In this feature, SIMON KELLY considers the issues that get in the way of effective sales and marketing alignment with the customer. He draws on his experience of 35 years as a marketing and sales practitioner, as well as his recent academic and commercial research, to give an up-to-date picture of the state of alignment. Simon suggests how to get better alignment around the most important facet of B2B sales and marketing, customer value propositions. Much of the advice provided here builds on his co-authored book Value-Ology: Aligning Sales and Marketing to Shape and Deliver Profitable Value Propositions (Kelly, Johnston, Danheiser, 2017).