Shaping B2B Sales Education
The CustMaS Teaching & Learning Event recently took place at Alba Graduate Business School in Athens, bringing together students and academics to explore essential skills and strategies for future B2B sales leaders. Funded by Erasmus+, the CustMaS project aims to create an empirically validated skills model for Business-to-Business customer management and develop a comprehensive post-graduate curriculum to foster these skills.
Over two engaging days, participants collaborated on designing this new program, which features five key modules: Fundamentals of Professional Selling, Sales Leadership, Digital Selling, Sales Analytics, and the Capstone Project. Each module addresses the diverse challenges faced in modern sales. The Fundamentals of Professional Selling equipped students with vital techniques, while Sales Leadership focused on the strategic insights needed to effectively manage sales teams. Digital Selling examined how technology is changing buyer interactions, and Sales Analytics highlighted the importance of data in making informed decisions. The Capstone Project allowed students to apply their knowledge to real-world business scenarios.
Students also tackled a practical digital selling challenge presented by industry leaders Niczuk and Hilti, showcasing their problem-solving skills and understanding of today’s marketplace. Anticipation grew as participants prepared for day two, where they would present their innovative solutions, contributing valuable feedback for the program’s development.
This collaboration between Alba and leading European institutions—including the University of Twente, University of Münster, Kozminski University, and Technische Universität Graz—demonstrates a shared commitment to enhancing B2B sales education. Esteemed faculty members such as Holger Schiele, Manfred Krafft, and Piotr Kwiatek, PhD, facilitated meaningful discussions, fostering connections among students from five different countries.
Looking ahead, the insights gained from this event will play a crucial role in shaping a forward-thinking educational program, preparing the next generation of sales professionals for the challenges of a dynamic global market.
