Effektivität von Prozessmanagement in Vertriebsprozessen

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which process management in sales processes can contribute to increasing effectiveness and improving sales results. Based on the problem of unstructured sales processes and the inadequate use of existing data, the question of what effect a systematic, process-oriented approach can have is investigated. This is based on the hypothesis that a measurable improvement in sales can be achieved through the targeted application of process management. In the first part of the paper, theoretical principles are defined in order to ensure a uniform understanding of the term. Among other things, the continuous improvement process (CIP), customer relationship management (CRM), key performance indicators (KPIs), change management and benchmarking are examined. Building on this, the importance of processoriented methods for the design and management of sales processes is analyzed. The empirical study is based on five guided interviews with experts. The evaluation was carried out using structured content analysis according to Kuckartz. Deductive categories were defined based on the literature and supplemented by inductively developed categories during the evaluation process. These were then assigned to five overarching main categories: Control and optimization, collaboration and culture, technology, change and culture, and process management and structure. The analysis was carried out using MAXQDA software. The results show that central elements of process management are present in practice. These include defined responsibilities, CRM systems and a basic understanding of key figures. At the same time, there are implementation deficits. For example, improvements are often made without a methodical basis and existing data is not consistently fed back into processes. Technological barriers and limited user acceptance are further hurdles. The coding distribution points to priorities in the areas of structure, collaboration and optimization. The comparison of theory and practice shows a high degree of agreement in terms of content. The hypothesis can be supported, although the depth of implementation varies between organizations. For further research, the use of maturity models appears to make sense in order to systematically record the level of development and make changes comparable through repeated surveys.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Maximilian Gruber (Supervisor)