Your product and sales teams are in conflict. How can you manage them effectively?

The general idea is to create a structure that fosters collaboration and collective ownership. Some strategies to accomplish this include: - Implementing a one-on-one mapping of Points of Contact (PoCs), which ensures accountability. - Aligning outcomes with shared Key Result Areas (KRAs) or Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), motivating both parties to work towards common goals. - Prioritizing based on impact rather than instinct, encouraging discussions based on data rather than assumptions. - Maintaining transparency in communication to foster empathy between Sales and Product teams, thereby enhancing the agility needed to achieve shared objectives.

The sales team, like all teams within an organization, seeks to achieve the organization's goal and has its own tools and KPIs to achieve it. The sales team is in direct contact with customers and is a rich source of customer feedback and data. Therefore, it is necessary for the product team to have a constructive relationship with the sales team and understand their point of view.

It's a common occurrence for sales and product teams to experience conflicts, and it's crucial to comprehend the issues and challenges faced by the sales team when dealing with customers. This understanding helps navigate behaviours that might not align well with the product team. One effective approach is to participate in a few client meetings, observing the situation. The emphasis here is a few meetings, as it's impractical for the PdM to attend all. Thereafter, openly communicate with the sales team, discussing ways to enhance collaboration. Help them comprehend the product perspective, for e.g illustrating why agreeing to every customization, could lead to a confusing image and maintenance nightmare,are issues for the product

Normally, the conflicts could happen when product and sales teams have different priorities and different set of target metrics. So to reduce unnecessary conflicts from the root is to make sure we can minimise the gap on ways of setting priorities and target metrics between product and sales. Obviously, there are cases that not everything could be aligned 100%, so to keep an open mind , trust & respect each other's expertise & good intent, understand each other's limitations and eventually willing to find a middle ground could be a good way to go especially in large organisations.

Managing product and sales teams effectively often requires a delicate balance of understanding and collaboration. I prioritize open communication to ensure both teams feel valued. By actively listening to their perspectives, I gain insights into their unique challenges and goals. Through transparent communication and regular meetings, I facilitate constructive dialogue to address conflicts and align both teams toward shared objectives. Promoting a culture of mutual respect and understanding, I aim to create a cohesive and collaborative environment where both teams work together seamlessly to drive success

Existe um conflito muito comum entre vendas e produto. Importante identificar ações que ajudem a trabalharem em mais harmonia, dado que ambas querem que o produto e negócios gerados sejam sucesso: - traga o grupo de vendas, customer success e marketing para discussão sobre evolucao do produto. - receba os inputs dessas duas áreas quanto a necessidades de evolução vindas do cliente final. - procure entender os planos de expansão do produto quais são (novas geografias, categorias, combos etc) para que possa alimentar o roadmap de evoluções a serem priorizadas

Understanding their perspectives, conflicts, and friction points are super important here. But something underrated that can help you go a step further is to find the points of agreement to make it easier.

Understand Team Conflict: Actively listen: Have 1:1s with both teams, encouraging them to share concerns and desired outcomes through open-ended questions. Identify underlying issues: Go beyond surface-level gripes and uncover root causes through "why" questions and mapping pain points. Build empathy: Use role-playing or shared customer interactions to build empathy and reframe frustrations towards customer solutions. Facilitate open discussion: Organize non-judgmental brainstorming sessions to identify common ground and establish clear feedback loops for ongoing collaboration.

No one likes being ignored, and sales often feels ignored by product. Sales is at the forefront; they hear "no" more than "yes." They experience feedback delivered as failed deals and lost income. Once you can empathize with your sales team, you need them to empathize with you. Share your challenges, and communicate the "why" behind priorities and what's feasible. Once you've done this, you can dig into their feedback to understand if there are opportunities to improve messaging, refine the target market, introduce new features, or scrap old ones. Without empathy, you'll be talking past each other.

