DATA GENERAL CORPORATION
Data General, head quartered in Boston USA, was one of the world’s major computer companies that manufactured state of the art minicomputers. With 33 subsidiaries and more than 250 sales and service offices in 60 countries, Data General was a significant international company, earning about half its revenue from foreign sales.
The company was suffering sales problems and the new president assessed the problem as inadequate leadership in the counties and archaic selling methods.
Michael Tait was selected by the President of the corporation to restructure the whole of the European business to implement new sales and support methodology and sales organisation, based on the very successful programmes Michael implemented at Unisys Corporation. Michael worked on an interim basis to reshape country subsidiary leadership and implement programmes across Europe and the USA.
Sales increased substantially because of Michael’s groundbreaking sales model. This had specially qualified telesales people leading the sales drive and owning the sales cycle, with a newly profiled field salespeople engaged with customers when face to face meeting or demonstrations were needed. In addition, countless letters were received from customers, thanking Data General for the marvellous customer support being given because of the new structure.
A study of Michael’s sales methodology can be seen from the link to be added shortly. It is a model appropriate for higher value capital goods that require selling by salespeople rather than products that sell off the page.