What will sales divisions look like in the future? With increased competition, the rapidly expanding role of technology in the sales process, and factors such as digitalization impacting every step of the process, sales transformation specialists at Simon-Kucher & Partners predict:
- Sales forces will be cut in half. Customer segments will be defined according to customers’ needs and the way they use products, e.g. customers who want real end-to-end solutions versus customers looking to buy a standalone product.
The first group is more lucrative but requires time-consuming consultation. Dedicating sales teams’ time and energy to managing direct, personal relationships with these customers is key to increasing sales. Contact with the second group, on the other hand, should be as automated as possible. Self-service tools and a well-designed online shop help cater for this segment much more efficiently and free up resources for higher-paying customers.
- Sales will become too complex to stay a one- man show. Value selling shouldn’t only happen during sales talks. A large number of customers make their purchasing decisions very early on in their customer journey, such as when visiting the company website, skimming a product brochure or seeing advertising materials. That’s why it’s important to incorporate value selling techniques into online shops and at the other touch points. To do so, companies need to seek the advice of dedicated specialists. Teams that used to just consist of key account managers and “farmers” will be joined by web shop specialists and customer journey advisors.
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