'Transform conflict into collaboration', We all are working to achieve the ultimate product goal. We can achieve it by adding few more activities like - Joint Workshops, Shadowing Sessions, Shared Metrics, Feedback Forums, Cross-Functional Projects, Leadership Alignment, Recognition Rituals, Continuous Improvement Loop. This approach transforms conflict into a symbiotic relationship, enhancing overall organizational effectiveness.

As previously mentioned, engaging in firsthand observations during various interactions provides valuable insights into the challenges sales encounter. Subsequently, it's essential to engage in discussions aimed at enhancing collaboration. In this phase, it's imperative to adapt or develop new approaches to address their pain points, even if additional effort is required. For example, I introduced a product features playbook to improve understanding for both sales and stakeholders. Empowering stakeholders to select features, additional requests are considered as product improvements for existing users. While customization may still be needed, it has reduced the likelihood and kept sales updated with ongoing developments.

Rethink product-sales clashes like an architect and a builder, vital but with different perspectives. Good communication bridges them. Instead of formal meetings, encourage casual chats to bond. Share product plans openly, even if they change, and explain delays. Listen actively to sales, ask questions, and show genuine interest. Create a safe space for honest feedback, addressing concerns transparently. Use tools like Slack for real-time updates. Remember, communication is two-way. By listening, being honest, and fostering a safe environment, turn interactions into teamwork, gaining trust, and achieving success in the market and within the company.

Maintain clear and frequent communication with both your product and sales teams to prevent misunderstandings and conflicts. Ensure your product team is aware of customer feedback, requests, and objections received by the sales team. Likewise, keep your sales team informed about product roadmap updates, releases, and changes affecting their sales process. Utilize various communication channels, such as emails, newsletters, meetings, demos, and webinars, to disseminate information effectively and address queries from both teams.

I believe that setting up a shared communication platform, like Slack or Microsoft Teams, significantly improves transparency and reduces information silos.

The second step in managing your product and sales teams is clear and frequent communication. It's vital to keep both teams informed about customer feedback, product updates, and changes affecting sales. Use diverse channels like emails, meetings, and demos to share information effectively and address any questions or concerns promptly.

Ensure that there are regular communication channels open between the product and sales teams. This could be through joint meetings, shared reports, or collaborative tools. Transparency about product updates, sales feedback, and customer insights is crucial.

- Establish regular communication channels and meetings between the product and sales teams to ensure ongoing dialogue and transparency. - Use clear, concise language to articulate goals, expectations, and changes, minimizing misunderstandings and misinformation. - Encourage open feedback and discussions, allowing team members to voice concerns and suggestions, fostering a culture of trust and mutual respect.

Clear and frequent communication is key to managing conflict between product and sales teams. Open channels of communication facilitate transparency, prevent misunderstandings, and promote alignment. Managers should encourage regular dialogue between the teams, providing opportunities for them to share updates, feedback, and insights. Establishing clear communication protocols and platforms ensures that information flows smoothly between the two teams, enabling them to work more effectively together.

Go with Sales to visit customers. That way you hear what they hear, and can discuss it later from a common perspective. Roadmaps often take a hit from some PM experts, but you should have a strategy and roadmap that is shared with Sales, along with the rationale why specific items were selected and others omitted. Show them you have a prioritization approach - it isn't just who speaks the loudest. Let them see that your plan will maximize the revenue into your company by maximizing the benefits for the most customers and prospects.

It’s not product vs. sales, it’s product *and* sales. Conflict arises when goals diverge. The key? Align both teams around shared objectives and clearly defined metrics. It's about understanding that each team plays a crucial role in the journey towards these common goals. Encourage open communication. Create spaces where both teams can voice concerns and share insights. This fosters a culture of collaboration, not competition. Finally, celebrate wins together. Every sale is a product victory; every product improvement boosts sales potential. By focusing on shared success, we bridge gaps and drive growth. Together.

