80% of sales pros feel unskilled for today’s market: upGrad

MUMBAI: upGrad Enterprise, a corporate learning and development division of upGrad - one of Asia’s largest integrated learning, skilling and workforce development majors has released its comprehensive The Grand Sales & Workplace Report 2024 with insights from 3900+ sales professionals across sectors.

The report provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of sales professionals in India Inc exploring their pain points, desires, and expectations.

The report further explores the effectiveness of training programs, motivational factors for sales professionals, and unique challenges faced by women in sales, as per a release.

It emphasises the need for structured, long-duration training programs and the importance of recognising and rewarding outstanding performance through professional development opportunities.

Shreyasi Singh - president, capability, delivery & brand, upGrad Enterprise & founder, Harappa said, “We are deeply committed to surfacing sharp and incisive insights into Indian workplaces and helping organisations maximise their potential.

The dramatic changes happening in the sales profession are also evident in other industry reports where 80 per cent of sales leaders believe the role of a salesperson will be significantly different in just five years.

KEY FINDINGS:

• 61% sales professionals plan to change jobs in the next 3-24 months, with more from the automotive and retail sectors intending to leave within the next 12 months
• 93% sales professionals feel supervisors don’t understand their challenges or provide effective support
• Additionally, 83% experience moderate to very high stress, which increases with seniority, especially in the automotive, pharmaceuticals and consumer durables sectors
• Competitive market conditions and high management expectations significantly contribute to their stress levels