In my years as a professional services leader, tension often existed between the sales, onboarding/implementation, and professional services teams. Each team has its reasons for this tension, and much could be written about them. Instead, let’s focus on how to build a great relationship between the sales and services teams that ensures success for all.

• We are ONE team. Despite the organizational structure, it’s vital to operate as a unified team. The success of the organization depends on our collective efforts, and this can only be achieved through mutual support and understanding between the sales and services teams.
• Give the benefit of DOUBT. Just because there is an issue during the engagement that would have been best managed during the sales process does not necessarily mean the sales team failed to uncover the requirement or covered something up. Many engagement issues are caused by the customer’s lack of due diligence, sharing requirements, or misunderstandings. The sales team and the customer cannot uncover every feature, gap, or integration every time.
• Make it EASY for the sales team. Do everything possible to aid and facilitate a quality sale and set it up for success before signing the contract. This could involve prioritizing availability for scoping calls, creating sell sheets and process flow documents, documenting necessary expectations, and providing regular training.
• Prioritize the RELATIONSHIP. Service leaders should get to know and make friends with the sales team just like they would their own team. The relationship with the sales team is very important, and relational issues could appear in detrimental ways.
• Support TRANSFERS to the sales team. While we may not desire a colleague to move to another team, moving to sales puts a colleague in a position where their service experience will be valued by customers, services, and sales teams.
• Do not TOLERATE team members who are publicly negative about the sales team or any other team. I often feel that this is even more important with sales because the relationship is so crucial to the success of customer engagements. Allow team members to share issues with the appropriate leadership and decide if they need to be addressed.
• DEAL with issues quickly. First, prioritize the customer and resolve the issues. When there are trends of issues with engagements that could have been avoided, address them. Meet with the sales team, update documentation, and/or change your process to improve for the next time. Your team’s confidence in you as a leader will depend on you having their back and managing these situations with the sales team.