Aligning on goals and metrics is crucial for fostering cooperation between product and sales teams. Both teams ultimately aim to drive revenue and customer satisfaction, albeit through different means. By aligning their goals and metrics, such as product adoption rates, customer feedback scores, and sales targets, managers can create a shared understanding of success. This alignment encourages collaboration and ensures that efforts are focused on achieving common objectives, rather than working at cross-purposes.

Align your product and sales teams by establishing common goals and metrics that support overall business objectives. Clearly define and communicate the product vision, strategy, and objectives, emphasizing how they contribute to broader business goals. Identify and track key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the impact of your product on customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue. Ensure alignment between product and sales teams on these goals and metrics, demonstrating how their efforts directly contribute to achieving them. Regularly communicate progress and provide feedback to reinforce alignment and motivation.

Align Goals & Metrics: Move beyond just revenue. Consider customer-centric metrics: adoption rates, NPS, usage, churn. Collaborative Goal Setting: Involve both teams to set shared goals and metrics focused on customer experience. Use tiered goals (short-term for motivation, long-term for innovation). Track & Visualize Progress: Share key metrics via accessible dashboards for both teams. Hold regular reviews to discuss progress, address issues. Data-Driven Decisions: Use sales feedback to inform product improvements and feature prioritization. Measure feature impact on sales and adoption metrics. Celebrate Success Together: Publicly acknowledge contributions from both teams when goals are met. Foster a collaborative culture to highlight.

Having a common criteria for sizing opportunities is a key. After some time it will become the language we both understand to evaluate priorities of any initiative or feature requests. For example revenue, adoption, market share... vs. feasibility, and complexity, viability....etc.

The third step in managing your product and sales teams is alignment on common goals and metrics. Clearly define and communicate your product vision, strategy, and objectives, emphasizing their alignment with overall business goals. Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) tracking customer satisfaction, retention, and revenue impact. Ensure both teams understand how their efforts contribute to these goals, fostering collaboration toward shared objectives.

- Work with both teams to define shared goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect both product success and sales achievements. - Ensure these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART), providing a clear target for collaboration. - Regularly review progress towards these goals, celebrating joint successes and addressing any discrepancies as opportunities for improvement and alignment.

Aligning on goals and metrics is crucial for driving team synergy and achieving business outcomes 🎯💼. Establish clear, measurable objectives that resonate with both short-term and long-term visions. #GoalsAlignment #KPIs Use SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) to set these goals. For example, if increasing customer satisfaction is a goal, define a specific target Net Promoter Score (NPS) to reach within a quarter. Incorporate regular review sessions to track progress, celebrate achievements, and adjust strategies as needed. Emphasize transparent communication and shared dashboards for real-time monitoring. Aligning on goals and metrics ensures everyone paddles in the same direction, maximizing impact.

Sales will be coin-operated, meaning they are compensated for deals closed this quarter. Recognize that this will motivate them (as intended) to push for things that will bring in revenue now. This view can also be myopic. You don't see that the bridge is out ahead because you're so focused on getting through the next few kilometers. All of your goals should align at the corporate level (revenue, profit, expense), but expect that individual goals will seem mismatched because of the immediate versus long-term focus. Your job as PM is to navigate both. Which means talk often with Sales. And go out with them on Sales calls - you'll talk in the car, over meals, and while walking with them.

Setting up a shared dashboard with KPIs visible to both sales and product teams is crucial. Using platforms like PowerBI, we could visualize our progress towards shared goals, which significantly boosted our collective motivation and focus.

Collaborating on feedback and solutions is essential for managing conflicts between product and sales teams effectively. Both teams bring valuable insights from different perspectives—the product team understands the technical aspects and customer needs, while the sales team has firsthand knowledge of customer pain points and market trends. By encouraging open dialogue and sharing feedback regularly, teams can identify areas for improvement and develop solutions collaboratively. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of ownership and encourages buy-in from both teams, leading to more effective problem-solving and ultimately better outcomes for the organization.

