Wie können Produkt- und Vertriebsteams zusammenarbeiten, um Konflikte zu vermeiden?

Taking an example of a hotel. If the chef does not take the order instructions from the waiter, he/she would never be able to satisfy the consumers as there will always be a sense of distaste, therefore it will result in the customer asking for a change every time resulting in food wastage. Similarly, if the waiter is not able to explain what food would suit the consumers based on their taste, the waiter shall be in the frontline of the shots fired by the consumers again leading to the entire effort going to waste. Thus it’s essential both understand what is their expertise and proceed hand in hand.

Actually I believe that both teams are two sides of the same Coin with each side having their own significance. So as a team we need to understand each other's role and communicate effectively to deliver the best product in the market. Feedback from the market which will be shared by the sales team has to be constructively taken by the product management team and both the team has to align towards achieving common goal of revenue generation. I have seen companies in which both the teams have worked in tandem has achieved growth over years.

From a scientific and medical device perspective the roles are integrated with each other. While product management is the voice of sales internally in an organization. Sales is the execution arm and eyes/ears of product management. From inventory management, tactics and promotions attuned to local level, to new product ideas and product improvements. Together they manage the product life cycle and customer life cycle.

Select and deeply understand mutual metrics. There are metrics that both sales and product have accountability for, average sales price, bookings growth, win rates (win rates vs. specific competitors), market penetration etc. Make sure to take the time, know these metrics and strategize together to improve. Create dashboards and always make sure to look back and evaluate performance.

Establish relationships from the get-go. This takes time and effort, but provides a foundation of familiarity, trust, and potentially even friendship. It goes a long way to have a tough conversation with a friend vs. stranger.

In a project I worked on, we aligned incentives by introducing combined performance metrics that reflected both product quality and sales achievements. This boosted a sense of teamwork but also ensured that both teams were working towards a unified vision. When both teams see how their efforts contribute to the overall success of the company, it naturally reduces conflict and builds a more collaborative environment. Aligning on shared goals and incentives is crucial for harmonizing product and sales teams. It's about finding a common ground where both teams can thrive.

Shared OKRs will secure the right balance between expectations and goals given the sales teams should not feel the pressure to meet quotas and product teams spitting out new features prematurely due to pressure of meeting new customer aquisition. Both should have the same understanding of what the customer should expect from the product at any time with the help of a comprehensive product roadmap.

Unless your product is extremely expensive, hard to integrate or very complex, it will likely benefit from free users loving it and using it alongside (not instead!) of the efforts of the sales team. Once sales see free users turning into paying ones or spreading the word, it will not matter that KPIs for the teams are different, but that product is helping them reach theirs.

A simple way to summarize this topic is to have both teams share OKRs, even if they have different KRs, but with the common goal.

One compass, one map: Sales & Product chart the course together. Shared North Star: Happy customers: Both teams win when users thrive. Align on retention, adoption, and market leadership. Metrics that bind: KPIs beyond just sales - user engagement, loyalty, revenue per user. Roadmap with market eyes: Sales insights steer product priorities, building features customers crave. Win-Win Rewards: Teamwork bonus: Shared pot celebrates collaboration, not solo victories. Milestone markers: High five hitting user targets, exceeding retention goals together. Commissions with care: Reward long-term relationships, not just closing quick deals.

Sales is the free “market research” arm product can tap into for feature feedback, road map input, competitive insight, and more. Two tips: put a sales product request form right into your CRM and regularly review it. Form a Customer Advisory Board with sales-selected members and enable early access to features for road testing so you have your next case study ready to go (and know what to train on) once the product is hardened.

The marketing function should be the conduit for a two-way flow of information between product developers and the field. Successful marketers should establish and utilize relationships with sellers to test product differentiation assumptions and messaging, gain an understanding of the competitive landscape to feed that back to product team. They can also provide sellers with roadmap insights and help them tie product specific sales motions into larger solution or campaign efforts. Bottom line for marketers is develope those relationships on both sides of the equation, the product side and the sales side.

When we say Collaboration and Communication it should be two way channel. In the current times where Organization are moving towards Product centric Organization, we need to make sure sales teams understand the Products the way a product manager do at least at high level and Product Managers need to probe sales with questions like what is the most interesting feature asked by a client in a pitch which our product did not have or competitor offered. That can go as feedback loop for Product improvement as well.

