The Numbers Are Staggering – and So Are The Opportunities
As a sales team motivational speaker, who came out of a financial sales background, we all know that 2022 is a year filled with challenges. At the beginning of the year, the industry consensus showed the following:
More than 70 percent of sales vice presidents didn’t think they could adopt their strategies fast enough; about 75 percent of folks working in sales operations said they were overwhelmed due to employee shortages; 80 percent of sales managers across the board weren’t sure they could meet sales quotas and due to a ton of factors, nearly 80 percent of sales reps could not complete their “to-do” lists.
With inflation, supply chain issues, war, “Great Resignations,” and, of course, COVID-19, there’s plenty of room to complain, whine and get defeated. Is that you? I don’t think so.
On the other hand
Yahoo! Finance business writer Nicole Charky in her article: Jobs That Have A Good Outlook In 2022, included sales and fastest growing support positions in healthcare, healthcare support, construction and personal care fields; technical roles, including solar photovoltaic installers and wind-related jobs (and green energy), expect opportunities in leisure and hospitality, software development and IT security.
That said, things are changing and sales teams doing business as usual are in for a huge surprise – and not a good one.
If you haven’t been made aware of this, understand we have all entered the world of “social selling.” The world has gone digital and leans heavily into Artificial Intelligence (AI). But what has not gone away, is customer support. Now, as never before, the entire sales team, from the newbie to the seasoned veteran must actively manage customer relationships. We are in a social world with expanded social expectations.
Did you know that the latest market research is showing that if your loyal customers have just one negative customer service or customer support experience, 35 percent of those customers will walk away? Whether your sales team sells imaging equipment, pet food or gaskets, if your customers report one bad customer experience (in-person or virtual), expect more than one-third of them will go to the competition.
What this means for your team
No one is above customer service. It is the sales teams’ highest priority. The mindset has traditionally been to “do whatever it takes to make the sale.” In many cases, making that sale in 2022 now requires heavy lifting from marketing. In the future expect the digital experience to rely on artificial intelligence and increasing outreach to the metaverse.
Sales is no longer about “doing whatever it takes to make the sale,” but keeping the customer. You must be determined to go that extra mile to exceed customer or client expectations. It is not a one-off deal. Keeping that customer will require the daily grit to dig-in and exceed customer expectations.
The numbers are staggering, pro and con. Every sales team member has the choice of keeping or pushing away business. Customer satisfaction is your primary mission and your constant vision.
Scott Burrows, Sales Team Motivational Keynote Speaker. Please contact Scott today at: 520 – 548 – 1169, or through this website.