There has to be harmony among both the Product/Onboarding or customer facing team and sales! Nothing kills a product more than oversell or miscommunication between the internal teams. It has to include product meets and sales calls. For a fact from my experience that I have seen and what I would love to implement when given a chance is to create layer before the official handover called as Internal Transition. This would introduce the product team and CX team to the sales team and hear out the pitch, promises, expectations and pain points and before closing it officially tweak it and take the feedback back to the customer and then set the right expectations. This way implementations cycles would come down and also risk will be minimized.

Collaboration on feedback and solutions is essential for resolving conflicts and improving teamwork between product and sales teams. Encouraging an environment where feedback is welcomed and constructive criticism is valued fosters mutual respect and trust. Managers should facilitate collaborative problem-solving sessions where both teams can contribute their perspectives and ideas for improvement. By working together to address challenges and find solutions, the teams can strengthen their relationship and achieve better outcomes.

The Sales team can help you find ideal customers to test ideas and prototypes with. Your first dialog with them as a PM should not be when you enabling sellers and support people. That is not the first time you should be getting their input. Show them you listen throughout the cycle, from discovery to delivery to end-of-life.

One of the latest trends in collaborating with product and sales teams involves integrating technology-driven solutions like AI-powered analytics and automation tools. Another trend emphasizes cross-functional collaboration and alignment between these teams. This shift breaks down walls between departments and foster a culture of teaming up. Sales teams are helping out with making products, giving feedback, and testing. And product teams are listening to what customers say during sales chats. All this teamwork helps businesses understand customers better and make products people love.

Why not invite the Product team to demos, interviews etc. with potential customers? Not only with existing customers. This way they can get better feedback. And doing it regularly is top!

Involving sales representatives in beta testing can provide invaluable insights, they are in the front-line with customers knowing their purchasing and usage preferences.

Encourage the teams to collaborate on finding solutions. The sales team’s feedback from customers can be invaluable for the product team. Similarly, the product team’s insights into product capabilities can help the sales team sell more effectively. This collaboration can lead to better products and improved sales. It’s also important to create a culture where feedback is welcomed and valued, and where teams feel comfortable sharing their ideas and concerns.

Collaborating on feedback and solutions fosters a team-oriented environment between product and sales. For example, create a shared platform where sales can log customer feedback directly related to product features or issues. This allows the product team to prioritize updates based on real user needs. Regularly reviewing this feedback together can lead to innovative solutions that address customer concerns, enhance the product, and empower the sales team, promoting a culture of cooperation and mutual respect.

Celebrating and rewarding success strengthens the bond between product and sales teams. Acknowledge achievements that result from their collaboration, such as reaching a milestone in user adoption or successfully launching a new feature. For instance, if a joint effort leads to a 30% increase in sales for a recently improved product, organize a team celebration or offer incentives. Recognizing these wins highlights the value of working together, motivating both teams to continue their cooperative efforts towards achieving shared goals.

Celebrating team successes with specific shoutouts in company-wide meetings, for example, has always had a positive impact on morale and productivity. But carefully consider mentioning that this is a team effort and collaboration from all departments.

Celebrating and rewarding success is key to managing conflicts between product and sales teams effectively. When teams collaborate successfully to achieve shared goals, it's important to recognize and celebrate their achievements. This can be done through public recognition, rewards, or incentives that acknowledge individual and team contributions. By celebrating success, leaders reinforce a culture of collaboration and mutual support, motivating teams to continue working together towards common objectives. Additionally, recognizing and rewarding success helps build morale and camaraderie among team members, fostering a positive and productive working environment.

As a product manager, celebrating and rewarding success can be done by publicly acknowledging the team's achievements, organizing a team event or outing, providing personalized thank-you notes, and offering performance-based bonuses or professional development opportunities. For example, after a successful product launch, the product manager could publicly recognize the team's efforts, host a team celebration event, and provide personalized thank-you notes and performance-based bonuses to show appreciation and motivate the team.

