Insights from a qualitative study on coordinating valuable information to sales teams

In today’s data-driven B2B environment, sales teams are inundated with information—but are they getting the right insights at the right time? That’s the central question explored in Cédric Van Speybroeck’s master’s thesis, which investigates how sales enablement coordinates the flow of valuable information to sales representatives.

📘 Source: Van Speybroeck, C. (2021). Sales Enablement: How is sales enablement coordinating the stream of valuable information towards the sales department? Ghent University. Consult the full work here.

What Is Sales Enablement?

Sales enablement is more than just providing tools or content. It’s a strategic initiative that aligns people, processes, and performance to empower sales teams with the right information at the right time. It builds on earlier concepts like:

• Sales Force Automation (SFA): Automating non-selling tasks.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Managing customer data and interactions.
• Lead Generation: Identifying and qualifying prospects.

Van Speybroeck frames sales enablement around the 3 Ps (Rangarajan et al., 2020):

• People: Hiring, training, and coaching sales reps.
• Process: Coordinating departments and aligning strategy.
• Performance: Leveraging KPIs and technology to drive results.

Key Findings from the Field

The study is based on 21 in-depth interviews with professionals across industries. Here’s what emerged:

1. Sales Enablement Knowledge Is Limited

Most companies are unfamiliar with the term “sales enablement,” even if they perform related activities. Only a few participants—mainly from pharma or tech—recognized the concept or used dedicated platforms like Showpad or Seismic.

“Many companies don’t know what the hell it [sales enablement] is… They’re trying to solve these problems, but they just don’t know what it is.”
— Participant 15, VP at a sales enablement software provider

2. Revenue Enablement Is the Next Evolution

Sales enablement is expanding into revenue enablement, which supports all customer-facing roles—not just sales. This shift reflects a broader focus on the entire customer journey and lifetime value.

How Information Flows to Sales Teams

Van Speybroeck developed two frameworks to map:

1. Types of Information Shared
2. Tools Used to Share It

Types of Information

Information is categorized by source and target:

• External: Customer observations (e.g., behavior, preferences)
• Internal:
  • Customer-facing: Product specs, pricing, marketing materials
  • Sales-only: Strategy, performance metrics, sales techniques

Tools for Sharing Information

These fall into four categories:

1. Digital Tools

• CRM Systems (e.g., Salesforce): Track interactions and performance
• ERP Systems (e.g., SAP): Manage product and customer data
• Sales Enablement Platforms (e.g., Showpad): Centralize content, training, and analytics
• Servers & Shared Drives: Store and organize documents
• Websites & Apps: Provide self-service access to clients

2. Human Touchpoints

• Informal: Phone, email, WhatsApp, hallway chats
• Formal: Sales meetings, roleplays, structured hierarchies

3. Physical Tools

• Brochures, Samples, Visual Aids
• Unique Tools: E.g., a “block box” to visualize sales funnel steps

4. Training

• Initial Onboarding: Ranges from 1 week to 6 months
• Ongoing Coaching: Often tied to cycle meetings or roleplays

Cultural and Organizational Factors

Company Culture Matters

A knowledge-sharing culture is essential. Companies that encourage transparency and learning outperform those that don’t.

“You need a culture where mistakes are allowed. Otherwise, people will start keeping information to themselves.”
— Participant 2, Marketing Director, Pharma

Generational Differences

Younger reps embrace digital tools more readily, while older reps rely on relationships and experience. Both can succeed—but require different enablement strategies.

The COVID-19 Effect

The pandemic accelerated digital transformation in sales:

• Sales Meetings: Shifted to Teams/Zoom; many plan to keep hybrid formats.
• Client Interactions: More structured, often appointment-based.
• Training: Moved online, with mixed results.

Some changes—like digital meetings and remote onboarding—are likely to stay. Others, like reduced face-to-face contact, may revert post-pandemic.

Practical Takeaways for Sales Leaders

1. Audit Your Information Flow
   Map what information is shared, how, and when. Identify gaps and redundancies.
2. Invest in Enablement Platforms
   Tools like Showpad or Seismic can centralize content, training, and analytics—especially useful for large or distributed teams.
3. Foster a Learning Culture
   Encourage feedback, roleplays, and peer learning. Make training continuous, not one-off.
4. Balance Tech and Touch
   Use digital tools to enhance—not replace—human connection. Tailor approaches to different rep profiles.
5. Prepare for Revenue Enablement
   Expand enablement beyond sales to include marketing, customer success, and service teams.