Shared Ship, Shared Destination: Aligning Goals for Product & Sales Harmony One North Star: Customer success fuels growth: Focus on happy users, long-term value, and market leadership. Metrics beyond the sale: Track user adoption, retention, & revenue per user, not just raw numbers. Product roadmap reflects market realities: Sales insights shape features, ensuring solutions address customer pain points. Incentivize Collaboration: Shared bonus pool: Reward teamwork, not individual wins. Celebrate shared milestones like hitting adoption targets. Sales commissions tied to customer experience: Incentivise long-term loyalty, not just quick deals. Product development rewards based on sales feedback: Motivate product teams to listen to the market.

It is vital to create a multidisciplinary team that integrates not only product development leaders but also sales people to have a broader perspective. The role of people that interacts with customers brings esencial insights to define features and functionalities of the products. It is also recommended that you invite customers and prospects at different phases of product development process to gain real insights about their problems and needs and to test the real value the product brings to the customer.

Product team's goal is different from the sales team's goal. Acknowledging and respecting each team's perspectives, focusing on the meeting goal is the highest priority. Hence, active listening, seeking common ground, and coming up with a mutually beneficial solutions should be part of the process.

They must set metrics to monitor the effectiveness of products made for sale. They recognize the reality on this metric and adjust the way they work and each side's goals.

Using data and facts over emotions is key. In any situation where two teams disagree on a feature's priority or overall roadmap, it is quite handy to take a look at customer feedback data, which provides an objective basis for decision-making. Being an active listener goes a long way as well. It's about understanding the other party's position, not just waiting for your turn to speak. Finding a win-win situation, where both parties feel their concerns are addressed, is often the best outcome.

Step back, breathe: Acknowledge conflict, avoid blame games. Listen actively, understand each other's perspectives. Seek common ground: Identify shared goals & customer needs. Can a tweak solve both sides' concerns? Brainstorm solutions together, be open to compromise & creative thinking. Empathy trumps ego: Put yourself in the other team's shoes. What drives their concerns? How can you address them respectfully? Communicate clearly, with open minds and a willingness to collaborate. Build Trust & Respect: Prioritise transparency & honesty in communication. Share information openly, address concerns promptly. Celebrate joint successes, reinforcing the power of teamwork. Remember, you're on the same side.

Really listen to your partners. You'd be surprised how 1 single additional piece of information can change your perspective on conflicts.

Documentation and knowledge sharing that includes product specs, marketing Collaterals, user documentation, feature documents, roadmap plans etc which helps and ensures everyone is on the same page wrt product feature availability…

Two things - Actionable conflict resolution mechanisms including decision making criteria and tenets to identify a path forward. Establishing clear ownership and accountability so that each function has clarity on what they are expected to drive while working in harmony. Another thing to note is that more and more companies are adopting PLG (Product Led Growth) instead of sales led growth, which eliminates a lot of this process related friction and uncertainties.

Product and sales teams are essential parts of an organization, and their collaboration is crucial for success. Some ways to keep harmony between both teams is : 1. Planning collaboratively involving Involve both teams. Sales teams can provide insights into customer needs and market trends, aiding product teams in developing offerings that meet market demands. 2. Encourage team members to learn about each other's roles, fostering empathy and understanding of the challenges faced by the other team. 3. Establish common metrics to measure success, promoting collective focus and reducing conflicts between teams.

To cultivate a harmonious collaboration, product management must prioritize a deep understanding of both teams' roles and challenges. Regular, clear communication channels ensure continuous awareness of product updates and market dynamics. Aligning goals and incentives establishes a unified direction, fostering seamless collaboration in product development and sales enablement. Conflict prevention involves proactively viewing disputes as opportunities for improvement, employing a constructive approach focused on joint problem solving rather than assigning blame. In adhering to these principles, product and sales teams forge a cohesive partnership, proactively averting conflicts and collectively striving towards shared objectives.

One other key thing here is communication. Often the “conflict “ is because expectations aren’t rightly set, and rationale ( say for prioritizing) isn’t appropriately communicated. Staying informed ( of customer needs) and informing ( of business priorities) will go a long way