Recognizing and rewarding success is a crucial part of managing product and sales teams. It not only boosts morale but also fosters a sense of ownership and commitment towards the company's goals. However, it's important to ensure that the rewards are equitable and reflect the individual's contribution to the team's success. Also, non-monetary rewards such as public recognition or career advancement opportunities can sometimes be more motivating than monetary rewards.

Celebrating and rewarding success is important for reinforcing positive behaviors and fostering a culture of teamwork and collaboration. Managers should recognize and appreciate achievements that result from the joint efforts of the product and sales teams. This could include acknowledging successful product launches, surpassing sales targets, or delivering exceptional customer experiences. Celebrating success together helps build camaraderie and motivation, encouraging continued collaboration and cooperation.

Recognize and celebrate the successes of both teams. This can boost morale and foster a sense of teamwork. Whether it’s a successful product launch or a big sale, celebrating these wins together can help reduce conflicts and build a positive team culture. Recognition can take many forms, from public acknowledgments in team meetings to formal reward programs.

Recognize and celebrate achievements that result from effective collaboration between the product and sales teams. Acknowledge individuals or teams that contribute to joint successes and reinforce a culture of collaboration and mutual support.

Comemorar e recompensar o sucesso é vital para motivar equipes de produto e vendas. Reconheça publicamente conquistas, ofereça prêmios e incentivos, organize eventos de celebração, forneça feedback positivo e promova o desenvolvimento profissional. Isso fortalece o espírito de equipe e impulsiona o engajamento e a produtividade.

In most legacy companies product management has a 1-2 year horizon before a product can be on the market. Hence the most important thing is to void the „squirrel effect“: sales screams now but by the time a shift of the product has occurred (let’s say best case 6-12 months), customers may already have the next sudden idea in mind and are bothering sales with it. Sales is the process of selling in the here and now what you got to sell. And to give valuable feedback to Product. Product has to set that feedback into context of other trends, time to market and value compared to other projects in the pipeline. Then sometimes everyone will focus on what just came in as sales feedback and other times the feedback will not be acted upon immediately

Use conflicts as learning opportunities. Reflect on what led to the conflict and how it was resolved. Use these insights to improve your processes and prevent similar conflicts in the future. Remember, continuous improvement is key to effective conflict management. This could involve regular retrospectives, surveys, or feedback sessions to gather insights and identify areas for improvement.

Sales and PM are a team. Both of you have skills that work together to the benefit of your company and to each other. Use them. Listen to sellers. Go with them on sales calls. Keep them in the loop with what you're doing. Use them to find alpha and beta testers. Bounce ideas off of them. Show them you are listening to them. But a product-led product is not led by Sales. As PM, you are to have the big picture - past, present, and future - that includes current customers, prospects, partners, the market, the competition, and what's happening with technology. No other role has that perspective. Do your job, and know when to back off so others can do theirs.

Learning and improving continuously is essential for managing conflict between product and sales teams effectively. Managers should encourage a growth mindset and a willingness to reflect on past experiences and learn from them. By fostering a culture of continuous improvement, teams can identify areas for enhancement and implement strategies to address them. This iterative approach enables the teams to adapt to changing market conditions, customer needs, and internal dynamics, ensuring ongoing alignment and collaboration.

Encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement within both teams. Encourage them to reflect on past conflicts and challenges, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to prevent similar issues in the future. Foster a growth mindset that values learning from mistakes and adapting to change.

Promover aprendizado contínuo e melhoria é fundamental para equipes de produto e vendas. Estabeleça uma cultura de aprendizado, incentive feedback construtivo, ofereça desenvolvimento de habilidades, promova experimentação e inovação, e estimule reflexão e análise. Isso ajuda as equipes a se adaptarem, inovarem e se manterem competitivas.

