United Airlines last week filled its top sales post as Jeff Foland officially assumed duties as vice president of sales, North America. Foland comes from outside the airline industry, but is no stranger to sales organization transformations or bankrupt United's specific plight. In fact, Foland, as principal at global sales and marketing consulting firm ZS Associates, has been working with United for nearly a year.
"We were lacking in being able to benchmark ourselves against best-in-class global sales organizations," said Graham Atkinson, United senior vice president of worldwide sales and alliances, "and Jeff was energized by the opportunity to execute what he was planning."
Foland specifically is charged with changing United's sales processes as part of an ongoing, two-year project touching all aspects of how the company interfaces with clients. United's salesforce, which actually is growing marginally as other carriers reduce sales headcount, has been redesigned so that most account representatives—excluding those that work with the airline's largest customers—handle both agency and corporate clients, rather than specializing in one area. Many accounts also are likely to see different sales reps as United rebalances territorial coverage around the country and reallocates resources to support back-office processes and analytical tools.
"Beginning in the first half of this year, accounts will see an increasing suite of products which help to explain the value we offer," Atkinson said. "We are trying to move away from the commoditization that is taking place around the industry and toward a much more structured, menu-based discussion."
The suite of products United soon will test and then formally offer to customers later in 2005 is, in part, a result of research undertaken last year with hundreds of corporations and travel agencies. It likely will include new contractual terms based on an evolving airfare environment
(see story), a corporate meetings programs, tailored Star Alliance contracting possibilities and value-add programs aimed at individual travelers. The idea is to segment clients into groups based on similar characteristics and then offer appropriate packages.
Having helped United formulate such a plan, Foland became a natural candidate to lead sales efforts. He steps into the top sales spot that had been vacant for several months, following Dan Walsh's departure from the company. He is located at United's headquarters near Chicago and reports to Atkinson.
Foland's previous work included developing new sales strategies in various industries. According to the ZS Web site, he has lectured on and contributed to books about salesforce performance and design.
In a statement, Foland said, "I am committed to ensuring that our sales organization performs to the highest standards of sales excellence, working closely with our customers to better understand their unique needs and priorities, tailoring solutions that best align with those needs, and ensuring delivery of our customer promise."