Guest on the BFM Business programme Objective Growth, Sophie Gras, Managing Director of Service Innovation Group Franceset out a clear framework: "Outsourcing is common practice, as it is in payroll and logistics. In sales, it allows us to gain in expertise, flexibility and performance... but also in terms of requirements, because the customer expects measurable results.
This insight reveals a whole model of efficiency in the field, from upstream consultancy to performance analysis. What if you, too, were to turn outsourcing into a growth lever that would structure your business?
Sales outsourcing: much more than just support in the field
For a long time, sales outsourcing was seen as a one-off way of absorbing peaks in activity or deploying teams for specific assignments. It is now emerging as a genuine strategic management tool designed to drive growth. This was the message conveyed by Sophie Gras on BFM Business, who pointed out that this approach is based above all on the search for expertise, as is already the case in other functions such as payroll, logistics or recruitment.
In practical terms, outsourcing your sales force, sales promotion or merchandising operations means relying on a partner capable of orchestrating complete actions, from initial diagnosis to performance analysis, including deployment in the field. "Our motto is to sell and make people sell", explains Sophie Gras. This means intervening upstream - by analysing the customer's challenges and objectives - but also mobilising appropriate, trained and supervised resources capable of generating rapidly measurable results.
It is this global positioning that is now the strength of a player such as Service Innovation Group France. Far from being a simple service model, sales outsourcing is becoming a turnkey solution, designed to deliver value at every stage:
- Upstream: needs audit, definition of KPIs, help with structuring the sales action plan
- On the ground : recruitment, training, sales team management, merchandising, activation
- After the action : data collection, reporting and analysis via the Business Intelligence
This triptych - analysis, deployment, measurement - has become essential for sales and trade marketing departments looking for flexible, ROI-oriented solutions. And that's precisely what well-constructed outsourcing makes possible.
As well as performance, it is flexibility that appeals to decision-makers. The ability to adapt the volume of a system according to season, geographical area or business priority has become a prerequisite. In an uncertain environment, it makes all the difference to have a lever that can be rapidly activated, managed and made accountable. As Sophie Gras explains: "It's our job to know how to adapt resources to needs, whether they are rising or falling.
And this flexibility is not synonymous with slacking off: on the contrary, the customer-supplier relationship reinforces the demand for results. When an external player is commissioned to improve the distribution, visibility or sales of a product, the performance indicators must be clear, monitored and commented on. In this respect, commercial outsourcing is fully in line with a logic of results and continuous improvement.
Why outsource today? 5 truths to remember in the field
If there is one key lesson to be learned from Sophie Gras's talk on BFM Business, it is that sales outsourcing is not just about costs. It is a concrete response to issues of management, performance and development. Here are five truisms that explain why brands - large and small - are now turning to agencies like ours.
1. To benefit from an objective outside view
Many sales departments express a clear need for benchmarking and perspective on their activation strategy. Outsourcing allows them to compare their reality with that of other brands, other networks and other channels. This outside perspective, based on the multi-sector experience of a partner like SIG, means that blind spots can be avoided, adjustments made quickly and habits challenged.
2. To gain organisational flexibility
Today, responsiveness is key. Being able to modulate sales resources according to current priorities is a competitive advantage. Outsourcing allows you to rapidly deploy sales forcesIt's also a way of limiting the HR impact during periods of strong seasonality or a temporary drop in activity. It's also a way of limiting the HR impact during periods of high seasonality or temporary drop in activity.
3. To speed up the implementation of action plans
Companies that entrust their field operations to Service Innovation Group France also do so to move faster. Thanks to teams that have already been trained, a tried and tested deployment process, a reactive recruitment unit and the ability to operate on a national or European scale, SIG can activate a plan in a matter of days, whereas an in-house team would need several weeks.
4. To secure results
Outsourcing does not mean delegating blindly. On the contrary. KPIs are defined upstream, BI tools ensure real-time monitoring, and teams are supervised in the field as they are at head office. The service contract is based on a strengthened obligation to provide resources... and a genuine culture of results. "A company has its requirements, but with a service provider it's even more demanding", Sophie Gras points out.
5. To surround yourself with responsible partners
Finally, brands are increasingly attentive to the values espoused by their commercial partners. They expect transparency, ethics, quality of management and increased skills in the field. This is also what SIG offers, through its commitment to its employees and customers, and its responsible management practices. As Sophie Gras puts it: "The driving force behind SIG is the men and women of SIG".
Measurable results, optimised management
Sales outsourcing only makes sense if it is rigorously monitored, analysed and managed. It's not simply a transfer of action: it's a performance lever activated with a view to rapid return on investment. At Service Innovation Group France, each field mission is conceived as a project in its own right, with indicators, monitoring tools, control points... and results.
A business intelligence approach
Where others are content with quantitative reporting, SIG relies on Business Intelligence integrated into each assignment. The aim? To give customers a clear picture of the real impact of their operations: DN/DV, resales, PDL, individual performance, avoided breakage, changes in shelf space share, conversion rates, etc. This data enables us to optimise our systems on an ongoing basis.
Customised dashboards for each customer
Each retailer, each sector, each channel has its own KPIs. That's why the systems put in place by SIG are accompanied by customised dashboards, updated in real time or according to the pace of the assignment. These tools enable sales and trade marketing departments to proactively monitor their ROI, without waiting for the operation to be completed.
Field and head office management dedicated to quality
Management is about more than just numbers. To guarantee consistent quality of execution, SIG relies on a dedicated support team: project managers, field supervisors, HR managers, network coordinators, etc. All work to maintain a high level of commitment and performance. This regular managerial monitoring also enables the teams to grow, develop their skills and better represent the brand at the point of sale.
A proven, adaptable and responsible model
This ability to continuously monitor, analyse and optimise actions is one of the major strengths of Service Innovation Group France. It reassures senior management. It makes decision-making easier. And it means that investment in the field can be justified in very concrete terms. Outsourcing does not mean relinquishing control: on the contrary, it means giving yourself the means to manage better, faster and more effectively.
Outsourcing means deciding to perform differently
What Sophie Gras' talk on BFM Business reveals is that sales outsourcing is not an easy solution. It is a strong strategic choice, guided by the search for efficiency, flexibility and measurable results. At a time when in-house teams are under unprecedented pressure, outsourcing to a specialist agency like Service Innovation Group France means greater responsiveness, control and commercial impact.
For over 60 years, Service Innovation Group France has been helping brands that want to boost their sales performance in the field without overburdening their organisation. Thanks to its business expertise - sales force, sales promotion, merchandising, telesales - and its analysis and management tools, SIG is positioned as a strategic partner for brand development.
From consultancy to execution, from recruitment to training, from management to optimisation, each assignment is designed as a lever for growth. In a world where customer proximity, agility and ROI have become priorities, well thought-out sales outsourcing is a modern, responsible and effective solution.
Do you need flexibility, results and support in the field?
Contact us so that together we can build a bespoke sales package tailored to your business challenges.
Because every brand deserves an execution on the ground that matches its ambitions.
