Channel swimming with 'sales dolphins'

CRN Sales and Marketing Awards quiz results reveal there are lots of sensitive and clever folk on channel sales floors

The collective channel sales floor is swimming with dolphins, according to the results of CRN's Sales and Marketing Awards (SMAs) quiz.

In the run-up to the third SMA event which was held last night at The Brewery, CRN launched a fun quiz in partnership with headline sponsor Comms-care to find out what kind of sea creatures inhabited the channel sales and marketing ocean, with the final choices being either a whale, a shark, a dolphin, a clownfish, a starfish or a jellyfish.

Of the 300 respondents, the majority - 57 per cent - came out as dolphins: savvy and intelligent and always keen to help out in any way they can.

The next most common result, which 18 per cent of participants came out as, was a starfish: often overlooked for not shouting about its success but a vital member of the team nonetheless.

In joint-third place with 12 per cent each were whales - king of the ocean and an immovable team member - and life-and-soul-of-the-office clownfish, which are always ready for a party and to have some fun.

We're pleased to report the two most unsavoury sea creatures - sharks and jellyfish - came in joint-last place with just four per cent of respondents coming out as each. Ruthless sharks are keen to get ahead no matter who they have to gobble up on their way, while sneaky jellyfish act like your best friend but are ready to sting at any minute if you get too close.

The channel sales floor is clearly a fun place to be, with 21 per cent of respondents preferring a fun, relaxed office environment with lots of space to communicate and play games.

But don't relax too much because eight per cent of those which answered said they would prefer a space geared up to encourage competition with lots of leaderboards so they can plan on pinching others' big deals!

More than half of those who took part said they would help a colleague try and win back a big client if they lost one and four per cent said they would try and steal the customer for themselves - watch out!

CRN's executive editor Sara Yirrell said the quiz results make interesting reading.

"It is heartening to know there are so many helpful and intelligent ‘dolphins' and so few ‘sharks' out there in the channel," she said. "I'm pleased to say I came out as a dolphin too!

"The SMAs was fantastic last night and a great opportunity to celebrate companies' and individuals' successes."