Building a sales department: what the work consists of, what it costs and how long it takes
What building a sales department includes, in what order it is done, what it costs in the AKORDO catalogue and what not to expect from such a project
Building a sales department is not a set of managers with a plan. It is a description of how the department works day to day: which steps the client goes through, what the manager does at each one, how the head of sales sees the result and what happens when someone leaves. Without it, sales rest on two or three strong people, and losing one of them is felt at once.
When this work is needed
- The result depends on individual managers, not on a system.
- There are no common conversation standards, and everyone answers in their own way.
- The head of sales cannot see where clients are lost and learns about the problem from the monthly totals.
- New managers are onboarded "on the go", and reaching independent deals takes long.
If you recognise at least two of these, start by describing how the department works now instead of hiring more people.
What the work consists of
According to the AKORDO catalogue the sequence is as follows.
- Diagnostic. A client journey map with loss points, an analysis of processes, the CRM, calls and chats, and an action plan. The catalogue gives 7 working days and $600-900.
- Department systematisation. A described process, standards, call evaluation criteria, AI review of calls and conversations, and reporting. The catalogue guide is $1 600-3 300, and the timeline is set after a consultation.
- Communication standards. Scripts for calls, messengers and email, client qualification, objection handling and a sales book. $600-900 and 2-3 weeks.
- Training. Practice on real cases and homework, $400-800 per session, 1-3 days plus follow-up.
- If needed, an external head of sales: $1 000-1 700 per month, from 3 months. They run the plan, control the CRM, KPIs and forecast, and set tasks for managers.
You do not have to order everything. A diagnostic is often enough, and it already shows what to do next.
What the owner should get at the end
The list of "what you hold in your hands" matters more than the name of the service: a described process, conversation standards, call evaluation criteria, reports and a panel for the head of sales. This is easy to check: each item can be opened and shown to a new manager on the first day.
The result is measured by process, not by a revenue promise. For example, whether managers record the mandatory next action in open deals, follow the funnel stages, keep job descriptions and regulations complete, and how soon new managers reach independent deals.
What it costs
The "Sales department systematisation" package starts at $3 000 and includes a diagnostic, department systematisation, communication standards, and reports with a panel for the head of sales. The same services separately start at $3 300. The contents are agreed for your request, so do not add up the ranges of individual services mechanically. AKORDO names the exact amount after a free consultation. The client pays for CRM licences, API, hosting and telephony separately, and the catalogue timelines are indicative, not contractual.
What not to expect
AKORDO does not promise a guaranteed financial result. Revenue depends on the product, prices, demand and production. Building a department makes sales manageable and repeatable, but does not guarantee a particular amount. Likewise, training without processes and control returns the team to old habits within weeks, so training comes after the process is described, not instead of it.
What the cases show
The commercial system case in financial services describes a department together with KPIs, motivation, training, scripts and management analytics. The retail sales transformation case shows a sales management system and standardised processes. The seasonal-demand sales department case describes how a department is organised with KPIs and communication standards. This is scope of work, not expected figures for your company.
For how the consulting part begins, read Business consulting for sales systematisation. What a diagnostic costs on its own is explained in The cost of a sales department audit, and conversation standards are covered in Communication standards and the sales book.
Want to understand where to start in your department? Book a free AKORDO consultation.