is where Mercuri International came in. Read this short paper and then tell us what you think? Mercuri International help you to win, manage and grow customers better. We have been helping companies implement strategies and achieve powerful sales results for over 50 years, with an international team of 500 people in 50 local offices around the world. Our clients and our industry recognise we are experts in sales. We want to meet you. Mercuri International is featured on both Training Industry’s and Selling Power’s Top 20 Sales Training Companies list. We want to speak with you. Call Mat on 07572 343 341 or matthew-everitt@mercuri.co.uk You can learn more about Mercuri here; http://mercuri.net/our-vision-mission-and-core-values http://mercuri.co.uk/how-can-mercuri-international-help http://www.slideshare.net/MatMercuri/how-mercuri-help-you-improve-your-performance-65699011

1. MERCURI
INTERNATIONAL
CASE STUDY
DIFFERENTIATED SELLING©
WITH LA POSTE
www.mercuri.net
Written by: Nicole Dereumaux, former CEO Mercuri International
For more information contact: Henriette Linderoth
Tel: +46 8 705 29 00 Email: Henriette.Linderoth@mercuri.dk
THE CHALLENGE
Traditional mail is decreasing every year. The French post office, La Poste, had seen the impact on
revenues and the need to reinvent itself, mainly within the important B2B business. But how do you sell
to customers who only know of your traditional offers?
It served a major change for La Poste’s sales people to present a new and sometimes unexpected offer
to customers. A new sales approach had to be built. This is where Mercuri International came in.
OUR SOLUTION
It started with a diagnosis; an online questionnaire was sent to 1000 sales people and their managers. The
results were presented to regional managers who examined them and gave advice. After that, it was the
Sales Managers' turn to make use of the information. This principle created strong alignment around
realistic observations and necessary actions. It was clear to everyone that the sales process must be
adapted. Together with La Poste, Mercuri International designed and developed the necessary methods
relating to two situations in Differentiated Selling©:
1. Relationship selling
The customer has a very positive image of you, is well disposed towards you and open and receptive to
proposals made by the sales person.
2. Assertive selling
The customer is resistant to any proposal from you and needs to be convinced that you are the right choice.
Putting the Managers at the heart of the process was a success factor. Today, they train their sales people
in the two sales methods. At monthly meetings, they run a two-hour session where they review current
sales and spend a significant amount of time practicing on one of the steps in the Differentiated Selling©
method. The Managers are supported by a blended training kit, which includes Rapid Learnings, case
studies, simulations, slide shows and an instruction booklet. This makes it possible to train all the sales
players, to save time and to maintain a good spirit among the sales force.
THE RESULT
La Poste went from conventional sales to a
streamlined process with a more controlled approach.
Sales Managers dedicate more time and care to their
contact with the field, which has a positive effect on
team motivation and dynamics. Exact figures for sales
increases are confidential, but they are significant.
“The percentage of sales people
selling our whole offer has increased
by 15%.’’
Adèle Albano, Director of Corporate Customers
at La Poste.