scope & solve: Active Selling Time Study

Thank you for your support and 10 minutes of your valuable time.

Through countless conversations with salespeople and our ongoing work with industrial sales teams, we've seen a recurring pattern:

In machine sales and aftersales, surprisingly little time is spent in direct customer interaction. Instead, large parts of the day are consumed by internal processes, documentation, quoting, coordination, and administrative tasks.

A key metric that captures this imbalance is Active Selling Time – the time spent in client meetings, phone calls, or video conversations. It specifically excludes preparation, follow-up, internal alignment, CRM work, and emails.

Our goal is to help change that. We believe there's huge potential to reduce admin effort and increase meaningful customer engagement – especially with the technological possibilities available today.

This survey is a starting point. We want to better understand the current situation across different companies, and use these insights to develop more practical solutions that increase YOUR Active Selling Time.

This survey is fully anonymous. Your individual answers will remain confidential and will not be shared with anyone – not even your manager. Only aggregated, anonymized results will be used and discussed within your team to identify patterns and support meaningful improvements.

Question Title

* 1. On average, how many HOURS PER WEEK do you usually WORK?

Question Title

* 2. How many hours do you currently spend PER WEEK in direct contact with (potential) customers?

Please count only personal appointments, phone calls, or video meetings. Do not include preparation, follow-up, internal meetings, emails, or CRM work.

To estimate your average, we recommend looking at your calendar and using 3–4 typical weeks as a reference.

Question Title

* 3. How much time do you spend TODAY ON AVERAGE PER WEEK in these task categories that are not direct contact with customers?

