WHAT WILL SALES LOOK LIKE IN A POST COVID-19 WORLD?

Max Eaglen, Director at Platform Group, looks at how businesses will need to re-shape their sales techniques in a post COVID – 19 landscape.

 

As every business owner knows new business development is part and parcel of the everyday when you run your own business, interweaved in business as usual.  However, with the global outbreak of COVID-19 there is no longer ‘business as usual’ and for some companies no business at all.

For senior management teams the challenge today is how to balance spreadsheets while protecting the wellbeing and jobs of their staff. In the midst of all of this, the question is, what will our new working world look like?

 

The Advancement of Tech

We all know there has had to be a complete change of mindset of how businesses are working – we’ve all had to adapt fast from businesses implementing working from home policies to small retailers arranging home deliveries. Those who have shown agility and have transitioned seamlessly have been the ones able to get up and running sooner rather than later. However, what the new world has illustrated is how easy it is to be virtual – whether via communication in the office or showcasing a house for sale.  Automation and technology will continue to be more important in the new world with the use of VR and AR advancing at a pace. Customers will be used to, and more comfortable, being sold through virtual platforms and those with applications that help customers demonstrate the benefits of their products and services in a bespoke scenario will be those whose sales rocket rather than plunge.

 

Social Credentials 

When crises hit, people react in one of two ways – either they reflect inwards on how the crisis will affect them and look at ways to protect themselves – hence the stockpiling of toilet rolls – or they look outwards towards ways to help others.  This second approach, illustrated by the 750,000 people who signed up to be NHS volunteers and the £ 33m raised by Captain Tom’s 100 laps of his garden walk, is deemed to make a long-lasting impact on the world.  Selling in this environment becomes different with companies having to show their social responsibility and social value credentials as well as their product or service benefits. Illustrating and communicating social values to both employees and customers could be a key component in the future of your sales process.

 

Brand agility and loyalty

Everything we thought we knew has been turned on its head.  Established brands might have gone bust and products and services we liked are no longer available to us. Those brands that have acted responsibly – have shown themselves to be robust and have driven confidence during the crisis – will be ones that customers will be gravitate to.  Brands like Louis Vuitton who have switched production from high end fashion to make face masks, restaurant chain Leon that has provided 50% meals for the NHS, Timpson the shoe repair retailer that has kept up its staff on full pay while closed – these will be the brands that customers will open their hearts (and purses) to when it comes to selling.

At Platform we know how difficult some of the challenges our clients are facing are and we are looking to help them to adapt to these challenges – whether that is with our new virtual world software StoryScape3D or through our workplace design which is supporting businesses to incorporate measures such as social distancing within the office. It is clear that life (including our working lives) will be unlikely to go back to normal in the near future (if at all) and we will all have to adjust our business strategies. As we move forward we understand that selling is going to be different, which could lead to new opportunities for companies to flourish through collaboration and creating solutions together.

 

spot_img

Explore more