OTC buzz fires up SA sales champs to scale even greater heights

Winners of WVT's Fire & Ice Sales Incentive challenge have returned from America fired up and ready to put new skills acquired at Autodesk's One Team Conference (OTC) into practice. Top incentive performers Annie Modena and Jay Moolman from Modena qualified to attend OTC and receive a week-long skiing holiday in South Lake Tahoe after accumulating the necessary 150 points. A special performance award earned Taschy Fourie (Micrographics) and Carla Wiegand (Prokon) a trip to OTC.

Fire & Ice involved 39 resellers from across sub-Saharan Africa, who sold software valued in excess of R25-million in four months. Partners had to achieve 150 points to attend OTC with 100 points from sales revenue and the remaining 50 points from attendance at monthly channel gatherings, weekly conference calls, MQL feedback and online training.

The South African Fire & Ice contingent revelled in the exhilaration of the OTC experience of learning news skills, making new contacts and immersing themselves in an Autodesk strategy that heralds a new era of growth in the company.

"We heard how with the best Autodesk portfolio ever, the best marketing programmes ever and the best sales teams and channel in the industry, 2010 promises to be the best year ever for Autodesk," says Taschy. "Autodesk is very upbeat about its 2010 product set." "I came away with the sense that the market has turned," says Jay. "Cautiously optimistic, our customers are ready to invest again, although they want to see a clear return on their investment. But probably best of all is that I now know that Autodesk has the very best solution in the manufacturing space and that none of our competitors can touch us."

All four South Africans returned home with a common customer-focused message - sell the complete solution.

• "A lot of the information reinforced what I had learnt in ValueSelling, but it was the first time I had heard about being a challenger," says Annie. "Avoid going in with a narrow product-focused approach, rather challenge customers to adopt a whole solution."
• "Don't simply give a customer what he thinks he needs," says Jay. "No disrespect to our customers, but they don't know all the available options. So challenge them. Find out what they want to achieve and then sell them the complete solution."
• "Don't leave money on the table," says Taschy. "Find out what your customer really needs. Don't just accept what he says he wants. Question. Listen. And then propose a whole solution, not a product."
• "The conference was awesome and the timing of the challenger concept is perfect. Coming out of a recession during which they had to take a long hard look at themselves, I think customers are going to be more receptive to in-depth questioning."

Cornerstones of Autodesk's global growth strategy

Autodesk used OTC to outline its growth strategy to its partners with channel

I'm very proud of my team's performance. They're true trusted advisors. -- Anthony Modena MD, Modena Design Centres, Johannesburg

capability and capacity a priority.
"The channel is our competitive advantage," says Karsten Popp, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Channel Sales, who outlined the new simplified partner programme that gives partners access to more products so that they can earn more revenue.
By reducing its number of product authorisations from 21 to five, Autodesk has made it easier for partners to sell complete solutions and do more business. The other cornerstones of Autodesk growth strategy are emerging markets (the Africa channel is doubly important), education, Subscription and Named Accounts.
"The interest in the incentive was phenomenal," says Kyra Wainstein of WVT. "Resellers' enthusiasm in tracking weekly results was an early indicator of their passion for the sales drive."

Next Fire & Ice challenge to be announced at start of Q2

"I'll do anything to get back to OTC next year. It was phenomenal," says Taschy, throwing down the gauntlet to

Team Modena! Annie Modena (left) and Jay Moolman (right), with a new member of their team.

other resellers ahead of the next Fire & Ice contest, which will be announced at the start of Q2.

Gear up for Autodesk's best year ever and the chance to experience the pinnacle of sales motivation - an all expenses trip to OTC 2011 and skiing in Tahoe.

For top sales performers and novice skiers, Annie and Jay, the bonus of a week's skiing was magical. "It was the best incentive ever," says Jay. "Skiing was something unattainable for me and Fire & Ice made it a reality."

Click here to view the group's photo album.