In this episode of the SaaS Sales Performance Podcast, host Matt Milligan is joined by Raouf Mhenni, Chief Commercial Officer at Sopra Banking Software (SBS). Ralph brings 25+ years of commercial leadership experience and shares powerful, actionable insights from his global career in sales, marketing, and product strategy.

Introduction & Guest Background (0:00 - 1:20)

Raouf shares his journey from pre-sales to sales leadership, highlighting his passion for customer interaction and continuous learning, especially in banking.

Overview of SBS and Market Context (1:20 - 2:40)

SBS provides core banking and digital banking solutions across Europe and North America, focusing on retail banking and specialized finance.

Building Resilient & Productive Teams (2:40 - 4:50)

Raouf emphasizes the fundamentals of hiring, onboarding, and engagement—adapting these processes for today’s talent market and technological environment.

Evolving Recruitment & Onboarding (4:50 - 8:20)

Shift from traditional hiring and onboarding to digital tools, e-learning, and leveraging internal referrals to attract motivated talent; importance of meeting with product teams and creating a sense of safety.

Motivating Salespeople Beyond Money (8:20 - 10:50)

Focus on learning, joy, and career growth, including aspirational paths to leadership, to retain top talent and foster engagement.

Fostering Team Solidarity & Collaboration (10:50 - 14:00)

Encourages creating spaces for sales teams to share experiences, work together on win-loss analyses without managers, and build peer leadership.

Leadership During Tough Moments (14:00 - 16:20)

Leaders should actively support and reassure their teams during challenging times through one-on-one conversations and human connection.

Impact of AI & Digital Transformation (16:20 - 23:00)

Raouf discusses AI's transformative potential across marketing, sales, and customer insights—speeding up processes, reducing time-to-market, and enabling smarter decision-making. Emphasizes the importance of change management and human-AI balance.

Human Element & Balance (23:00 - 24:30)

Despite technological advances, Ralph underscores the need to prioritize human connection, interaction, and wellbeing in the workplace.

Closing & Contact (24:30 - End)

Raouf invites listeners to connect via LinkedIn, emphasizing ongoing learning and adaptation in sales.