Article at a glance:

Solving the solutions problem

Many companies have tried to get more from their sales efforts over the past ten years by packaging their goods as solutions: integrated offerings of products and services. But too many companies are trying to sell solutions when all they really have are product bundles that represent little added value. Real solutions are highly integrated, add value greater than the sum of their parts, and are difficult for customers—and competitors—to disaggregate.

The take-away

It takes more time and effort to sell a solution than to sell bundled products. To make the right investment in sales, managers must be clear on which they are offering.