Deal Desk use in sales teams is steadily growing, as is the need for data, insights, and best practices for Deal Desk pros. After our last shared panel, we talked to Steven Chung, the founder of the Deal Desk Association, to get his take on Deal Desks. Steve worked at the Deal Desk and sought a group to help him grow professionally. He made one because he couldn’t find any.
Steve shares his knowledge and ideas in this blog post. He also talks about why it takes a group to build a profession.
Why did you decide to start the Community?
Steve Chung: I began my career in New York City as a social worker. Later, I moved into government technology sales as an SDR and then as a Deal Desk professional.
I created DDA because I was always looking for a professional group and tools to help me improve my work, but I couldn’t find them. I saw that I wasn’t the only one looking for this, so I chose to make the community that my friends and I needed.
Why does a deal “deserve” a Deal Desk?
Steve Chung: This question doesn’t have a single correct answer. How involved the Deal Desk is may rest on how mature the company is and how strong the Deal Desk team is. Each organization has its requirements, but it’s a good idea to know what they are.
You should consider the deal’s size, the company’s size, and any custom clauses. These make the deal more difficult by design.
When is it time for a sales team to set up a Deal Desk?
Steve Chung: There is no one point in time. A company is ready for a Deal Desk team if they notice that their order forms are getting more and more wrong.
Knowing when a deal desk enters the sales process and starts to affect things is essential. It could be at the very beginning, when you first talk to a high-value prospect, when they sign, or at any other point you choose.
What are some of the Deal Desk’s main goals?
Steve Chung: I think one of the main goals of a Deal Desk is to help people learn more and be more predictable, a skill that is becoming very popular in sales. We all want to make intelligent choices.
Deal Desk clarifies things, improves the customer experience, and encourages teamwork and responsibility. All of these can be used to shorten and improve the sales cycle and make the buyer’s journey better. It makes things easier for both the buyer and the seller.
What does technology do to help Deal Desks?
Steven Chung: Technology gives Deal Desks more power by giving them more information to help them make better choices. With CRM and CPQ systems, Deal Desk staff can see all the information they need about a deal at a glance, and everyone involved in the process is always up to date.
When carefully analyzed, a community can be a treasure trove of information that can tell you a lot. Tech solutions measure performance and automate sales playbooks to help sales teams do better and set them up for success.
What should people at the Deal Desk consider when choosing their computer solutions?
Steve Chung: I think you should think about three main things:
- Integration: Before a company buys new technology, it should ensure it works well with its existing tools and solutions. If you don’t include strategic integrations, your answer might cause problems by being an extra “add-on” that makes the process less smooth and unified.
- Scalability: When you pick a tech option for your business, you want to ensure it can adapt to your needs anytime. Your chosen option can meet your needs tomorrow, next year, and many years after, no matter your business size or how many deals you have today.
- It takes a long time and a lot of work to set up a tech tool and teach your team how to use it (did someone say Deal Desk?), and it should be able to be expanded so that it works in the long run.
- Easy to use—from what I’ve seen, sales tech is behind when it comes to going digital, but it’s getting there. That being said, any sales tech your company buys should be simple to set up and control.
- I hear many stories about businesses buying tech that needs a lot of code or specialized third-party consultants. Get tools that are quick and easy to use. Changes should be easy for your team to make, and bosses should be able to see them right away.
What tips would you like to share with people at Deal Desk?
Steve Chung: I’ll use an overused phrase because it fits: “Knowledge is power.” I would tell people at Deal Desk to learn more about how their company handles sales, management, finances, and the law. An essential part of success in this area is understanding what other departments do and how they do it.
What’s the best thing you’ve done as a Deal Desk worker?
Steven Chung: The best times I had as a Deal Desk worker were when I did exactly what the job required: I coordinated old contract data and fixed financial measures. There were times when everything made sense and seemed to fall into place, which clearly affected the bottom line. That makes you feel perfect.
