In a compelling discussion with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Mike Curliss, Vice President of Sales at Maximizer, shared his journey in sales leadership and the transformative impact of CRM systems. Reflecting on a pivotal experience at Sony, Mike described how the absence of a centralized CRM led to difficulties in retaining a high-performing account manager, prompting him to seek better solutions. This journey ultimately led him to Maximizer, a CRM platform that centralized sales data and streamlined processes. Highlighting Maximizer’s new Outlook integration, Mike explained how this feature empowers users to manage CRM tasks directly from their inbox, enhancing efficiency and insight. He also discussed the evolving role of Sales VPs, underscoring the importance of technological savvy, data-driven decision-making, and the strategic use of AI to complement human interactions in sales. Mike Curliss has 20 years of Sales Leadership experience including Sony, Ericsson, Two Hat Security, and Vadim Software. He is currently Vice President of Sales at Maximizer, supporting other Sales VPs through CRM.
Personal business story
During my time as Director of Sales at Sony, I faced a tough situation with a standout account manager whose contract renewal was coming up. He was an exceptional performer, but I lacked visibility into his activities and deals because we didn’t have a CRM—everything was scattered across individual systems and spreadsheets. To retain him, I had to offer a larger increase than budgeted, simply because I didn’t have the data to back up a counteroffer. This incident pushed me to find a better solution and funny enough the solution was Maximizer. Once implemented, we could centralize all sales information and link it to our procurement system. This not only gave me the insights I needed but also ensured that critical customer information remained within the company, preventing future challenges if a sales rep decided to leave. This early experience with Maximizer made a lasting impression, and when the opportunity arose to join their team years later, I jumped at it.
Recent success
Maximizer is proud to announce the launch of its new Outlook integration, a significant advancement that will help companies facing Microsoft’s phase-out of the Outlook COM add-in. This new feature allows users to manage their CRM contacts, leads, tasks, and appointments directly from their Outlook inbox, providing comprehensive insights into customer relationships. This innovation firmly positions Maximizer as a go-to CRM for Microsoft 365 users, particularly benefiting small businesses. Combined with integrations with Outlook, Teams, and Power BI, sales leaders operating within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem are fully equipped to manage their teams efficiently and optimize business operations.
How has the role of VP Sales at small and medium businesses in Canada evolved since 2019?
Over the past five years, the role of VP of Sales at small and medium businesses in Canada has transformed significantly. The integration of advanced technology and a sophisticated tech stack has become crucial, providing vast amounts of data that VPs must analyze and interpret. Sales and marketing are now more closely aligned, with both teams heavily relying on technology to optimize spending and the sales funnel. Social selling has surged, challenging VPs to stand out in a crowded market where everyone is vying for attention. Additionally, the rapid adoption of AI has become a game-changer, enhancing—but not replacing—the sales process and human interactions. Lastly, the pandemic led to a decline in in-person events, and despite some recovery, these events haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. It’s a completely different playing field these days.
What new competencies and skills do you believe are essential for a Sales VP to effectively lead in today’s market?
A Sales VP must master a blend of new and traditional skills. A deep understanding of technology and the ability to analyze data are crucial, along with expertise in navigating and using CRM so you always: know your critical deals, know your team performance, and have the insights on next steps for your team. It’s that continuous tug of war between Sales Management and Sales Leadership. Despite the tech focus, traditional leadership skills remain vital — coaching, managing, and training the team are as important as ever. Alignment with marketing is essential to ensure cohesive strategies. Ultimately, it’s about integrating these technological advancements with creative go-to-market strategies to stand out in a crowded and noisy marketplace.
Can you explain the specific ways in which AI can help Sales VPs enhance human connections and interactions, rather than replace them?
AI can facilitate human connections and interactions in sales by taking over repetitive and mundane tasks, allowing sales reps to focus more on building relationships. Currently, sales reps spend about 1.4 days of each workweek managing emails alone. AI tools can listen to and transcribe conversations, summarize key points, and outline next steps. This frees up time for sales reps to engage more deeply with clients. Additionally, AI-powered playbooks can help reps be better prepared for meetings by providing relevant information and insights. At Maximizer, we share the belief with many providers of the critical need for trust with AI. Where we differ is in thinking that you can’t put customer relationships on autopilot: relationship building is a human capability that cannot be substituted. While AI can draft emails and predict sales outcomes, the essence of trust and personal connection remains irreplaceable. People buy from people they trust, and AI helps ensure that sales reps have more time and resources to build and maintain those crucial relationships.
How do you see the role of AI for Sales VPs differing from general AI applications in sales, and what unique benefits does it offer?
While general AI applications might focus on automating routine tasks for sales reps, for Sales VPs, AI provides deeper insights and predictive analytics that inform decision-making. AI can analyze and predict sales funnels, pipelines, and outcomes, offering a level of insight that was previously hard to achieve due to data complexity and disparity. For smaller businesses, AI helps optimize operations by automating administrative tasks, whereas in larger organizations, AI can reveal critical insights from big data. This tailored approach helps Sales VPs optimize their strategies, ensuring they can lead their teams effectively with data-driven decisions.
With the ongoing advancements in AI technology, how do you foresee the role of Sales VPs continuing to evolve in the near future?
Sales VPs will continue to adapt with the increasing use cases identified for AI technology. At Maximizer, we believe as more AI tools become available, Sales VPs will need to stay ahead of the curve by integrating these tools into their sales processes appropriately. This includes using AI for lead identification, communication, coaching, sales insights, and reducing administrative tasks. The key will be to leverage AI to help without compromising the human element of sales. VPs must understand where AI fits best within their processes to maximize benefits and avoid potential pitfalls. As technology evolves, so will the strategies and skills required of Sales VPs, making continuous learning and adaptation essential components of the role.
