Metso Paper makes sales processes, tools and know-how more efficient

03/2007 Interpersona’s assessment of the operational efficiency of sales teams (Sales Force Audit, SFA) opened the eyes of many salespersons for the possibilities to improve their own work. It was also a message to the organization that the management was interested in improving the efficiency in all its operations, not merely in the production and delivery chain, tells Jari Koikkalainen, Senior Vice President Sales at Metso Paper. Last year Interpersona carried out a Sales Force Audit at the pulp processing and recycled fiber sales organization at Metso Paper. With different tools Interpersona’s advisers Mats Kockberg and Susanne Stenfors, who were in charge of the project, clarified the practical working manners of each sales responsible person and related bottlenecks, strengths and development areas. Additionally the structures, processes, know-how and attitudes of the entire sales organization were assessed. Interpersona also made tangible suggestions on development processes regarding each person as well as the entire sales organization.

Today we work more systematically and efficiently than before Interpersona carried out the Sales Force Audit, says Jari Koikkalainen, Senior Vice President Sales at Metso Paper.

The challenges for Metso Paper’s sales are alike the challenges for most globally operating firms. Markets are geographically ever wider spread and far from the traditional home base. Their activity varies strongly and the width of delivery is simultaneously stretched in two directions: in investment projects the demand for broader delivery entities increases and thereby augments the complexity of deliveries, and on the other hand the clients increased need for continuous production and maintenance support causes the need to be near the client at all times. Simultaneously the cost competitiveness is very important in all operations.

    - A consequence of this is that the traditional export business model hasn’t worked for a long time; during the last years you’ve been forced to invest in the construction of a truly global organization instead. The work has begun but we haven’t arrived at the finish yet, says Jari Koikkalainen.

    - All operations must also be efficient. It’s not enough that production and planning are efficient but also sales must sharpen all its operations. Contemporarily the organization must have the ability for good cooperation regardless of where the people are physically. However, the foundation of everything is the fact that sales and taking care of client relations are going to become increasingly important. Machines and production plants can be copied, client relations cannot, states Koikkalainen.

In these working surroundings Metso Paper is investing widely in the development of processes, tools and know-how. Sales Force Audit has an important role in this. In the end we all answer ourselves for developing our own know-how and competitiveness. With SFA each sales person gets an external and expert assessment of the development points and potential for their own operations and know-how.

    - I consider this audit and the personal development plans that have been done during it as the firm’s investment in its personnel. By this we attempt to increase the motivation and know-how and as a result of this also the value these persons have for the business activity.

Metso Paper and Jari Koikkalainen chose Interpersona as their cooperation partner.

    - Interpersona was primarily chosen because it, especially for sales, is the leading firm in Finland. I wanted a partner who understands the special features of B2B-sales. With its Sales Force Audit Interpersona, besides a good procedure and good tools, also brought an important external view, which has been of use besides for identifying personal development points also for sales development generally. At our firm the turnover of the labor force is reasonably small and thereby one easily gets “blind” for the own working manners and also for the strengths and weaknesses of people. An external person can often give important tips on areas to improve, states Koikkalainen.

Today we work more systematically and efficiently than before the SFA. In practice we’ll hopefully see the advantage as a growing sales volume without having to increase the personnel in the same proportion.

The activity of pulp plants and paper machine markets is assumed to continue this good or at least reasonably in Asia as well as in South America. According to Koikkalainen also Europe’s and North America’s production capacity seems to be rolling at a good used capacity.

    - By working efficiently and giving our clients’ businesses added-value we can also, at least to some extent, influence the size of the markets ourselves.

The SFA made as a pilot project at Metso Paper continues for pulp processing and recycled fiber sales by the implementation and follow-up of personal action plans.

    - Our good experience is going to be of use also for other sales teams of Fiber Business Line, as soon as the Pulping and Power Business Lines we acquired from Aker have been integrated with Metso Paper, says Jari Koikkalainen.