Screen Shot 2022 05 24 at 10

Sales in a Post-COVID World

According to SBI research, humanity has experienced two decades of social evolution in the past two years – a true paradigm shift at lightning speeds. COVID-19 has disrupted the world economy and accelerated the digital revolution, also known as the 4th industrial revolution. Now, after the most significant period of organisational restructuring we’ve seen in decades, companies are re-examining their sales teams and questioning systems slipping towards obsolescence. 

Organisations must take a realistic look at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, reflecting on the learnings that happened during COVID. So, the key questions we need to ask ourselves include:

  1. What effect has COVID had on the way our customers buy?

  2. What effect has COVID had on your sales teams, and how they do business and interact with each other?

  3. What new challenges will we face in a hybrid sales world as video and telephone interactions become more dominant?

  4. How will we retain employees as emerging trends show they’re seeking greater purpose and fulfillment than simply a paycheque?

As in any crisis, opportunities present themselves for businesses positioned and willing to take advantage of them. In a recent Gartner poll, 75% of workers have stated that their expectations for working flexibly have increased, many of which indicating they’d be willing to quit their jobs if required to return to their physical office 100% of the time. As sales managers, you need to adjust your thinking from where your team will work to how your team will work. In another Gartner report that alludes to the future of B2B sales, "by 2025, 80% of B2B sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will occur in a digital channel".

COVID put a strain on sales systems as companies shifted to a digital model, exposing fundamental problems in how traditional systems functioned. According to a recent McKinsey report, since many organisations found digital sales to be more productive and less expensive than traditional external sales, most businesses will continue expanding digital sales once the pandemic subsides. However, other organisations saw their sales decrease through digital sales despite their productive, cost-effective qualities. According to the Harvard Business Review, this disparity is due to a combination of factors. While some products and services lent themselves to digital sales, like pharmaceuticals or software, others such as complicated technology and equipment still required a more traditional approach.Another factor was that sales teams required a new set of skills to build remote customer intimacy. Resilient, successful organisations were the ones that invested in sales training in these vital new skills for their teams.

Based on our research and discussions with our customers, it's clear that digital sales techniques and hybrid sales are here to stay. As you prepare your salespeople to become a high-performance team in this post COVID world, you should consider some of the following:

 

Invest in Hybrid Sales Training

Screen Shot 2022 05 24 at 10We'll start with the obvious one to get it out of the way. The most critical investment that companies can make in preparation for a post-COVID world is to train their salespeople to be emotionally intelligent, building customer intimacy in this digital landscape. As this 4thindustrial revolution continues, the importance of digital sales will continue to grow, while traditional outside sales practices will never return to their pre-COVID importance. Your salespeople's ability to create rapport digitally and manage long-term contacts is essential in maintaining happy working relationships. 

 

Articulate a Purpose Beyond Just Making Money

2021/2022 is the year(s) of the Great Resignation. It's a term coined by the Chief of Research at Gartner. Over 50% of employees stated that the pandemic has made them question the purpose of their day-to-day job, has changed their expectations toward their employer, and want to contribute more to society through their work. Companies have historically relied on excuses to avoid complex and expensive transformations, but many are now realizing that bold action is required to stay agile with the quickly evolving market. Organisations need to invest time and energy into developing a clear purpose beyond making money, something grounded and substantive their employees can get behind, and then execute on it. For sales organisations to survive this 4th revolution and retain their talent in the years ahead, they will need to meet their employees' desires to contribute to society through a greater purpose.

 

The Race to Digital 

image.png

Shopping online, virtual meetings, and digital media consumption has become the new norm, as 30% of the population indicates they plan on increasing their online shopping behaviours. Companies must adapt to these changes in remote working and consumer buying patterns, prioritizing the right digital tools, capabilities, and employee skill sets to deliver on expected customer engagements. Successful firms are acutely aware of the omnichannel nature of digital sales; understanding how these various channels influence each other and what combination drives the best results.

 

Gain a Better Understanding of Your Customer

Consumer’s buying patterns have been in a state of flux since the beginning of the pandemic – they’re exploring new brands, new online platforms, and even new brick and mortar shops. As a result of these changes, the consumer data and analytics companies once relied on need significant updating if they wish to regain their competitive advantage. They’ll need to understand the emerging emotional drivers behind changing customer needs and adjust their products and services accordingly, or their customers will shop elsewhere. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer, 71% of consumers today say if they perceive a brand is putting profit over people, they will lose trust in that brand forever.  

 

Use Technology to Empower Teams

Screen Shot 2022 05 24 at 10

Technology can drive productivity, creativity, and collaboration in your organisation, but it’s not a silver bullet for success. While the right tech can make it easier for employees to work and connect with their teams in a new hybrid environment, companies need to avoid falling into the trap of investing in the latest, greatest technologies that don't match their needs. Before making the investment, smart leaders will collaborate with their teams to identify where gaps and inefficiencies lie and explore what tools would work best to address them. This important lesson is often overlooked during transformations, dooming even the most promising initiatives. Good internal data and clear guidelines can help separate which technologies add value and which just seem impressive with a myriad of bells and whistles.

 

In Conclusion

It is undeniable that sales are in transition. Businesses that monitor trends, embrace change, and invest in the development of their sales teams' skills are the ones who will thrive in the post-COVID era of hybrid workspaces.If you are ready to invest in the best hybrid customer intimacy sales training backed by applied behavioural and neuroscience, contact Salecology to discuss our products and services. We will work with you to determine exactly what your organization needs and provide the means to assist you in taking action.