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Miller Heiman Releases Sales Performance Index for Q4 2005

Sales Leaders More Confident They’ll Achieve Quota by Year's End

RENO, NV -  November 03, 2005  -   Miller Heiman today announced results of the Q4 2005 Sales Performance Index. The Index is 104.7 for the quarter. This reflects a modest improvement when compared against last quarter's Index of 104. The movement reflects increased optimism in the marketplace that sales forces will achieve quota in the final quarter of the year. Sales leaders also cited improved optimism that opportunities to pursue new business are on the rise.

The Q4 2005 Sales Performance Index reflects significant improvement when compared against the Index's baseline of 100, which was established in Q4 2004.

'We're encouraged by the most recent Sales Performance Index, which indicates more companies believe they'll close out the year having achieved their quotas,' said Sam Reese, president and CEO, Miller Heiman. 'This is a healthy market indicator, which we believe will correlate to strong earnings reports.'

According to the Q4 2005 Sales Performance Index, 72% of respondents believe there are more opportunities to pursue today, as compared to the previous quarter.

However, Miller Heiman's Q4 2005 Sales Performance Index reveals while there is increased optimism toward achieving quota, sales leaders share a growing concern that current levels of new sales leads are decreasing. According to the Index, 18% of the respondents believe the quantity of leads in the most recent quarter has decreased compared to the previous quarter.

About the Sales Performance Index

Miller Heiman's Sales Performance Index is a new and unprecedented market indicator that measures the confidence companies have in effectively selling products and services in current market conditions.

It is the first nationally published Index of its kind. When announced, the Index reflects the expectations of a select group of sales leaders for the current quarter's sales performance.

The Index is comprised of responses by a fixed group of 250 sales leaders representing small, medium, and large companies in various industries throughout North America. The members are referred to as the Sales Performance Index 250. Each quarter, members of the Sales Performance Index 250 are asked ten questions relating to their confidence in the overall market and toward specific performance-related metrics.

Each question focuses on a specific driver reflective of overall sales performance. Questions range from the sales leader's ability to achieve quota in the current quarter to lead quality, sales cycles, discounting pressures, and growth or decline in average billing per customer.

The Sales Performance Index 250 is a managed sample of senior-level sales executives, which employs a consistent composition based on company size. Company size is determined by total number of employees. The Index number itself is a summation of the mean responses of the participants.

The announcement schedule for the Sales Performance Index is as follows: Q1 2006, January 30; and Q2 2006, April 24.

About Miller Heiman: The Sales Performance Company

Miller Heiman is a global leader in sales performance solutions with more than 30 years of documented results. The company works with leading organizations to improve sales effectiveness through issue-based consulting and training. Headquartered in Reno, Nev., Miller Heiman has additional corporate offices in the United Kingdom and Australia and representation in more than 30 countries. For more information, contact 877.506.2973 or visit www.millerheiman.com.