	0 h per week	< 1 h per week	1-2 h per week	3-5 h per week	6-10 h per week	>10 h per week
Offer Creation	Offer Creation 0 h per week	Offer Creation < 1 h per week	Offer Creation 1-2 h per week	Offer Creation 3-5 h per week	Offer Creation 6-10 h per week	Offer Creation >10 h per week
CRM Updates / Data Entry	CRM Updates / Data Entry 0 h per week	CRM Updates / Data Entry < 1 h per week	CRM Updates / Data Entry 1-2 h per week	CRM Updates / Data Entry 3-5 h per week	CRM Updates / Data Entry 6-10 h per week	CRM Updates / Data Entry >10 h per week
In Parallel Excel Tables	In Parallel Excel Tables 0 h per week	In Parallel Excel Tables < 1 h per week	In Parallel Excel Tables 1-2 h per week	In Parallel Excel Tables 3-5 h per week	In Parallel Excel Tables 6-10 h per week	In Parallel Excel Tables >10 h per week
Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related)	Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related) 0 h per week	Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related) < 1 h per week	Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related) 1-2 h per week	Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related) 3-5 h per week	Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related) 6-10 h per week	Internal Meetings (Not Project- /Customer-Related) >10 h per week
Scheduling of Customer Meetings	Scheduling of Customer Meetings 0 h per week	Scheduling of Customer Meetings < 1 h per week	Scheduling of Customer Meetings 1-2 h per week	Scheduling of Customer Meetings 3-5 h per week	Scheduling of Customer Meetings 6-10 h per week	Scheduling of Customer Meetings >10 h per week
Lead Follow-up	Lead Follow-up 0 h per week	Lead Follow-up < 1 h per week	Lead Follow-up 1-2 h per week	Lead Follow-up 3-5 h per week	Lead Follow-up 6-10 h per week	Lead Follow-up >10 h per week
Technical Clarification	Technical Clarification 0 h per week	Technical Clarification < 1 h per week	Technical Clarification 1-2 h per week	Technical Clarification 3-5 h per week	Technical Clarification 6-10 h per week	Technical Clarification >10 h per week
Calculation Sheets	Calculation Sheets 0 h per week	Calculation Sheets < 1 h per week	Calculation Sheets 1-2 h per week	Calculation Sheets 3-5 h per week	Calculation Sheets 6-10 h per week	Calculation Sheets >10 h per week
Contract Preparation / Legal Topics	Contract Preparation / Legal Topics 0 h per week	Contract Preparation / Legal Topics < 1 h per week	Contract Preparation / Legal Topics 1-2 h per week	Contract Preparation / Legal Topics 3-5 h per week	Contract Preparation / Legal Topics 6-10 h per week	Contract Preparation / Legal Topics >10 h per week
Travel Management	Travel Management 0 h per week	Travel Management < 1 h per week	Travel Management 1-2 h per week	Travel Management 3-5 h per week	Travel Management 6-10 h per week	Travel Management >10 h per week
Travel Expenses	Travel Expenses 0 h per week	Travel Expenses < 1 h per week	Travel Expenses 1-2 h per week	Travel Expenses 3-5 h per week	Travel Expenses 6-10 h per week	Travel Expenses >10 h per week
Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers)	Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers) 0 h per week	Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers) < 1 h per week	Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers) 1-2 h per week	Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers) 3-5 h per week	Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers) 6-10 h per week	Trouble Shooting (First Level Support for Existing Customers) >10 h per week
Internal E-Mail Communication	Internal E-Mail Communication 0 h per week	Internal E-Mail Communication < 1 h per week	Internal E-Mail Communication 1-2 h per week	Internal E-Mail Communication 3-5 h per week	Internal E-Mail Communication 6-10 h per week	Internal E-Mail Communication >10 h per week
Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects)	Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects) 0 h per week	Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects) < 1 h per week	Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects) 1-2 h per week	Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects) 3-5 h per week	Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects) 6-10 h per week	Internal Projects (e.g. Innovation Projects) >10 h per week
Support of Engineering Department	Support of Engineering Department 0 h per week	Support of Engineering Department < 1 h per week	Support of Engineering Department 1-2 h per week	Support of Engineering Department 3-5 h per week	Support of Engineering Department 6-10 h per week	Support of Engineering Department >10 h per week
Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation	Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation 0 h per week	Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation < 1 h per week	Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation 1-2 h per week	Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation 3-5 h per week	Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation 6-10 h per week	Project Mgmt after Order Confirmation >10 h per week
Monitoring of Delivery Times	Monitoring of Delivery Times 0 h per week	Monitoring of Delivery Times < 1 h per week	Monitoring of Delivery Times 1-2 h per week	Monitoring of Delivery Times 3-5 h per week	Monitoring of Delivery Times 6-10 h per week	Monitoring of Delivery Times >10 h per week
Marketing Campaigns	Marketing Campaigns 0 h per week	Marketing Campaigns < 1 h per week	Marketing Campaigns 1-2 h per week	Marketing Campaigns 3-5 h per week	Marketing Campaigns 6-10 h per week	Marketing Campaigns >10 h per week
Organization of Customer Events	Organization of Customer Events 0 h per week	Organization of Customer Events < 1 h per week	Organization of Customer Events 1-2 h per week	Organization of Customer Events 3-5 h per week	Organization of Customer Events 6-10 h per week	Organization of Customer Events >10 h per week
Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues	Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues 0 h per week	Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues < 1 h per week	Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues 1-2 h per week	Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues 3-5 h per week	Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues 6-10 h per week	Training / Onboarding of new Colleagues >10 h per week
Communication with Internal Procurement	Communication with Internal Procurement 0 h per week	Communication with Internal Procurement < 1 h per week	Communication with Internal Procurement 1-2 h per week	Communication with Internal Procurement 3-5 h per week	Communication with Internal Procurement 6-10 h per week	Communication with Internal Procurement >10 h per week
Trial Preparation & Result Summary	Trial Preparation & Result Summary 0 h per week	Trial Preparation & Result Summary < 1 h per week	Trial Preparation & Result Summary 1-2 h per week	Trial Preparation & Result Summary 3-5 h per week	Trial Preparation & Result Summary 6-10 h per week	Trial Preparation & Result Summary >10 h per week
First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller	First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller 0 h per week	First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller < 1 h per week	First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller 1-2 h per week	First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller 3-5 h per week	First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller 6-10 h per week	First Level Support for Distributors / Value Adding Reseller >10 h per week
Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads)	Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads) 0 h per week	Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads) < 1 h per week	Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads) 1-2 h per week	Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads) 3-5 h per week	Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads) 6-10 h per week	Prepare for Prospecting (e.g. research leads) >10 h per week
Driving (windshield time)	Driving (windshield time) 0 h per week	Driving (windshield time) < 1 h per week	Driving (windshield time) 1-2 h per week	Driving (windshield time) 3-5 h per week	Driving (windshield time) 6-10 h per week	Driving (windshield time) >10 h per week
Visiting Events & Exhibitions	Visiting Events & Exhibitions 0 h per week	Visiting Events & Exhibitions < 1 h per week	Visiting Events & Exhibitions 1-2 h per week	Visiting Events & Exhibitions 3-5 h per week	Visiting Events & Exhibitions 6-10 h per week	Visiting Events & Exhibitions >10 h per week
Support Events & Exhibitions	Support Events & Exhibitions 0 h per week	Support Events & Exhibitions < 1 h per week	Support Events & Exhibitions 1-2 h per week	Support Events & Exhibitions 3-5 h per week	Support Events & Exhibitions 6-10 h per week	Support Events & Exhibitions >10 h per week
Attending Training Courses	Attending Training Courses 0 h per week	Attending Training Courses < 1 h per week	Attending Training Courses 1-2 h per week	Attending Training Courses 3-5 h per week	Attending Training Courses 6-10 h per week	Attending Training Courses >10 h per week
Research Customer Information (e.g. websites)	Research Customer Information (e.g. websites) 0 h per week	Research Customer Information (e.g. websites) < 1 h per week	Research Customer Information (e.g. websites) 1-2 h per week	Research Customer Information (e.g. websites) 3-5 h per week	Research Customer Information (e.g. websites) 6-10 h per week	Research Customer Information (e.g. websites) >10 h per week
Interaction with Sales Management	Interaction with Sales Management 0 h per week	Interaction with Sales Management < 1 h per week	Interaction with Sales Management 1-2 h per week	Interaction with Sales Management 3-5 h per week	Interaction with Sales Management 6-10 h per week	Interaction with Sales Management >10 h per week
Other Administrative Work	Other Administrative Work 0 h per week	Other Administrative Work < 1 h per week	Other Administrative Work 1-2 h per week	Other Administrative Work 3-5 h per week	Other Administrative Work 6-10 h per week	Other Administrative Work >10 h per week

Other (please specify)

scope & solve: Active Selling Time Study

Thank you for your support and 10 minutes of your valuable time.

Question Title

* 1. On average, how many HOURS PER WEEK do you usually WORK?

Question Title

Question Title

* 3. How much time do you spend TODAY ON AVERAGE PER WEEK in these task categories that are not direct contact with customers?

Question Title

* 4. In your opinion, what’s the most effective lever the organization could pull to increase Active Selling Time?