These 2 teams have ultimately the same goal: to reach more happy customers. So, start building a relationship from there. Communication, leadership and priorities are key. Here’s what else to consider, from a pure product expert craft perspective: sales team should be a key input source for product teams. They are one of many: product teams need to build empathy with customers, from customer insights coming from sales, customer service and other teams, data (as much as possible!) and user research. The way to centralize those insights and translate them into effective product strategy is not linear. There is a big product craft process in this. So, sharing about this process with the sales team is key to align expectations and collaborate

Additionally, it's important to consider the role of leadership in resolving conflicts and promoting collaboration between product and sales teams. Managers should lead by example, demonstrating empathy, communication skills, and a commitment to shared goals. Providing coaching and support to team members, mediating disputes, and fostering a positive work environment are essential responsibilities of effective leaders. By fostering a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration, leaders can empower their teams to overcome conflicts and achieve success together.

Establish clear expectations and guidelines for how conflicts should be handled within the organization. Also encourage transparency and accountability.

In my experience Sales will attempt to solve for the customer whilst product assumes the solution will solve the clients problem. Ultimately new products are deployed to support revenue growth and solve for customer problems. The solution to this conundrum is a joint discussion with your top 5 potential clients on the new product. Probing questions will give reassurance to both teams on what the best next steps.

Mediation or facilitation: If conflicts persist, consider involving a neutral third party to mediate discussions or facilitate conflict resolution sessions. Cross-functional training: Provide opportunities for team members to gain insights into each other's roles and responsibilities through cross-functional training or job shadowing. Feedback mechanisms: Implement formal feedback mechanisms, such as 360-degree reviews or anonymous surveys, to gather insights on team dynamics and identify areas for improvement. Leadership support: Ensure that leaders within the organization actively support collaboration efforts between the product and sales teams and prioritize resolving conflicts effectively.

Manage conflicting product and sales teams effectively by facilitating open communication and aligning goals. For example, organize regular cross-functional meetings where both teams can discuss challenges and opportunities. Encourage collaboration by setting common objectives and KPIs, emphasizing the shared goal of driving product success. Provide training on each other's roles and responsibilities to foster mutual understanding and empathy. By promoting transparency, collaboration, and mutual respect, conflicts can be resolved constructively, leading to improved teamwork and overall performance.

Most times Sales and Product teams aren't aligned, it's because of miscommunication and bad processes for how Sales feedback gets incorporated into Product development and roadmaps. Fix that, and Sales will be happy, client attrition will drop, and net new revenue will grow. Easier said than done, but it tends to start at the top with how Sales and Product leaders communicate client needs to each other.

Conflicts between product and sales teams often boil down to two key areas: Misaligned Goals: Product teams are visionaries, focusing on long-term innovation, while sales teams chase immediate targets to meet customer demands. This discrepancy can lead to tension over priorities. Sales Practices: There's friction when product teams feel sales strategies misrepresent or overpromise on what the product can do, potentially setting unrealistic customer expectations. Solution: Establishing a unified understanding that balances immediate sales needs with long-term product vision is crucial. Regular, transparent discussions can align sales practices with product capabilities, ensuring promises to customers are both ambitious and accurate.

In managing product and sales teams, it's crucial to remember that both teams are working towards the same ultimate goal: the success of the product. The conflict often arises due to different approaches and metrics of success. As a Product Manager, it's essential to foster a culture of empathy and understanding, where each team appreciates the challenges and contributions of the other. Regular joint meetings can help in this regard, providing a platform for open communication, collaboration, and mutual learning.

Conflicts between product and sales teams are inevitable due to their distinct focuses: product teams aim to generalize requirements, working from a vision to KPIs, while sales teams often target specific, immediate opportunities. I've developed a framework allocating a fixed percentage of each sprint exclusively to sales-driven tasks. This non-accumulative allocation, compelling sales teams to build strong cases for their priorities, define success metrics, then provide retrospectives. It streamlines the prioritization process, promotes a collaborative environment, and most importantly, helps balance between the two important needs, while empowering the teams and providing the tools to take responsibility and be accountable for their asks.