The UK sales industry is the most poorly regarded and least trusted professions in the world, research has found.
The 2007-08 Global Sales Perception Report interviewed 2,705 corporate buyers and employees who interact with sales people across six countries.
The UK provoked the lowest perception rating among its respondents, with 53% rating sales “poor” or “fair”.
Globally, 41% of buyers said their expectations of sales expertise had increased over the past five years.
Yet just 66% of UK buyers believed sales people provided them with the support they needed, and only 40% thought UK sales expertise had improved in recent years.
Paul Hughes, director of strategic accounts at leadership consultancy DDI, which commissioned the research, said: “Buyers have increasingly high expectations of sales people, but our research clearly tells us that in many cases these expectations are not being met.
“Organisations need to quickly develop a better understanding of which of their sales people have the skills, experience and motivation to help to drive their sales strategies and in turn which of the sales leaders are best equipped to lead and support them.”
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