14. Answering the Buying Center

Selling centers – informal teams of internal specialists – are formed to address the diverse needs of individuals within the customer company and to rely on cross-functional expertise. Digitalization, standardization, externalization, and professionalism characterize today’s selling situations. From the perspective of the buying organization, procurement takes on an increasingly important role. The functions involved on the side of the selling organization can comprise a variety of units that are reactively formed to match the function, hierarchy, and number of the corresponding buying center. Overall, the changed conditions in selling centers require the participating members to acquire necessary skill sets and to adapt to the challenges of the process and the relationship between selling and buying organizations. Matching the composition and needs of buying centers as well as increasing the selling centers’ expertise and knowledge raises the probability of a successful sales process.