Business & Professional services

We do this for entrepreneurial consultancies and service firms, for PE-backed buy-and-build platforms and for the commercial divisions of large service organizations.

Why selling is different here

A client buying a service sees no product and no factory. They buy a promise. That is why the seller has to help them judge the value, and why that value only emerges in the collaboration between seller and client.

On top of that, the people are the product. Consultants, account managers and specialists together shape what the client experiences. A commercial leader who only sells well personally won't get far here.

What this asks of a commercial leader

The salesperson's role in services is shifting. From relationship manager who submits a proposal to the conductor of the entire client relationship, across every touchpoint. Clients increasingly decide for themselves when and through which channel they talk to you, and have often formed an opinion before the first meeting takes place.

That changes what a good commercial leader does. The strongest leaders we meet in this sector deliberately take second place in the client meeting. They coach their consultants and account managers instead of taking over the conversation, especially with new clients. That is how they build a team that sells without them. That is the kind of leader we look for: someone who lets the team shine.

How we search

With Development Driven Search® we look for the leader for whom your assignment is the logical next step. In services, that is often someone who has already led complex client relationships and now wants to build an organization that can do so on its own. We assess on the factors our own research shows predict success in sales, and on how someone leads professionals who would never call themselves salespeople.

From intake to signed contract takes 8 to 12 weeks on average.

Discuss your vacancy with SalesQuarters. Call +31 20 226 90 00 or email info@salesquarters.nl. A first conversation commits you to nothing. Would you like to hear how it went for others first? We will put you in touch with a client as a reference.

Where we have done this

For BrandWise Group we found the CCO. For Solude a fractional CMO, and for ANWB a Manager Business Market. At wealth manager Wijs & van Oostveen, the best people came from outside the financial sector. CEO Steven Sarphatie: "SalesQuarters has a deep understanding of our business, and knows how to communicate that clearly to others."

Want to talk it through?

Not sure which commercial role your services business needs right now? We will work it out together in a first conversation.

Call SalesQuarters on +31 20 226 90 00 or email info@salesquarters.nl.