Enabling Resource Allocation Optimization in an SME’s Sales Process

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the case company’s digital transformation of its analog and unsynchronized sales process into a fully digital purpose-built digital sales process. The objective of the thesis is to propose and implement a tool that enables optimized resource allocation in the sales process. The case company launched the transformation initiative to improve its sales and resource allocation processes to optimize its resource allocation and utilization. To support process optimizations, the old analog and unsynchronized databases required digitizing and digitalization to enable integrating multiple separate databases into one single digital database and one tool.

The current state of the business problem was assessed by utilizing qualitative research methods. The data collection contained three data collection rounds with relevant stakeholders to the sales process, which included face-to-face interviews, participant observations and a co-creation workshop. The current state analysis revealed issues regarding three main summarized themes: information loss and accessibility, lack of database synergy and stakeholders’ interests to adopt new procedures. The thesis tackles these issues by investigating existing knowledge and collecting best practices to offer a solution to the issues recognized in the current state analysis.

The outcome of the thesis is the proposal for and implementation of a tool that enables optimized resource allocation in the sales process. The implementation is based on the best practice collected from literature and the qualitative interviews and co-creation workshop organized with the key stakeholders. As a result, the company has received a modern digital tool for resource allocation in the sales process. Moreover, the new solution provides a foundation for future process improvements in the case company by leveraging opportunities of digital transformation.