Who is an interim chief sales officer?
When a permanent chief sales officer leaves their position and the company still searches for a new CSO, an interim chief sales officer fills the void. As the name suggests, an interim CSO is a temporary position and the individual is associated with the company only for one or two quarters. Nevertheless, an interim CSO covers the full spectrum of responsibilities of a chief sales officer. Their primary responsibilities include sales forecasting, strategizing and offering sales team leadership.
But there are also some additional duties of an interim CSO. They help the company by garnering new customers and stepping into new markets. Additionally, they have a crucial role in change management, since they step into the organization during a transitional phase. Therefore, an interim chief sales officer becomes a critical component of the company’s management even for a brief period.
Although it is believed that well-established companies with deep pockets can onboard a chief sales officer, interim CSOs are breaking that notion. An interim CSO’s compensation is flexible and reasonable. Therefore, they are excellent, cost-effective management solutions for start-ups and mid-level businesses looking to leverage industry expertise for growth and expansion.
Why should you hire an interim chief sales officer?
Companies usually hire an interim chief sales officer when there is a gap in the sales leadership. It can happen when the existing CSO steps down or retires, and the company is yet to appoint a permanent CSO—the interim CSO steps into the leadership role for a short period. The interim CSO ensures the company’s sales activities are carried out smoothly in the absence of leadership. However, startups can also benefit from the services of an interim chief sales officer.
How can your company benefit from an interim chief sales officer?
While most of the time leadership change is a planned phenomenon, sometimes it can be sudden. Such changes can lead to internal turmoil within the company, and derail its operations. Onboarding a high-pedigree interim chief sales officer ensures:
- The sales team has proper guidance and motivation for achieving their targets.
- An industry expert is there to review the performance of the sales tactics and strategies.
- The old sales strategies are reviewed and optimized even during transitional phases.
- Interdepartmental collaboration with production, marketing and accounts departments is maintained to achieve sales targets.
- An experienced C-suite executive guides the company through change management.
What are the key responsibilities of an interim sales officer?
Although an interim CSO is appointed for a short period, their engagement can have a long-term impact on the organization. Every company will have a different playbook outlining the responsibilities of a chief sales officer. However, here are some vital responsibilities of an interim CSO:
- Predict future sales by analyzing data and reporting such information to other departments.
- Develop and implement sales strategies that help the company achieve its short and long-term goals.
- Enable other C-suite executives to make data-driven decisions based on current revenue collection and projected growth.
- Empower the sales team with industry insights and selling tactics for capturing large market share.
- Ensure high-quality customer services to keep the old and new customers happy.
- Resolving crises, and conflicts and addressing concerns within the sales department during the transitional phase.
Services offered by an interim CSO?
While the company’s needs for an interim CSO can vary depending on internal and external factors, here is a list of common services offered by an interim CSO:
Sales forecasting: An interim CSO will accurately predict future sales by analyzing market data and assist the company with resource allocation and planning for future growth.
Strategizing: Interim CSOs play a pivotal role in optimizing existing sales strategies and developing new ones that help the company with new customer acquisition and revenue generation.
Reporting: The interim CSO will create detailed reports about predicted sales, revenue growth, etc., and provide such information to other C-suite executives to give them an overview of the company’s sales activities.
Customer retention: The CSO will ensure the existing customers are satisfied with the company and do not take their business elsewhere.
Mentoring: Interim CSOs will offer sales team leadership, where they will motivate and guide the sales team to achieve the targets.
Performance tracking: An interim CSO will monitor and track the performance of the sales team against some standard KPIs to analyze the effectiveness of existing sales tactics and strategies.
Compensation of an interim chief sales officer:
The interim CSO’s remuneration is usually less than a permanent CSO’s salary because their role is temporary and does not involve some components. The remuneration depends on factors like industry, job scope, experience and skills, etc. Since the interim CSO’s compensation is reasonable, they are a cost-effective choice for start-ups too.
How can you select the right interim CSO for your company?
Since an interim CSO is associated with the company for a short period, especially during a leadership change, selecting the right personnel is essential to ensure success. Here are three things to check when choosing the perfect candidate for the interim CSO position:
- Relevant experience in the same or related industry is an asset for such provisional roles. Strong sales and customer handling knowledge can help them take over the responsibilities sooner.
- Besides experience, a portfolio of successful case studies establishes the credibility of the ideal candidate. Hence, a proven track record is essential for onboarding an interim CSO.
- Apart from industry knowledge and core skills, the right interim CSO must also have excellent communication and leadership skills, since they have to hold the reins during a transitional period and motivate the sales team.
A general job description for an interim chief sales officer:
An interim CSO will be responsible for guiding the sales department and propelling the company towards revenue growth. They will focus on sales forecasting, strategizing and reporting. Additionally, they will also lead cross-departmental teams directly or indirectly associated with sales activities. For a new-age organization, the interim CSO must also have technical knowledge and be adept with AI tools and CRM software.
How does COHIRE help you onboard a high-pedigree interim CSO?
Step 1: Give us your company background and tell us about your criteria for an interim CSO
Step 2: We will create a job posting according to your needs
Step 3: We will use ATS to track the applications
Step 4: COHIRE’s onboarding specialists analyze all the profiles and shortlist the best ones for you
Step 5: Interview the selected candidates and select the most qualified profile
Step 6: Learn more about the candidate through previous case studies
Step 7: We will conduct a reference-based comprehensive background check
Step 8: Onboard an Interim CSO and maintain a smooth sales momentum.
Why is COHIRE the best platform for onboarding an interim chief sales officer?
Leadership change is a distressing period for companies until the right successor is found and appointed. COHIRE makes such stressful times easy with its interim CSO onboarding services. COHIRE has helped several companies seamlessly onboard an expert interim chief sales officer during transitional phases. We have a pool of sales professionals and our hiring specialists help you find the perfect match for your company. We also offer conflict resolution and mitigation services to our patrons.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which types of industries need Interim CSOs?
An interim CSO can be an asset to various industries, including but not limited to retail, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, e-commerce, technology and financial services. Additionally, start-ups and companies undergoing structural changes can need a provisional CSO.
- What experience do Interim CSOs have?
An interim CSO must have relevant industry experience and strong leadership skills. Additionally, they must also have technical skills to adopt AI, predictive analytics and machine learning to boost sales. But most importantly, they should have extensive sales and customer handling experience.