METHOD & APPARTUS FOR IMPROVING THE SKILLSET OF A SALES CANDIDATE BY USING SALES COACHING APPLICATIONS COUPLED TO E-LEARNING TOOLS

• US 20130226821A1
• Filed: 02/04/2013
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Callidus Software, Inc. (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Callidus Software, Inc. (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Stretch, Leslie, Chetwynd, Richard, Potts, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US13/758,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226821A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/2057 Career enhancement or continuing education service
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/00 Electrically-operated teaching apparatus or devices working with questions and answers mechanically operated G09B3/00; computing arrangements G06F

Abstract

A method and apparatus is disclosed to improve a set of tasks performed by a salesperson. In some embodiments, a method comprises of receiving information about competencies being performed by a salesperson in order to complete a sales transaction, wherein each of the competencies associated with a salesperson is given a quantitative value. In some embodiments, the method comprises of identifying tasks being performed by the salesperson to support said competencies and assigning an individual value to said tasks in a manner to affect the quantitative value of the competencies. In some embodiments, a method for generating revenue by hyperlinking the tasks performed by a salesperson to e-learning courses is disclosed. In some embodiments, a method comprising of determining and assigning an e-learning course for a salesperson, and negotiating billing and revenue sharing plans is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method and apparatus for improving a set of tasks performed by a salesperson, comprising:

receiving information about competencies being performed by a salesperson in order to complete a sales transaction wherein each of the competencies associated with salesperson being given a quantitative value;

identifying using an assessment application those tasks being performed by said salesperson to support said competencies and assigning an individual value to said tasks in a manner to affect the quantitative value of the competencies;

using said assessment application to analyze the competencies grouping said competencies into categories needing and not needing improvement, and

generating suggestion requests to said salesperson wherein said suggestion requests being hyperlinks to e-learning tools assigned quantitative values by said assessment application to affect the quantitative value of the competencies depending on a result of completion or not completion of said suggestion requests.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

wherein the received information about the competencies being a qualitative score assigned to a salesperson and executing an assessment application associating the tasks with categories and subsequently associating the categories with e-learning tools to generate additional requests to the salesperson.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

wherein the e-learning tools being online courses that are grouped in categories to facilitate the assessment application to determine an appropriate course with each request to the salesperson.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

using analytics couple to the assessment application to inform the salesperson of the status of completion of an online course and changes in competencies value.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising:

informing an administrator of the status of the completion of an online course.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

wherein the suggestion requests of the assessment application being modifiable to add additional assignment information other than using the e-learning tools.

7. The method of claim 5, comprising:

wherein the suggestion requests further comprising assignment histories, rating information, general observations and performance review items.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising:

wherein the assessment application capable of determining quantitative value changes to the competencies of the salesperson when the additional assignment information being completed other than using the e-learning tools.

9. A computer readable medium containing programming instructions for improving a set of tasks performed by a salesperson, the instructions being executable for:

receiving information about competencies being performed by a salesperson in order to complete a sales transaction wherein each of the competencies associated with salesperson being given a quantitative value;

identifying using an assessment application those tasks being performed by said salesperson to support said competencies and assigning an individual value to said tasks in a manner to affect the quantitative value of the competencies;

using said assessment application to analyze the competencies grouping said competencies into categories needing and not needing improvement; and

generating suggestion requests to said salesperson wherein said suggestion requests being hyperlinks to e-learning tools assigned quantitative values by said assessment application to affect the quantitative value of the competencies depending on a result of completion or not completion of said suggestion requests.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions for:

wherein the received information about the competencies being a qualitative score assigned to a salesperson and executing an assessment application associating the tasks with categories and subsequently associating the categories with e-learning tools to generate additional requests to the salesperson,

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

wherein the e-learning tools being online courses that are grouped in categories to facilitate the assessment application to determine an appropriate course with each request to the salesperson,

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

using analytics coupled to the assessment application to inform the salesperson of the status of completion of an online course and changes in competencies value.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for:

wherein an administrator is informed of the stats of completion of an online course.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for:

wherein the suggestion requests of the assessment application being modifiable to add additional assignment information other than using the e-learning tools.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions for:

wherein the suggestion requests further comprising assignment histories, rating information, general observations and performance review items.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions for:

wherein the assessment application capable of determining quantitative value changes to the competencies of the salesperson when the additional assignment information being completed other than using the e-learning tools.

17. A system for improving a set of tasks performed by a salesperson, comprising:

a module to receive information about competencies being performed by a salesperson in order to complete a sales transaction wherein each of the competencies associated with salesperson being given a quantitative value;

an assessment processor coupled to said module for identifying those tasks being performed by said salesperson to support said competencies and to assign an individual value to said tasks in a manner to affect the quantitative value of the competencies, said assessment processor used to analyze the competencies grouping said competencies into categories needing and not needing improvement, and generating suggestion requests to said salesperson wherein said suggestion requests being hyperlinks to e-learning tools assigned quantitative values by said assessment processor to affect the quantitative value of the competencies depending on a result of completion or not completion of the suggestion requests.

18. The system of claim 17, comprising:

wherein the assessment processor associating the tasks with categories and subsequently associating the categories with e-learning tools to generate additional requests to the salesperson.

19. The system of claim 17, comprising:

wherein the e-learning tools being online courses that are grouped in categories to facilitate the assessment processor to determine an appropriate course with each request to the salesperson.

20. The system of claim 19, comprising:

an analytics engine coupled said assessment processor to inform the salesperson of the status of completion of an online course and changes in competencies value.

21. The system of claim 20, comprising:

a notification sent to an administrator which indicates the status of the completion of an online course.

22. The system of claim 17, comprising:

wherein the suggestion requests of the assessment processor being modifiable to add additional assignment information other than using the e-learning tools.

23. The system of claim 21, comprising:

wherein the suggestion requests further comprising assignment histories, rating information, general observations and performance review items.

24. The system of claim 21, comprising:

wherein the assessment processor capable of determining quantitative value changes to the competencies of the salesperson when the additional assignment information being completed other than using the e-learning tools.

25. A method and apparatus for improving a set of tasks performed by a salesperson, comprising:

receiving a competency score about a salesperson, the competency scoring being an aggregation of the competencies being performed by a salesperson in order to complete a sales transaction wherein each of the competencies being given a quantitative value;

identifying using an assessment application those tasks being performed by said salesperson to support said competencies and assigning an individual value to said tasks in a manner to affect the quantitative value of the competencies,

using said assessment application to analyze the competencies grouping said competencies into categories needing and not needing improvement,

generating suggestion requests to said salesperson wherein said suggestion requests being hyperlinks to e-learning tools assigned quantitative values by said assessment application to affect the quantitative value of the competencies depending on a result of completion or not completion of said suggestion requests, and

using a mathematical function to aggregate the competency values to affect the competency score.

26. A method and apparatus for generating revenue by linking the tasks performed by a salesperson to e-learning courses, comprising:

determining using a sales coaching application an e-learning course for a salesperson to enhance a skillset of a salesperson in the performance of a sales transaction,

assigning using an assignment application coupled to the sales coaching application an e-learning course to a salesperson wherein the assigned course being part of the a list of courses pre-hyperlinked to a skillset associated with the completion of a sales transaction, and

negotiating with third party providers of the courses to generate billing and revenue sharing plans coupled to the sales coaching application to enable direct billing and revenue generation of the assigned e-learning courses.