MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Professional Sales have published a major new report on the vital role that B2B selling must play in the UK’s recovery from recession.
The report finds that the B2B sales sector will be key to the country’s fortunes in 2021 and beyond, helping to propel the economy out of its Covid-induced downturn and enabling the UK to make the most of new trading opportunities around the world.
But the MPs also noted that the pandemic had intensified the existing shortage of B2B salespeople. Selling during Covid-19 has required more advanced skills and capability with digital sales technology - but these skills and capability are in short supply, especially at SMEs.
The number of job adverts for B2B salespeople comfortable with operating in an all-digital marketplace rose in intensity by 25% during 2020, and demand for skilled sellers was already back to its pre-Covid levels despite the continued lockdown.