Xerox rolled out Challenger sales methodology across the US Client Operations sales team of over 1,000 sellers and 150 sales managers. The organization embraced Challenger to address these issues and taught managers to be better coaches, to identify and cultivate Challenger behaviors, and to innovate in order to move deals through the pipeline. This innovation revolved around challenging customers with valuable commercial insights to teach them something about their business that they had never known before.

Previously, Xerox sold on one key product feature: generating 90% less waste than laser printing. But with Challenger’s help, Xerox identified what customers actually care about most: improving student learning by investing in interactive learning tools and scalable customization of lesson plans and materials.

Going further, Xerox discovered that digital technology is resetting students’ expectations, causing a decline in attention and interest when information is delivered in black and white. This uncovered an invisible truth that transformed how they sold to customers: color enhances learning. In fact, research showed that 77% of students agree color boosts focus, interest, and memory.
From there, it was easy to show customers the importance of access to color printing in the classroom.

Xerox redefined success when it challenged customers to see the benefits of color materials in student performance, not the cost of printers and ink. The company’s sales interactions started producing astonishing results.