Executives continuously look for clever ways to encourage their sales reps to achieve greater results. The most common and used incentives are different type of bonus programs or compensation plans where sales reps are rewarded for their performance. Achieving monetary rewards on a personal level comes down to the sales reps' social as well as professional capabilities and motivation. However it is possible for executives to increase sales reps' motivation and help them to develop their capabilities through customer understanding.
Today, customers expect that all necessary knowledge is available online. Therefore product presentations do not bring any additional value for the customer in sales meetings anymore.
Traditional sales meetings where sales reps define customer needs and make small talk do not serve the participants' expectations anymore. It is important that the sales rep knows the product or service, however, identifying the elements that drive the buyer's decision-making are in an even greater role today.
It is a challenge, if not impossible for the sales rep to identify these drivers before the first encounter with the customer. Therefore it is smart to open a dialogue after the sales call has been made and before the first meeting has taken place. The dialogue allows the sales rep to understand the customer's persona before the first meeting and assists the sales rep to identify not only the needs of the customer but also the drivers for decision-making and the customers values. A good way to deepen the understanding of the customer during the dialogue is to use a profiling survey. Using the collected data from the profiling survey allows the sales rep to personalize the customer experience and provide relevant information for the customer.
By improving the quality of your customer experience, you will also improve the motivation level of your sales reps.
Challenging sales reps to consider what type of customers they face, who are likely to buy, and what are the customer's drivers for decision-making can boost the sales reps' motivation to expand their expertise and further examine the nature of their sales meetings. 
By investing in your customers sales experience you can strengthen your relationship with your customer right from the start.