The Future of Sales in the B2B Software Industry. The Digitalization of Sales in German small and medium-sized enterprises

Masterarbeit , 2022 , 193 Seiten , Note: 1,3

BWL - Handel und Distribution

In addition to an overview of the most relevant trends and the most promising digital methods as well as tools for sales, this master thesis will provide insights into the practical aspects of Digital Sales. A particular focus will be placed on the relevance and influence of Digital Leadership in the context of necessary change management regarding the digitalization of sales.

Across all industries, digitalization leads to sustainable structural changes for companies of all sizes. New business models are emerging, existing business models are changing fundamentally or are even disappearing altogether. Hardly any business area is spared from disruptive change. Therefore, also customer management and sales constantly face new challenges and opportunities. Familiar processes and methods have to be reassessed radically to ensure ongoing success.

Companies have to learn to adapt their customer management to changing requirements. They cannot hope that customers will continue to move towards providers as they have in the past. This has profound consequences for sales. Existing processes have to change, salespeople have to adapt their’ skills and competencies to shifting customer expectations, and organizations have to review their structures. Companies that do not address the digital market changes today will not survive in the future.

In contrast to U.S.-based companies, German companies have been hesitant to deal with the digitalization of sales so far. Business was excellent and sales were continuously successful. Thus, there was little need to change the status quo, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly changed business life. The entire sales cycle suddenly needed a redesign, from customer acquisition to customer service. Ultimately, the pandemic began to change sales processes in German SMEs, and with that, also the mindset towards the digitalization of sales.

Nevertheless, companies are still struggling to change. The vast number of options for optimizing sales processes seems unlimited. Which sales processes should companies digitize, and which should stay as they are? Which aspects are critical to the success of effective sales management? Who should be the initiator and motivator for digitalization measures in sales? Moreover, are the necessary skills and competencies even available?

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Research Background & Context
• 1.2 Research Gap & Goal
• 1.3 Research Structure
• 2 General Theoretical Foundation
• 2.1 Fundamentals of Digitalization
• 2.1.1 Definition of Digitalization
• 2.1.2 Relevance of Digitalization
• 2.1.3 Drivers of Digitalization
• 2.1.4 Impact of Digitalization on Sales
• 2.2 Fundamentals of Business-to-Business
• 2.2.1 Definition of Business-to-Business
• 2.2.2 Business Software Industry
• 2.3 Fundamentals of Digital Sales
• 2.3.1 Definition of Digital Sales
• 2.3.2 Shifts in Customer Behavior & Major Trends in Sales
• 2.3.3 Disruptive Methods & Tools for Digital Sales
• 2.3.4 Digital Sales Excellence
• 2.3.5 Status Quo of existing Studies
• 2.4 Fundamentals of Digital Leadership
• 2.4.1 Digital Transformation & Change Management
• 2.4.2 Definition of Digital Leadership
• 2.4.3 Relevance of Digital Leadership in Sales
• 2.4.4 Digital Sales Leadership
• 2.4.5 Status Quo of existing Studies
• 3 Empirical Research Approach
• 3.1 Design of Empirical Research
• 3.2 Selection of Interview Partners & Sampling
• 3.3 Interview Guide
• 3.4 Data Collection
• 3.5 Data Analysis
• 4 Data Analysis & Results
• 4.1 Introduction to the Category System
• 4.2 Necessity for Digital Sales
• 4.3 Prerequisites & Challenges of Digital Sales
• 4.4 Methods & Tools of Digital Sales
• 4.5 Outlook
• 5 Discussion of Results
• 5.1 Research Question 1: Challenges in the context of Digital Sales
• 5.2 Research Question 2: Necessary Skills & Competencies of Digital Sales Leaders
• 5.3 Research Question 3: Influence of Digital Leadership on Digitalization of Sales
• 6 Final Review
• 6.1 Conclusion
• 6.2 Limitations & Implications for Research and Practice

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This master thesis aims to investigate the future of sales in the B2B software industry, specifically focusing on the digitalization of sales processes within German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The thesis explores the key factors driving digitalization, analyzes the impact on sales practices, and examines the role of digital leadership in driving successful digital transformation.

• Digitalization in the B2B software industry
• Impact of digitalization on sales processes
• Challenges and opportunities of digital sales
• Skills and competencies of digital sales leaders
• Influence of digital leadership on digitalization of sales

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the research context, defines the research gap, and outlines the research goals and structure of the thesis. It establishes the relevance of the topic and the need for further investigation.
• Chapter 2: General Theoretical Foundation: This chapter provides a comprehensive theoretical foundation for the research, covering key concepts related to digitalization, B2B software industry, digital sales, and digital leadership. It examines the drivers, challenges, and trends impacting the field.
• Chapter 3: Empirical Research Approach: This chapter details the methodology employed for the empirical research. It outlines the research design, sampling strategy, interview guide, data collection procedures, and data analysis techniques used to gather and analyze relevant information.
• Chapter 4: Data Analysis & Results: This chapter presents the findings of the empirical research, analyzing the data collected through interviews. It examines the necessity for digital sales, challenges faced by SMEs, methods and tools employed for digital sales, and provides an outlook on future trends.
• Chapter 5: Discussion of Results: This chapter discusses the findings of the research in relation to the research questions outlined in the introduction. It explores the challenges associated with digital sales, the necessary skills and competencies of digital sales leaders, and the influence of digital leadership on the digitalization of sales processes.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The central keywords and focus topics of this master thesis are digitalization, sales, B2B software industry, digital sales, digital leadership, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), digital transformation, and change management. The research investigates the impact of digitalization on sales practices in the B2B software industry, emphasizing the role of digital leadership in driving successful transformation.

• Hochschule: European School of Business Reutlingen
• Note: 1,3
• Autor: Tim Schick (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2022
• Seiten: 193
• Katalognummer: V1381918
• ISBN (eBook): 9783346926944
• ISBN (Buch): 9783346926951
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: sales, b2b, software, führung, leadership, digitization, digital sales, digital leadership, digital transformation, change management, digital sales leader, digital sales excellence, skills, competencies