Striving for improvement and managing complexity: What is commercial excellence?

Amid the variety of definitions and business practices, the Commercial Excellence Lab (CEL Lab) at SDA Bocconi School of Management defines commercial excellence as the ongoing pursuit of improved sales productivity and the management of complexity through the coordinated use of actionable levers to optimize commercial processes and structures while aligning the efforts of different stakeholders.

In their Commercial excellence. La scienza dietro l’arte dell’eccellenza commerciale (McGraw-Hill, 2025, Italian only), Paola Caiozzo, Paolo Guenzi and Laura Colm (with contributions by Marco Aurelio Sisti) introduce a commercial excellence project management model. This model identifies areas of intervention and offers managers an integrated and consistent approach to optimize them. Each topic addressed in the book is grounded in empirical research conducted by the CEL Lab.

Drawing on insights from numerous companies, the authors provide ideas, decision-making tools, and practical examples to make commercial organizations more efficient and competitive. The book outlines how to achieve commercial excellence by developing a deep understanding of the business and market environment and creating innovative value propositions rooted in sustainable solutions.

The authors offer strategies to redefine customer interactions by improving the coordination of existing touchpoints and introducing new communication channels. They explain how to reorganize corporate structures by clearly defining roles and responsibilities while enhancing the efficiency of internal processes and cross-functional collaboration. They also propose innovative approaches to performance management and incentive systems, aiming to stimulate salespeople’s motivation more effectively. Additionally, the book provides practical guidance on attracting talent, transforming skill development processes, and supporting managers in adopting advanced technologies to strengthen sales networks.

For each area of focus, the book outlines a four-phase framework—analysis, design, implementation, and control—that guides managerial decision-making with a systematic and practical approach.

• Publisher: McGraw-Hill
• Publication Date: March 2025
• ISBN/EAN: 9788823889255
• Pages: 213
• Format: Print

PAOLA CAIOZZO is a Senior Lecturer in Leadership, Organization, and Human Resources at SDA Bocconi School of Management and the Coordinator of the CEL Lab.
PAOLO GUENZI is an Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at Bocconi University and a Senior Lecturer in the Marketing Area at SDA Bocconi. He is also the Scientific Director of the CEL Lab.
LAURA COLM is an Associate Professor of Practice in Marketing and Sales at SDA Bocconi School of Management.